Part 4. Kyushu – the land of onsens, palms, cherry trees, and volcanoes.

Day 6

Yunosato Hayama hotel in Beppu

29.03.2025

Today, we had breakfast in the hotel (湯の里葉山) where we stayed in Beppu. It was on the same floor as our room. We were asked in advance what time we wanted breakfast to be served. At 8 AM, we took just a few steps along the corridor and found ourselves in a hall with three tables set for breakfast. A lovely old lady showed us to our table.

The view of our room in Beppu

In the first ryokan hotel near Osaka, we had a buffet breakfast with many Japanese dishes to choose from. This time, the table was already set with food—Japanese style. I think I am even more open to food choices now, but I believe not everyone would like some of the dishes. Still, we were very happy—firstly, because breakfast was provided by the hotel (so no need to go to a convenience store to buy food), and secondly, because it was a fully Japanese-style breakfast. After a while, two more Japanese families joined the room. We only saw Japanese guests in this hotel, which, to me, is a good sign—it means local people like to stay here! 🙂

Hells of Beppu

Our first stop was the popular Hells of Beppu. I was a bit worried because I had read that it gets very busy. So I suggested we go as early as possible, just to see what it looks like. We arrived at 9 AM and parked without any problems. The ticket office was also quick, and we bought tickets for six jigoku (which means “hell” in Japanese). This place is famous for its unique and colorful hot springs. You can’t bathe in them, but you can admire a collection of geothermal pools.

It was a great idea to come early. We spent quite a lot of time at the first jigoku because it wasn’t crowded yet, and the scenery was so breathtaking that I wanted to take photos of everything.

Can you imagine seeing palm trees and cherry blossoms in full bloom in the same location? And white steam rising into the air? Just fascinating. The kids and Alex started getting annoyed with me being so slow, but it was worth it. At the end of the trail, we found a footbath with hot spring water. You could just sit down and soak your feet—amazing!

Hot springs, palms and foot onsets. One love

When we left, we saw a huge line at the ticket office. It was getting very busy, but we still really enjoyed the experience. It took us a few hours, but it was worth it.

We walked around a bit, tried some sweets, and enjoyed the atmosphere. Today was quite cold, around 12°C! So it was a good idea to bring warm jackets, mittens, scarves, and hats for this trip.

At 2 PM, we went to a mall for lunch and to buy some clothes at UNIQLO, a Japanese clothing store. It has a great variety for kids, and we bought some nice clothes for them. I didn’t get anything special, but in the next shop, which had local Japanese items… I wish we had more time! But we didn’t, otherwise, I definitely would have found something nice.

After 5 PM, we drove to our next destination—Yufuin town. It was only a 40-minute drive from the Beppu mall. The funny thing was that it took us 20 minutes just to get out of the mall parking lot! The traffic was so slow.

The scenery on the way was breathtaking. We drove through dense forests, and then suddenly, we found ourselves in an open mountain landscape with no trees—just yellow and orange soil, almost like Iceland.

At the top of the hill, there was a viewpoint, and I wanted to stop to take some photos. It was 6°C and so windy! My hands were freezing, but it was still worth it to walk around a bit.

The place we checked into today is on the outskirts of Yufuin town, which is also known for its onsens. It was already dark when we arrived, so we didn’t see much of the scenery, but we’ll explore it tomorrow. The place is really nice—so clean and well-equipped for a great stay. It even has its own onsen! I’ll take a photo tomorrow in daylight. The kids loved the bath.

For dinner, we walked to a restaurant recommended by our host. It took us 30 minutes to get there. It was cold, but we enjoyed the walk through town.

If you didn’t already know the location, you would never guess there was a restaurant there—hidden on the first floor, around the corner. The place was an izakaya, serving sushi, sashimi, and fried dishes. The sushi just melted in our mouths—it was fantastic. Such a great experience!

Day 7

30.03.2025. Yuifuin town and Mount Aso

I wanted to visit the onsen again this morning. With a perfect view of the forests and mountains, it was once again a wonderful experience.

Yufuin floral village

Our first destination was Yufuin Floral Village, which is essentially a small street lined with shops selling Ghibli and other character-themed items. If you’re a true fan of these anime, you can find plenty of charming things to buy.

There was also a café with Bengal cats, and we decided to go inside. You pay an entrance fee, which includes one drink, and you can stay for up to 30 minutes. I had never actually touched a Bengal cat before, and one of them looked just like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. The café’s main theme was actually inspired by the book! 🙂

Amelia chose a Totoro snack box bag and a set of snack boxes for school. Milana bought a small shoulder bag featuring the soot sprites from My Neighbor Totoro. I got a pair of Moomin socks, and Alex picked out a small Suzuki car model. Everyone was happy with their finds.

Afterwards, we had to embark on a bit of a quest to find a toilet. The town had become so crowded with tourists that it wasn’t easy. To be fair, this was the first time in Japan we had to walk a bit longer to find one.

I have to say—Japan is, hands down, the best country we’ve visited so far in terms of public toilets. And let’s be honest, knowing that you won’t have trouble finding a toilet makes any journey much more pleasant and stress-free—especially when traveling with kids!

Retro Museum in Yufuin

This time, however, it was too crowded, and the public restroom was busy. Amelia just couldn’t wait. That’s when I spotted a Retro Museum across the street. We rushed over, paid the entrance fee, and—naturally—the first “retro” place we visited was the toilet.

The museum itself wasn’t crowded at all, and I can’t understand why. It was such an interesting place, filled with rooms designed to look like an old barbershop, izakaya, photo studio, and doctor’s office—just like from the era when my parents were born. I have no idea why more people don’t know about it! We spent over an hour exploring before we started getting hungry.

For lunch, we found a small café designed like an old-school canteen, serving just a few dishes: udon, ramen, fried bread, and various drinks. It felt like we were students again, ordering food and eating at school desks.

After lunch, we escaped the town, which had become too crowded for us.

Mount Aso

Our next stop was Mount Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan and one of the largest in the world. The scenery was completely different from anything we had seen in Japan before. It reminded us a little of Icelandic landscapes, yet it had its own distinct atmosphere.

We walked to the lake and observation deck, then took the car to visit the Aso Nakadake Crater. The entrance fee was 1,000 yen for a car, and we were able to park right near the crater’s observation area.

Near the entrance, there was a stand with four warning lights: blue, green, yellow, and red. The red one was blinking. That meant danger, which immediately made me nervous.

The view, however, was absolutely breathtaking—majestic nature right in front of our eyes. Just as we were taking some photos, I noticed a staff member walking toward us.

Within a minute, a loud siren started blaring. Those were some of the scariest moments of the day. It suddenly became difficult to breathe, and I could even taste acid on my tongue. We rushed back to the car and drove away.

Other cars were still heading up the hill, which suggested that the situation was still under control and that people could visit another observation deck. But for us, it was enough—we had definitely inhaled enough volcanic air for one day.

Night in a tiny house far away from everything

Our next destination was a tiny wooden house on a hill in the town of Hisaishi. An old lady welcomed us warmly and brought out a piece of cake as a treat for the kids. She spoke only Japanese, so I could understand her a bit. I have no idea how tourist communicate without Japanese language😅