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Last update: Oct 19, 2026
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Yufuin Onsen Summary
These place ratings give you a quick overview of how well a destination matches different types of trips.
"Best for" scores:
The specific interest scores show where this place really shines – whether it's ideal for hiking, food & drink experiences, museums or other activities. These highlights help you understand what makes the destination special at a glance.
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"Suited for" badges:
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Suited for
Japan – Quick facts
| Power Grid: |
100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A
Type A:
 Read about power adapters |
|---|---|
| Currency: |
Japanese Yen (JPY) $1 ≈ ¥158 |
| Cashless info: |
Rating 4/5
Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas.
Save with a travel credit card |
| eSIM providers: |
Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison |
| Tipping: | Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places. |
|---|---|
| Public drinking: | Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events. |
| Public smoking: | Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections. |
| New Year (January) |
One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead. |
|---|---|
| Golden Week (April-May) |
The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transportation. |
| Obon (August) |
A time to honor ancestors, many businesses close, and transportation can be crowded. |
| Emergency contact: | Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance) |
|---|---|
| Taxi apps: | Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi |
| Other: | Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transportation is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours. |
Best times to travel
The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.
Background colors of the months:
The color shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the color is shows the travel season: full color means high season, soft color means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.
Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.
Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.
Additional notes:
The gray info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.
for Yufuin Onsen, Japan
Morning mist (asagiri) over Lake Kinrin forms most often October to February on cold, calm mornings
Weekends, Golden Week (late April to early May) and autumn leaves season: main street crowded, ryokan book out months ahead
Many shops and cafes on the main street close by about 5 pm, day trippers leave in the late afternoon
Don't miss
- 🛀 Bathe in a private open-air onsen with mountain views
- 🛍️ Stroll along Yufuin’s picturesque Yunotsubo Kaido shopping street
- 🌅 Take a morning walk around tranquil Lake Kinrin
- 🎨 Admire local art at the Yufuin Floral Village and galleries
- 🍱 Enjoy traditional Kaiseki cuisine at a cozy ryokan inn
You've been here?
Log in to manage your own bucket list! Why travel to Yufuin Onsen?
Yufuin is a hot spring town in a basin of fields and ryokan, below the twin peaks of Mount Yufu, which rise to about 5,000 ft. Lake Kinrinko in the center is named for golden fish scales that shimmer in the evening sun. Hot spring and cold spring water flow into it, so on cool mornings mist and steam rise off the surface. The area has more than 800 hot spring sources and is a designated national health resort. The main street goes from the station to the lake and has about 70 shops, galleries, cafes and snack stalls. Look for croquettes made with local Bungo beef, miniature cheesecakes and jars of custard pudding. Side streets are quieter and lead to small galleries and bathhouses. Staying overnight is the best way to enjoy the town. Day trippers tend to arrive in late morning and leave in the afternoon. Most shops close in the late afternoon, so evenings are calm. A ryokan with a private open-air bath is the main reason to stay. It also combines easily with Beppu on the same trip, since the two are a short bus ride apart.
🏯Places worth seeing
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1
Yufuin Floral Village
🎡Places for activities
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1
Yufuin Retro Motor Museum
🏞️Natural landmarks
🛍️Shopping
🍽️Eat & Drink
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1
Yufu Mabushi Shin, Kinrin Lake Main Store
Yufu Mabushi Shin is known for Bungo beef mabushi: charcoal-grilled Oita wagyu layered over rice cooked to order in a clay pot, served with condiments and soup. It is at 1492-1 Kawakami on Yunotsubo Kaido, a short walk from Lake Kinrin. -
2
Yufu Mabushi Shin, Yufuin Station Branch
The station branch serves the same clay-pot mabushi style with Bungo beef, local chicken or eel. It is at 5-3 Kawakita, on the second floor directly beside Yufuin Station. -
3
Yufuin Burger
Yufuin Burger makes burgers with regional ingredients, including Bungo beef patties and locally sourced vegetables. It is on Yunotsubo Kaido between Yufuin Station and Lake Kinrin. -
4
B-speak
B-speak is the bakery and café associated with Yufuin’s Tan’s Bar, famous for its lightly textured P-roll cake made with local milk and eggs. It is at 3040-2 Kawakami, near the central Yufuin shopping area. -
5
Milch
Milch specializes in handmade sweets using Yufuin milk, especially warm cheesecake and roll cakes. It is on Yunotsubo Kaido near the pedestrian route to Lake Kinrin. -
6
Yufuin Kinsho Croquettes
Yufuin Kinsho Croquettes sells freshly fried croquettes, including Bungo beef and cheese varieties, as an easy walking snack. It is on Yunotsubo Kaido in central Yufuin. -
7
Snoopy Chaya Yufuin
Snoopy Chaya offers character-themed Japanese café dishes, desserts and drinks in a casual setting. It is on Yunotsubo Kaido, close to Yufuin Floral Village and the Lake Kinrin end of the street. -
8
Amami Chaya
Amami Chaya serves Oita home-style food, including dango-jiru miso soup with broad wheat dumplings and yaséuma, sweet kinako-coated noodles. It is in Yufuin’s Kawakami area, away from the busiest part of Yunotsubo Kaido. -
9
Yufu-in Sanshoro
Sanshoro serves seasonal Japanese dishes using Yufuin vegetables, Bungo beef, local chicken and Oita-style ryukyu fish preparations. It is in the Yufuin countryside north of the station, around a short taxi ride from central Yufuin. -
10
Kikusuke
Kikusuke serves soba and regional dishes in a traditional setting, with ingredients sourced around Yufuin and Oita. It is in the Yunotsubo area, along the walking route between Yufuin Station and Lake Kinrin.
🎈Events
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Yufuin Music Festival
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Yufuin Onsen Festival
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Autumn Leaves Viewing Events
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Yufuin Fireworks Festival
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Hot Springs Festival
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Winter Illuminations
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Spring Cherry Blossom Viewing
Knowledge before you go
- Shops on the main street close in the late afternoon.
- Carry cash because many small vendors and snack stalls on the main street accept nothing else.
- Reserve a seat on the Yufuin no Mori since reservations are required on every service.
- Visit Lake Kinrinko early on a cool morning to see the mist rising off the water before the crowds arrive.
How to travel to Yufuin Onsen
The most scenic way in is the Yufuin no Mori limited express from Hakata Station in Fukuoka. It takes a little over two hours and runs three times a day with reserved seats only. The Japan Rail Pass covers it. Other limited express trains reach the town in about 2 hours 10 minutes from Hakata. Highway buses from Fukuoka take around two hours and a bus from Beppu takes about 50 minutes. Oita Airport is about 55 minutes away by bus and Oita Station is about an hour by train. Flights from Tokyo Haneda to Oita take about 1 hour 30 minutes. A car makes sense if you plan to visit the countryside beyond the town.
Access summary
- From Oita Airport: Limousine bus to Yufuin, about 55–60 minutes.
- From Fukuoka (Hakata): Direct limited express train or highway bus, roughly 2–2.5 hours.
- From Beppu: Local or highway bus to Yufuin, generally around 50–60 minutes.
Check your route from anywhere
Where to stay in Yufuin Onsen
Ryokan are the main type of accommodation, both around the main street and on the quiet lanes outside the center. Many offer dinner and breakfast with Bungo beef and local vegetables and some have private open-air baths with a view of Mount Yufu. Smaller hotels cluster near the station and the lake. Prices are higher than in nearby Beppu and weekends, holidays and the autumn leaf season fill early. Public baths often restrict visible tattoos so ask before booking. A night here suits travelers who prefer a calm evening over nightlife. Yunohira and Hasama are quieter hot spring districts nearby.
Hotel recommendations
*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.
How to get around Yufuin Onsen
Yufuin is small enough to see on foot. Galleries and bathhouses are on the side streets off the main street to Lake Kinrinko. Ryokan are on the quieter lanes around the center and beyond. Taxis and bikes cover what's too far to walk.
Walking:
Most sights are within walking distance of Yufuin Station. The tourist information center beside the station can book rides and give out a map. Many small vendors along the way take cash only.
Bikes:
Rental bicycles, including electric-assist models, are available and suit the flatter lanes. They're an easy way to get past the main street without depending on the infrequent buses.
Horse-drawn carriage:
A horse-drawn carriage covers about 2.5 mi in around an hour from March to the end of the year. It's a slow sightseeing option rather than a way to reach a ryokan.
Buses and taxis:
Local buses are infrequent, so taxis suit farther ryokan and viewpoints such as Sagiridai. Many ryokan offer free pickup from the station, which is worth asking about when you book.
Car:
A car works for the countryside around Yufuin but parking near the main street is tight on weekends. If you're only here for the town itself, you don't need one.
Food in Yufuin Onsen
Eating in Yufuin means regional Oita cooking, with Bungo beef and handmade soba for meals and a long run of snack stalls and sweet shops on the main street. Many lunch places sell out by mid-afternoon, so it's best to eat earlier in the day.
Bungo beef:
Bungo beef is the local pride. It appears as steak sets in restaurants and as croquettes sold at street stalls.
Soba:
Handmade soba made with local buckwheat and spring water is common near the lake, so it's easy to fit in a lunch stop during a walk around the water.
Dango-jiru:
Dango-jiru is a miso soup with flat dumplings and seasonal vegetables. It suits a cold day, such as the cool mornings that bring mist to the lake.
Sweets:
Shops on the main street sell custard pudding in jars, miniature cheesecakes and fruit ice cream. Weekend queues are normal.
Oita shochu and local pears are also worth trying. Vegetarians should ask about the stock since fish broth is common.
Budget snapshot
Costs compared to home
We calculate the average costs when traveling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.
To customize this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.
Daily expenses in the region are around 44% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.
Exchange rate trend
The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.
Your exchange rate (USD to JPY) is 17% better than in recent years. That means traveling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.
Travel costs (Data for Beppu, Japan - 7 miles away)
To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when traveling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.
Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.
Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.
To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when traveling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.
Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.
Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.
Daily cost summary
Travel style categories explained:
Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.
Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.
Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.
Travel style categories explained:
Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.
Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.
Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.
| Backpacker | Mid-range | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation | |||
| 🏨 Accommodation per night, per person | |||
| 🍝 Food per day | |||
| 🚕 Transportation per day |
Food & Drink
| 🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person | |
|---|---|
| 🍛 Lunch Set, per person | |
| 🍟 Fast food combo | |
| 🍝 Preparing your own food, per day | |
| ☕ Cappuccino | |
| 🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l / 16 oz |
Transportation
| 🚌 Public transport ticket | |
|---|---|
| 🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi | |
| ⛽ Gas, 1 l / ¼ gal |
Other
| 🎞️ Movie ticket | |
|---|---|
| 👩⚕️ Doctor's consult | |
| 🤧 Cold medication | |
| 💇 Basic haircut |
Safety information overview
General safety
Yufuin is very safe with low crime and a calm feel after the day trippers leave. The main hazards are outdoors since mountain weather can change quickly on the hiking routes and winters bring snow and ice on roads.
Health & Medical
Medical care is basic in the town so larger hospitals are in Beppu and Oita City. A few pharmacies and clinics serve the town though English is rare. Hot springs can be risky with heart conditions or low blood pressure so limit soaks.
Accessibility
The center is mostly flat and the main street is paved but crowded. Some ryokan and bathhouses have steps and outdoor tubs are hard to enter. The Sagiridai viewpoint and Mount Yufu trails are steep and the few buses make taxis useful.
Tap water
Tap water in Yufuin is safe to drink like in the rest of Japan. Vending machines and convenience stores sell bottled water and cold drinks near the station. Don't drink hot spring water unless a sign says it's drinkable and carry a bottle.
Packing recommendations for Yufuin Onsen
Log in to add this place to a travel list and get a summary of all recommended items for your whole trip.
📷
Camera
👟
Comfortable walking shoes
🚰
Reusable water bottle
👕
Light, breathable clothing
🕶️
Sunglasses
🎒
Small backpack
🩱
Swimwear
for onsen
🔋
Power bank
📱
Translation app or phrasebook
🛁
Quick-dry travel towel
📱
Travel eSIM
🔌
Universal power adapter
💳
Credit card with no foreign transaction fees
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