Was this page helpful?
Last update: 20 Oct 2026
* We earn a commission from some links on this page.
Oita 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.
‘Your personal’ scores:
This reflects how well a place matches your personal preferences. You can adjust the importances of travel topics or other personal requirements categories in your account settings.
‘Suited for’ badges:
These give you a quick overview of how well a destination suits specific types of travellers, to help you find the places that match your lifestyle, preferences or travel situation.
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 ≈ JP¥210 |
| 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 transport. |
| Obon (August) |
A time to honour ancestors, many businesses close, and transport 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 transport 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 colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour 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 grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.
for Oita, Japan
Rainy season early June to mid-July; typhoons possible August to October
Hot spring towns like Yufuin are busiest at weekends, Golden Week and Obon in mid-August
Don't miss
- ♨️ Relax in Beppu’s famous and therapeutic hot springs
- 🌋 Explore the surreal steaming pools on the Beppu Hells tour
- 🎨 Stroll the charming streets of Yufuin and visit its art galleries
- ⛩️ Visit the historic Futagoji Temple on Mt. Futago
- 🗿 See the impressive Usuki Stone Buddhas, a National Treasure
- 🐒 Get close to the wild macaques at Mount Takasaki Monkey Park
You've been here?
Log in to manage your own bucket list! Why travel to Oita?
Mt. Takasaki is home to wild Japanese macaques that live without cages and often walk close to visitors. A feeding area is about six minutes from the entrance. Admission is JP¥500 (£2.37) and the park is open from 09:00 – 17:00 all year, with last entry half an hour before closing. A monorail runs up the slope if you'd rather not walk. The Umitamago aquarium is on the same stretch of coast and makes an easy second stop. The city also has real history. In the late 16th century it was Funai, the Otomo clan's base and a political and economic centre for six provinces of Kyushu. Excavations have turned up imported porcelain, medals and rosaries. The old town had a district for foreigners and the Ruins Learning Centre shows finds from the site. A statue of Yoshishige Otomo is outside Shin-Oita Station. Oita Prefecture has more hot springs than any other in Japan. The city is only a short ride from Beppu, where food is steamed with natural vent heat at Kannawa. Seki mackerel, Bungo beef and chicken tempura are local specialities. The city also works as a base on Kyushu's east side. The Usuki Stone Buddhas, a National Treasure carved into cliffs, are further along the coast.
🏯Places worth seeing
🎡Places for activities
🏞️Natural landmarks
🍽️Eat & Drink
-
1
Amabe no Sato Seki-aji Seki-saba-kan
Seki aji and seki saba, line-caught fish from off Saganoseki, served as whole fish sashimi or in a seafood bowl of local catch. The second-floor restaurant looks out over the Bungo Channel and a shop below sells dried fish. -
2
Michi no Eki Saganoseki
Seki saba and seki aji rice bowls, with kurome seaweed soup, a Saganoseki speciality. The restaurant is in the roadside station on the north side of the Saganoseki peninsula with sea views. -
3
Kyodo Ryori-dokoro Kotsukotsuan
Oita regional dishes such as seki aji and seki saba sashimi, ryukyu, toriten and hand-pulled dango soup, at an izakaya open since 1971. It stocks around 300 local sake and barley shochu. -
4
Yoichi
Ryukyu don, a rice bowl covered in seki aji marinated in a sauce with sesame and ginger, at a counter-only shop. At lunch it serves only this bowl, with red miso soup, until it sells out. -
5
Maruju
Rich tonkotsu ramen and tsukemen with generous toppings at one of the best-known ramen shops in Oita. It is open every day, from 10 in the morning until midnight, so it suits any mealtime. -
6
Ikkotsuya
Rich tonkotsu ramen with house-made noodles at a shop known as the birthplace of Oita thick tonkotsu ramen. The menu also has Oita chilli noodles and spicy cold noodles, and the large shop suits families. -
7
Nanaman
Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen, with its black ramen as the signature, at a shop that opens at 7 in the morning for breakfast. Ramen and fried rice sets are popular, and extra noodles are available. -
8
Jiraiya
Abura soba, brothless noodles mixed with a sauce, in versions with pork back fat and garlic or spicy miso. It is in central Oita near the station, with several portion sizes. -
9
Ichiban
Beppu reimen, cold noodles in the style of Beppu, as its signature, plus miso tonkotsu ramen, at a late-night shop in the Miyakomachi entertainment district. It serves from evening until after midnight. -
10
Oita Ramen Maruyu
Oita ramen at a lunch-only shop in a quiet residential area of Motomachi, long loved by locals. Signature bowls are the house special and the half-chashu ramen, and it closes on Mondays and Fridays.
🎈Events
-
Oita Tanabata Festival
-
Oita International Wheelchair Marathon
-
Funai Pacchin Festival
-
Oita Food and Living Festival
-
Sorin Festival
-
Oita Yumeiro Music Festival
-
Oita Cycle Fes
-
Isshinji Temple Market
-
Kasuga-jinja Shrine Summer Festival
Knowledge before you go
- Last entry to Mt. Takasaki is half an hour before closing.
- A combined ticket covers a return bus from Oita Station plus the monkey park and aquarium.
- Oita Airport has no train link, so take a bus toward Beppu or Oita city.
- Order toriten, the local chicken tempura, with the karashi mustard and vinegar soy dip served alongside.
How to travel to Oita
The Sonic limited express is the easiest way to reach Oita by rail. It runs from Hakata in about 2 hours, with around 30 round trips a day. Coming from Honshu, most travellers take the shinkansen to Kokura and change to the Sonic there. Beppu and Oita are on the same line, so trains between them are short and frequent. Oita Airport is on the Kunisaki Peninsula and has no rail link. Buses connect it with Beppu in about 50 minutes and also serve Oita city. Flights come from Tokyo and other major Japanese cities. Beppu Port has ferries to Osaka and Shikoku, about a 10 minute bus ride from Beppu Station. Highway buses from Fukuoka are another option. Driving is straightforward on the expressways.
Access summary
- From Oita Airport (OIT): Limousine bus to Oita Station, about 60 minutes.
- From Fukuoka (Hakata): JR Sonic limited express via Kokura, roughly 2–2.5 hours.
- From Osaka: Shinkansen to Kokura then Sonic or overnight ferry Kobe–Oita.
Check your route from anywhere
Where to stay in Oita
Most visitors stay around Oita Station, where business hotels are within walking distance of the trains, the buses and a large shopping and dining area. This works well for short visits and for early starts to Mt. Takasaki or a train to Beppu. Rooms are simple and prices are fairly low for a prefectural capital. The other common choice is Beppu, a short train ride away. Its hot spring hotels and ryokan are the main reason to stay there, with baths in many rooms and large communal ones in bigger properties. Staying in Beppu suits travellers who want a soak after sightseeing. If you plan a night in Beppu and a day around Oita, the train makes it easy to split your time. Book ahead for weekends, holidays and autumn when hot spring areas fill quickly.
Hotel recommendations
*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.
AMANEK Beppu YULA-RE
Beppu SUGINOI HOTEL ORIX HOTELS & RESORTS
Beppu Hatto Onyado Nono Beppu
KAMENOI HOTEL BEPPU
AMANE RESORT SEIKAI (SHIOSAI NO YADO SEIKAI)
Uminohotel Hajime (ex Umikaoruyado Hotel Newmatsumi)
Nishitetsu Resort Inn Beppu
Hotel Forza Oita
Dormy Inn Oita Natural Hot Springs
Hotel New Tsuruta
How to get around Oita
Central Oita is compact and the area around Oita Station is easy to cover on foot, while buses and trains cover the rest. Mt. Takasaki and the aquarium are on the coast toward Beppu.
Walking:
The area around Oita Station is easy to cover on foot, with shops and restaurants close to the trains and buses.
Buses:
Oita Kotsu buses leave from the stop in front of the station. For Mt. Takasaki, take one to the Takasakiyama Shizen Dobutsuen Mae stop, about 25 minutes away. Buses bound for Beppu also stop near the park and the aquarium. A combined bus and entry ticket for the monkeys and aquarium is sold at the Oita Station bus centre.
Trains:
The JR line along the coast connects the station with Beppu and Hakata. Trains are the simplest choice for Beppu.
Taxis and car:
Taxis are easy to find at the station. A car helps for the countryside around Yufuin and the Kunisaki Peninsula, though most city sights don't need one.
Food in Oita
Food in Oita is simple and hearty, built around seafood from the Bungo Channel, local beef and chicken.
Toriten:
Toriten is chicken tempura made with marinated chicken that's battered and fried, then dipped in a vinegar and soy sauce with karashi mustard.
Seki mackerel:
Seki mackerel and seki horse mackerel are caught off the Bungo Channel and served as sashimi or rice bowls.
Bungo beef:
Bungo beef is the prefecture's best known meat.
Kabosu:
Kabosu, a sour green citrus, is squeezed on grilled fish and used in drinks and desserts.
Shiitake mushrooms grown in the hills are also a local speciality. Near Beppu you can try food steamed with natural vents at Kannawa, a method that dates to the Edo period. Izakaya and small restaurants near Oita Station serve most of these dishes. Convenience stores and chains are easy to find.
Budget snapshot
Costs compared to home
We calculate the average costs when travelling 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 customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.
Daily expenses in Oita are around 51% 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 (GBP to JPY) is 20% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.
Travel costs
To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling 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 travelling 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 |
Transportation
| 🚌 Public transport ticket | |
|---|---|
| 🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi | |
| ⛽ Petrol, 1 l |
Other
| 🎞️ Cinema ticket | |
|---|---|
| 👩⚕️ Doctor's consult | |
| 🤧 Cold medication | |
| 💇 Basic haircut |
Safety information overview
General safety
Oita is very safe, with low crime in the station area and the city centre even at night. Natural hazards are the main concern. Typhoons in late summer and autumn and heavy rain in early summer can disrupt trains and roads. Earthquakes are possible.
Health & Medical
Medical care is very good, with large hospitals and many clinics in the city and pharmacies near the station. English-speaking staff are limited, so a translation app and travel insurance help. Summers are hot and humid.
Accessibility
The station area is flat and easy to walk. City buses serve the main sights. Mt. Takasaki is on a slope but has a monorail. Holders of a disability handbook and one caregiver get free admission and monorail rides there.
Tap water
Tap water in Oita is safe to drink, as across Japan. Bottled water and tea are sold in convenience stores, supermarkets and vending machines throughout the city. A refillable bottle is handy on hot days around Mt. Takasaki and the coast.
Packing recommendations for Oita
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
🌞
Sun cream
summer
🚰
Reusable water bottle
👕
Light, breathable clothing
spring/autumn
🧥
Waterproof jacket
🕶️
Sunglasses
☂️
Folding umbrella
🎒
Small rucksack
🩱
Swimwear
for onsen
👛
Cash in small denominations
some shops are cash-only
👜
Anti-theft bag
🔋
Power bank
👒
Sun hat
summer
📱
Travel eSIM
🔌
Universal travel adaptor
💳
Credit card with no foreign transaction fees
Related articles & guides for Oita
Nearby recommended places
Looking for inspiration?
Discover
Best couple vacation destinations in Asia
Asia is perfect for couples who want their holiday to feel like a shared adventure rather than just a change of scenery. Few continents offer so many ways to be amazed together.…
Read more
Discover
Best wellness destinations in Asia
Asia's wellness offer is rooted in some of the world's most ancient and sophisticated therapeutic traditions, with Ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, Thai massage,…
Read more
Discover
Best destinations for first-time travelers in Asia
Asia has one of the best established beginner travel routes anywhere, largely because so many first time travelers have worn the path before you. Southeast Asia in particular…
Read more
Discover
Top hot springs destinations and thermal resorts
Hot spring travel sits at the intersection of natural landscape, geological spectacle and bathing culture, with the world's most rewarding destinations combining accessible thermal…
Read more
Discover
Best solo travel destinations in Asia
Asia is where most solo travelers figure out they can actually do this. The backpacker trails through Southeast Asia have been running for decades, and the infrastructure along…
Read more
Discover
Top solo travel destinations and safe hubs
Travelling alone sounds like a bigger deal than it is. The first day feels strange – eating dinner by yourself, navigating without someone to double-check the map with, making…
Read more
Discover
Best hot springs destinations in Asia
Asia's hot spring offer is defined by Japan's onsen culture, one of the world's most sophisticated and deeply embedded bathing traditions, where thousands of facilities ranging…
Read more
Discover
Best couple holiday destinations
Travelling as a couple sounds simple enough, yet the best couple holiday destinations mean something different to almost every pair. What feels romantic to one couple can feel like…
Read more
Discover
Best travel destinations for seniors in Asia
Asia offers some of the most senior friendly infrastructure anywhere, alongside destinations that still call for a bit more independence and stamina. Japan in particular stands…
Read more
Discover
Traditional Japanese onsen towns and hot springs
Japan has a relationship with hot spring bathing that goes back more than a thousand years and the culture that has grown up around it is unlike anything found elsewhere. An onsen…
Read more
Discover
Best destinations for first-time travellers
A first trip abroad works best somewhere that eases you in, rather than throwing every possible culture shock and logistical headache at you at once. Some first-time travellers…
Read more
Discover
Best geothermal destinations in Asia
Asia's geothermal offer is anchored by Japan's onsen culture, one of the world's most deeply embedded bathing traditions, where thousands of hot spring facilities ranging from…
Read more
Discover
Top geothermal wonders and volcanic landscapes
Geothermal travel encompasses a spectrum of experiences from the dramatic spectacle of geyser fields and volcanic hot springs to the deeply embedded bathing cultures that have…
Read more
Discover
Best travel destinations for seniors
Senior travel covers a wide range, from slow, low effort trips built around comfort to more independent trips for travellers who still want to cover plenty of ground. Some…
Read more
Discover
Top wellness destinations and holistic retreats
Wellness travel has matured from a niche pursuit into a mainstream category built around the world's most significant spa destinations, retreat centres and therapeutic landscape…
Read more
