JP · Oita Prefecture · 33.18°N 131.43°E

yufuin

Cute onsen village below Mount Yufu, with snack street strolls and misty Lake Kinrin.

Best time
Autumn and winter, when Lake Kinrin is misty early in the morning and outdoor baths feel best. Weekends and holidays are packed with day-trippers.
How long
1 day, or overnight at a ryokan
Getting there
Fly to Fukuoka (around 6 hours from KL, often with a connection). Highway buses from Hakata and Fukuoka Airport take about 2 hours, and the Yufuin no Mori sightseeing train from Hakata takes a little over 2 hours. From Beppu, buses take about an hour.
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JP · Oita Prefectureyufuin33.18°N 131.43°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Cute onsen village below Mount Yufu, with snack street strolls and misty Lake Kinrin.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingYufuinJP, Oita Prefecture
KLyufuin
≈ 4,550 km from KL, as the crow flies
由布岳と由布市湯布院町の湯布院盆地。北東を向いて撮影。

Photo: Pinkaba · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A small hot spring town in a green valley under twin-peaked Mount Yufu, about an hour inland from Beppu. It's quieter and prettier than its big neighbour, with a busy street of snacks and shops, ryokan with outdoor baths and a little lake that steams on cold mornings.

Makan

  1. Street snacksRoll cakes, croquettes, cheesecake and soft serve along the main street.Map ↗
  2. Bungo beefOita's own wagyu, often sold as skewers and croquettes.Map ↗
  3. Dango-jiruOita's hearty miso soup with flat, chewy flour noodles and vegetables.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Yunotsubo KaidoThe main street from the station to the lake, lined with snack stalls, sweet shops and galleries.Map ↗
  2. Lake KinrinA small lake fed partly by hot springs, so it steams on chilly mornings.Map ↗
  3. Yufuin Floral VillageA small, storybook-style English village with shops, animals and photo spots.Map ↗
  4. A ryokan bathSoak in an outdoor bath with Mount Yufu in view. Many ryokan offer day-use baths.Map ↗
  5. Mount YufuFit hikers can climb the volcano for wide views, about 2–3 hours up from the trailhead.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Arrive early or stay the night. By midday, the main street is crowded with day-trippers.
  • Book the Yufuin no Mori train well ahead. All seats are reserved and it sells out.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.