Yufuin Onsen: A Healing Resort in the Mist-Covered Basin

Yufuin Onsen, spreading as if drifting in a quiet basin while looking up at the magnificent Mt. Yufu head-on. Even within the hot-spring superpower of Oita, it is known as a land of famous hot water alongside Beppu, and refined inns and tasteful cafés are dotted about as if gently nestling into the bosom of nature. From the moment you visit, your heart is filled with I am glad I came here—such a one-of-a-kind healing space is here. When you forget the hustle and bustle and suddenly want to recover yourself, Yufuin is a resort that always welcomes you quietly.

Yunotsubo-kaido

Yunotsubo-kaido, stretching straight from Yufuin Station toward Mt. Yufu, is a promenade of gourmet and miscellaneous goods that gradually heightens the exhilaration of your trip. Along the about 1-kilometer roadside, sweets shops making the most of Oita's ingredients, tasteful folk-craft miscellaneous-goods shops, and particular cafés line up, and just walking makes your heart bounce.

The food-walking standards are freshly fried croquettes, and soft-serve ice cream using plenty of locally produced milk. Souvenir hunting is also fun, and yuzu-kosho and hot-spring cosmetics unique to Yufuin are especially popular.

Recommended time of day: Since on weekends and during holidays it gets crowded all at once toward early afternoon, it is wise to finish food-walking during the morning. After 4 p.m. in the evening, tourists begin to thin out, and the expression of the road against a backdrop of Mt. Yufu dyed by the setting sun becomes especially beautiful. Visit in easy-to-walk flat shoes, and having a folding umbrella in case of rain is reassuring.

Lake Kinrin

Beyond where you finish walking Yunotsubo-kaido, a small lake standing quietly—that is Lake Kinrin. Although it is a small lake only about 400 meters in circumference, its mystery captures the hearts of those who visit. Due to the rare phenomenon of hot spring and fresh water welling up from the lake bottom simultaneously, the water temperature is warm throughout the year, and in the early mornings of late autumn to winter, white haze rises from the lake surface, and a fantastical scene like an ink-wash painting spreads.

Lake Kinrin at dusk is also exceptional, and the scene where the lake surface lit by the western sun, and the silhouettes of the surrounding trees and Mt. Yufu, are reflected in the water mirror is breathtakingly beautiful. On the shore of the lake stands the torii gate of Tenso Shrine, where you can spend a quiet time.

Hot-Spring Inns

Yufuin's lodging culture radiates a special presence even among Japan's hot-spring areas. Not large hotels, but distinctive high-end inns in the single-inn style dotted about—that is Yufuin's way. Open-air baths making the most of natural trees and stones, cuisine using seasonal ingredients, and refined spaces where art can be felt here and there—everything is polished to produce the extraordinary.

Especially popular are inns with private open-air baths where you can soak leisurely without worrying about time. The time of being wrapped in steam while taking in Mt. Yufu is a luxury unique to Yufuin. The water quality often stands out for its gentleness to the skin, and you can feel the moist sensation after bathing.

Best season: Mid-October to early November, when the autumn foliage reaches its viewing period, is a popular season when you can gaze at the colored mountains from the inn's open-air bath. At the same time it is also the period when reservations concentrate most, and popular inns begin to fill up half a year in advance. May with fresh greenery, and winter Yufuin clad in snow, are also hidden fine seasons, with reservations relatively easy to get and a calm atmosphere to spend time in.

Tips for travelers: Yufuin's inns have the one-night, two-meal plan with dinner and breakfast included as the basic style. Since many inns serve dinner relatively early, after check-in we recommend spending time leisurely at the inn's indoor bath or garden. Many inns also let you enjoy a stroll in yukata, and walking to Lake Kinrin after dusk is an experience unique to Yufuin.

Access

For access to Yufuin, Yufuin Station on the JR Kyudai Main Line is the gateway. The station building is a beautiful wooden structure designed by the Oita-born architect Arata Isozaki, and travel sentiment rises from the moment you arrive.

• From Fukuoka (Hakata): About 2 hours 10 minutes on the sightseeing limited express Yufuin no Mori (the time differs by service). This all-reserved-seat sightseeing train, with its interior overflowing with the warmth of wood and the view from the large windows, colors your trip.
• From within Oita City: About 1 hour on the limited express Yufu.
• Access by car: From the Yufuin IC on the Oita Expressway the downtown is close, and since the surrounding roads get crowded on autumn-foliage-season weekends, using public transport is wise.

You can access Yunotsubo-kaido and Lake Kinrin on foot from Yufuin Station, and the major spots are basically within walking distance. Rental bicycles can also be borrowed near the station.

Practical Travel Notes

• Recommended season and time of day: May with fresh greenery and the autumn-foliage season of October to November, when the mountains color, are especially popular. Since the street is crowded during the day, if you want to enjoy it quietly, the early morning or evening is the target. To take in Mt. Yufu from the inn's open-air bath, the foliage period and snowy winter are also exceptional.
• Avoiding crowds and time guide: Even on a day trip you can tour Yunotsubo-kaido and Lake Kinrin, but Yufuin's true value lies in staying overnight. Staying one night and savoring the quiet of the morning before the crowds or the evening after the tourists leave is recommended.
• Nearby real spots: Climbing Mt. Yufu, or extending by car to Beppu Onsen, and from the Yufuin IC via the Oita Expressway you can access sightseeing areas in various places. Building a day as a set with a stroll around Lake Kinrin makes it fulfilling.
• Budget sense: Food-walking on Yunotsubo-kaido and day-trip bathing can be enjoyed reasonably, but Yufuin's high-end inns differ greatly in price range by inn. Check fees and plans on booking sites or official sites and plan accordingly.

A Word of Advice

Yufuin is a resort that shows its true value only when you stay overnight. Since popular inns fill up early centered on the foliage period, once your schedule is decided, arranging early is recommended. Since the stone-paved street is slippery on rainy days, wear easy-to-walk shoes, and since it can get chilly after evening, having something to put on is reassuring. Wrapped in abundant hot water and the magnificent Mt. Yufu, enjoy a stay at a soothing hot-spring resort.

• Contact: Yufu-Tsurumidake Nature Recreation Forest Protection and Management Council 0977-21-1133 / Yufu City Tourist Information Center 0977-84-2446

📚 Sources

For information on Yufuin Onsen and its inns and highlights, the main references are the tourism guidance published by the Yufuin Onsen Tourism Association and the operating information for the Kyudai Main Line and the limited-express sightseeing train Yufuin no Mori provided by JR Kyushu. Landmarks such as Yunotsubo Kaido, Kinrinko Lake, and Tenso Shrine can be traced through the local tourism association's guidance. Inn rates and plans, and train services and travel times, may change, so please confirm the latest details with each inn and through official sources before you visit. Popular inns fill early, especially in the autumn foliage season, so booking ahead is reassuring.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: A day trip covers Yunotsubo Kaido and Kinrinko Lake, but Yufuin shows its true worth with an overnight stay; staying one night to savor the quiet morning and evening makes the visit richer.
• What to bring: The paved street can be slippery in the rain, so wear comfortable shoes, and since it can turn cold after dusk bring an extra layer. Inn rates vary widely, so check prices and plans on booking or official sites.
• Suggested route: From Yufuin Station walk Yunotsubo Kaido and continue to Kinrinko Lake; do your food-strolling in the morning to avoid crowds, then enjoy the quieter street in the evening once day visitors have left.
• Crowd tips: Yunotsubo Kaido is busy during the day, so early morning or evening is best for a quiet visit.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Sightseeing horse-drawn carriage (tsuji-basha): A course of about 60 minutes departing from Yufuin Station and taking in Bussanji Temple and Unagihime Shrine
• Fares: 2,500 yen for adults (junior high school students and above) and 1,800 yen for children (from age 4 to elementary school students). Children under 4 ride free on a lap; if they use a seat, the child fare applies (rates revised on 2 March 2025)
• Reservations: Advance booking is not possible. Bookings are taken on a first-come, first-served basis from 9:00 on the day itself, at the counter of the Yufu City Tourist Information Center (next to JR Yufuin Station) and by telephone on 0977-84-2446. Telephone bookings must be completed at least 15 minutes before the ride time, and cannot be changed or cancelled
• Suspensions: Services are suspended from 1 January to 1 March. They may also be halted without notice depending on the condition of the horses or in rain, strong winds, icy road surfaces or extreme heat
• Lake Kinrin: 1561-1 Kawakami, Yufuin-cho, Yufu City. There are no closing days and you can stroll around freely. There is no dedicated car park, so use the paid car parks nearby

Note: The car parks around Lake Kinrin are privately operated paid car parks, so their charges are not officially published. (Sources: YUFUINFO (official travel guide to Yufuin, Shonai and Hasama), Yufu City)