Town in Oita, Japan
Beppu for solo travelers
Is Beppu good for solo travel?
A steaming hot spring town with more onsen than anywhere in Japan, cheap public baths, sand baths and the colorful 'hells'. Easy by train from Fukuoka; the town itself is a bit worn and quiet at night.
Solo travel at a glance
| Solo travel | 4/5 · Very good for solo travel |
|---|---|
| Locals | Friendly |
| English | Limited |
| Safety | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Solo women | Very safe alone. Some old public baths are men-only or mixed; check signs. |
How to meet people in Beppu
Hostels and guesthouses, onsen visits with chatty regulars, and events at the international university APU, whose students fill the town's bars and language exchanges.
Good things to do alone
- Take a sand bath at Takegawara in Kitahama
- Do the hells tour in Kannawa
- Soak in a 100–300 JPY neighborhood public onsen
- Ride the Beppu ropeway to Mt. Tsurumi
- Eat jigoku-mushi steamed food in Kannawa
Where to stay in Beppu
| Area | Good for |
|---|---|
| Beppu Station area | Trains, cheap hotels and public baths |
| Kannawa | Steam town with the hells, sand baths and ryokan |
| Kitahama | Waterfront, Takegawara sand bath and old arcades |
| Kankaiji | Hills with the university, quieter streets and cafés |
Solo travel across Japan
| Place | Solo | English |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | 5/5 | Limited |
| Kyoto | 5/5 | Limited |
| Osaka | 5/5 | Limited |
| Fukuoka | 5/5 | Limited |
| Hiroshima | 4/5 | Limited |
| Nara | 4/5 | Limited |
| Sapporo | 4/5 | Limited |
| Okinawa | 4/5 | Limited |
| Niseko | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Yokohama | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Kanazawa | 4/5 | Limited |
| Takayama | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Nagoya | 4/5 | Limited |
| Kamakura | 4/5 | Limited |
| Kobe | 4/5 | Limited |
| Hakuba | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Ishigaki | 4/5 | Limited |
| Nagasaki | 4/5 | Limited |
| Miyakojima | 4/5 | Limited |
| Hakodate | 4/5 | Limited |
| Otaru | 4/5 | Limited |
| Beppu | 4/5 | Limited |
| Matsumoto | 4/5 | Limited |
| Koyasan | 4/5 | Limited |
| Sendai | 4/5 | Limited |
| Hakone | 3/5 | Limited |
| Kawaguchiko | 3/5 | Limited |
| Nikko | 3/5 | Limited |
| Shirakawa-go | 3/5 | Limited |
| Furano | 3/5 | Limited |
Quick answers
Is Beppu good for solo travelers?
Very good for solo travel (4/5). A steaming hot spring town with more onsen than anywhere in Japan, cheap public baths, sand baths and the colorful 'hells'.
How do you meet people in Beppu?
Hostels and guesthouses, onsen visits with chatty regulars, and events at the international university APU, whose students fill the town's bars and language exchanges. On SoloSquare you can also join small plans with other travelers who are there now.
Do people speak English in Beppu?
Limited.
Is Beppu safe for solo female travelers?
Very safe alone. Some old public baths are men-only or mixed; check signs.
More about Beppu
Going to Beppu solo?
SoloSquare is where travelers, nomads and locals in Beppu meet up for small plans: coffee, dinners, walks and day trips. Join one, or start your own in a minute.
Sources
Ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.