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Major city · Japan

Yufu由布市

Sleep 1–2 nights in Yufuin, not a day trip: the onsen and Lake Kinrinko reward an early morning before the tour buses arrive.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
JPY
Best months
Mar–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Golden Week, New Year
Airports
OIT · FUK
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 5
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • Japan ↗IC cards (ICOCA/Suica) are topped up with cash at station machines.
  • Japan ↗Smoking while walking is banned in most city centres; use designated areas.
  • Japan ↗Shinkansen bags 160–250 cm (L+W+H) need a seat reserved with the oversized-baggage area.

Yufu is a small city in central Oita whose northwest district, Yufuin, is one of Japan's leading hot spring resorts, with the second-highest hot water outflow in the country. It sits in a green valley under the twin peaks of Mount Yufu (1584 m), and the town is built around a 1.5 km walk from the station to Lake Kinrinko. Most visitors come for one or two nights of onsen, cafés and galleries, or as a stop between Beppu, Fukuoka and Mount Aso.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Yufu, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or café set¥500–900 (≈ US$4–7)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week¥2,000–4,000 (≈ US$14–30)
  • Museum or sight ticketOnsen bath entrycheck¥200–800 (≈ US$2–6)
  • Budget bedHostel or dorm bed, a night, per person¥3,500 (≈ US$25)
  • Mid-range bedRyokan or onsen-hotel double room, a night, per room¥35,000 (≈ US$250)
  • High-end bedRyokan or onsen-hotel double room, a night, per room¥80,000 (≈ US$550)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget ¥8,000 (≈ US$55) · Mid ¥15,000 (≈ US$110) · High ¥28,000 (≈ US$190)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Yufuin Onsen hot springsLake KinrinkoMount Yufu hikeYunotsubo Kaidō shopping streetYuzukoshō (yuzu pepper)
Airports
OIT Oita Airport (Direct bus to Yufuin, about 55 min, ¥1,550; flights to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Seoul) · FUK Fukuoka Airport (Direct bus to Yufuin, about 1 h 45 min, ¥2,880; the nearest major airport)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Yufu: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

0°C

8 rd

Feb

9°C

0°C

8 rd

Mar

13°C

3°C

10 rd

Apr

18°C

8°C

10 rd

May

23°C

13°C

11 rd

Jun

26°C

17°C

14 rd

Jul

30°C

21°C

13 rd

Aug

31°C

22°C

11 rd

Sep

27°C

19°C

11 rd

Oct

22°C

13°C

8 rd

Nov

16°C

7°C

8 rd

Dec

11°C

2°C

7 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Public transport is limited. The useful line is Kamenoi bus route 36, roughly hourly, linking the station, Yufumi-dōri, Yunotsubo and the Mount Yufu trailhead on its way to Beppu. Most of Yufuin is walkable: 1.5 km from the station to Lake Kinrinko via Yufumi-dōri and Yunotsubo Kaidō. Horse carriages run from the station Mar–Dec (about 50 min, ¥2,200), and rickshaws operate near the station and the lake.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Beppu

go

Door to door: About 1 h by bus

Kamenoi bus 'Yufuin' Liner from Beppu Station west exit, or JR to Beppu and change

The other big onsen town in Oita, 25 km away; easy half day or overnight.

Hita

go

Door to door: About 1 h

JR Kyudai Line towards Kurume

Small riverside town on the same rail line; pairs well with a slow afternoon.

Taketa

go

Door to door: About 1.5 h

JR Kyudai Line to Bungo-Taketa, then walk or bus

Castle ruins and old streets; a quieter day out.

Usa, Oita

caution

Door to door: About 1.5–2 h

JR Kyudai Line north, then local transport

Usa Jingū shrine is the draw; check connections before committing.

Mount Aso

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h 15 min to Aso Station

Kyushu Sanko 'Kujū' Ōdan bus towards Kumamoto

Too far for a relaxed return day; continue on to Kumamoto.

Fukuoka

go

Door to door: About 2 h 15 min

JR Yufuin no Mori limited express, 3 times a day

Book ahead; the train itself is part of the trip.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Around Yufuin Station

Closest to the bus centre, luggage lockers and footbath; the simplest base if you arrive by train with bags.

Yunotsubo Kaidō and Lake Kinrinko

The shopping street and lake end of town; walkable to most sights but 1.5 km from the station.

Yunohira Onsen

A smaller traditional hot spring village about 15 km away; quieter, needs a car or bus.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
¥8,000–13,000 (≈ US$55–90) excl. bed
Mid
¥13,000–22,000 (≈ US$90–150) excl. bed
High
¥22,000 (≈ US$150)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Ryokan or onsen-hotel double room1 × 2 nights × ¥35,000¥70,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × ¥15,000¥60,000
Bus from Oita Airport, one way2 × ¥1,550¥3,100
Bus from Fukuoka, one way2 × ¥2,880¥5,760
Baggage delivery to hotel2 × ¥500¥1,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × ¥2,500¥5,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge¥14,490
Trip total≈ ¥39,840 per person per day, bed included¥159,350≈ US$1,100

2026 estimate in yen; flights and rail passes excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or café set¥500–900 (≈ US$4–7)
Croquette on Yunotsubo KaidōThe 'gold medal' croquette is the famous one.¥160–300 (≈ US$2–3)
Yuzukoshō souvenir jar¥400–800 (≈ US$3–6)
Horse carriage tour from the stationMar–Dec, about 50 min¥2,200 (≈ US$15) (child ¥1,650 (≈ US$12))
Onsen bath entrycheck¥200–800 (≈ US$2–6)
Japanese set meal (toriten, grilled beef, sashimi)¥2,000–4,000 (≈ US$14–30)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week¥2,000–4,000 (≈ US$14–30)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Yufu is a safe, small onsen town; the real risks are mountain weather on the Mount Yufu trail, icy roads in winter, and slipping on wet stone around the baths.
  • Luggage lockers at the station fill up; the tourist information centre stores bags for ¥300–500 (≈ US$3–4) per bag per day and delivers them to your hotel for ¥500 (≈ US$4).
  • Route 206 to Lake Kinrinko jams badly in peak season; drivers should detour via Minami Yufu.
  • Snow and ice on the expressway and mountain roads require chains; Yufuin sits at high elevation.
  • Mount Yufu has no facilities on the trail: carry your own food and water, and allow 4–5 hours.
  • Yunotsubo Kaidō is packed with tour groups during the day; go early or late.

Emergency numbers

Police
110
Fire and ambulance
119
Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO, 24 h, English)
050-3816-2787

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Yufu由布市

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

ここまでお願いしますTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police110
  • Fire and ambulance119
  • Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787

Embassy

No embassies in Yufu; most are in Tokyo, with consulates in Fukuoka and Osaka (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Oita Airport → Yufuin, bus: about ¥1,550 (≈ US$11), about 55 min
  • Fukuoka → Yufuin, bus: about ¥2,880 (≈ US$20), about 1 h 45 min
  • Yufuin → Beppu, Kamenoi bus: about 1 h
  • Yufuin → Fukuoka, Yufuin no Mori: about ¥4,550 (≈ US$35), 2 h 15 min

Say or show

  • すみません — Excuse me / Sorry (sumimasen)
  • ありがとうございます — Thank you (arigatō gozaimasu)
  • 大人一枚お願いします — One adult, please (otona ichimai onegaishimasu)
  • いくらですか？ — How much is it? (ikura desu ka)
  • お風呂はありますか？ — Is there a bath? (ofuro wa arimasu ka)
  • トイレはどこですか？ — Where is the toilet? (toire wa doko desu ka)

The tourist information centre beside Yufuin Station has English maps and a walking route; it opens 09:00–17:30.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Yufu. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Golden Week, New Year · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for OIT and FUK: last bus times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: station and Yufumi-dōri, Yunotsubo Kaidō, Lake Kinrinko, Yunohira.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Lake Kinrinko, Shitanyu, Yufuin Art Museum, Mount Yufu trailhead) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Onsen etiquette and tattoo-policy fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Japan

Sources