Job Discussion Forums

[Clerk]

I was told I'd be going to work in Kariya, Aichi this November but that has been changed to Beppu, Oita. (Talk about a surprise!)

Does anyone have some first-hand information on what to see and do in Beppu? Most of what I've heard paints it as a tourist trap. I have almost zero interest in tourism, i.e. I enjoy visiting places, but I don't take a million pictures or gush over everything. I don't like glitzy shops or hand-holding tours. I do like hot springs, which is a plus, but my interest tends to be gripped most tightly by quiet, peaceful places that mesh well with their natural surroundings. (The upper recesses of Fushimi Inari Taisha may be a good example.)

That said, I'm not averse to more exciting affairs -- I really enjoyed Gion Matsuri -- but I just don't enjoy "I went, I saw, I got the t-shirt" tourism.

I apologize for being somewhat vague; I guess I'm looking for some nice natural and cultural niches to delve into. Local festivals, back road shrines and temples, things somewhat off the beaten path.

EDIT at 22:46 GMT-5: I should also mention that I love hole-in-the-wall restaurants, coffee shops, and so on. One of the first things I do after moving to a new area is look for a small place with good atmosphere where I can eat and relax. I'm fond of tachigui as well.

Thanks,
Clerk

[Brooks]

you should like Beppu then.
Nice, relaxed place. Lots of onsens there.
I liked strolling around.
Very scenic, very hot in summer.

People like to drink sho-chu.
You can find small compact bars there that haven't changed in decades.

I hear that for onsens Yufuin is better. It is west of Beppu, up in the mountains.

Not far away in Oita is the town of Usuki, where there are Buddhist sculptures. There are from about the 7th century.

[seastarr]

I lived about an hour from Beppu and visited there for a weekend...It is a really neat spot..kind of a tourist trap, but no shortage of things to entertain...It's a bit off the beaten path and not on the shinkansen line, which my friend who lived there found annoying, but if you are into naturally beautiful places and flashy attractions rolled into one place, I think you have yourself a winner!

[jademonkey]

Not to mention the hilarious and wonderfully Japanese sex museum in Beppu with the oba-chan hawking sex aids as you try to discreetly leave.

[markle]

looks like you got the better deal, Kariya is smack in the middle of the industrial sprawl east of Nagoya. Not at all like "peaceful places that mesh well with their natural surroundings. (The upper recesses of Fushimi Inari Taisha may be a good example.)"

[womblingfree]

Beppu's great, lots of good onsen and one of the oldest working onsen in Japan I think. If you drive it's easy to get around the lush countryside nearby. I think the Yamanami highway is quite near here which takes in some lovely spots. Beppu itself is next to the sea and there are some good seafood restaurants around. Plenty to do there.

[Clerk]

I'm reassured to hear that my fears were (perhaps unsurprisingly) unfounded. My thanks to the five of you for the information you've offered! I will look further into the places you've mentioned.

Thanks again,
Clerk

[The_Prodiigy]

Yufuin is a picturesque onsen town. Decent selection of coffee houses and restaurants and an easy day trip from Beppu. Beppu is much larger, tourist-orientated but the whole area around Oita is well-worth exploring- the area will suits your needs.