Beppu

After Nagasaki, I took the train to the eastern side of Kyushi to the "hot spring capital of Japan," Beppu.

Being on the "ring of fire" naturally hot water flows from the ground all over.  Even in the basement of my hostel, there was an "onsen."  This is the oldest onsen in Beppu, the Takagawara Onsen.

Inside is a traditional onsen for bathing and soaking.  The cost?  100 yen, or about 90 cents.

There is also a sandbath.  Mineral sand is flooded with naturally hot water and allowed to heat up.  When drained, a hole is dug in the sand, you lay down and then the hot sand is put on top of you.  You lay there for about 10-15 minutes.  I did it, but I didn't really understand what I was supposed to feel or what the benefits were.

Another famous Beppu site is the "Jigoku Meguri" or the "burning hell."  These are a bunch of different hot springs in the area, each with a different color.

This blue colored "hell" is called "umi-jigoku" or "sea hell."

"Oniishibozu-Jigoku" or "head hell"

"Yama-jigoku" or "mountain hell"

More of "mountain hell"

"Kamado Jigoku" or "Cooking pot hell"

"Shiraike Jigoku" or "white pond hell"

"Chinoike Jigoku" or "blood pond hell"