.JPG)
Saturday 13 February 2010
One fine morning Hisako offered me to go to hell. It was a very cold winter morning, so I agreed to go to the burning hells (Jigoku). Beppu is very famous for its hells. The Hells are the multicolored volcanic pits of boiling water and mud. These are too hot to be diluted into hot spring (onsen), and they emerge at temperatures ranging from 50 to 99.5 °C (122 to 210 °F). Some of the hells have a natural smell of sulfur — which comes out a bit like rotten eggs. There are more than 10 hot spring sources in Beppu city where boiling water and shooting steam are both associated with Hell. Visitors can enjoy the Hell tour (Jigoku Meguri). Beppu Jigoku Meguri is a tourist route that features the eight most unique hot springs of the Beppu. This course includes Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell), Oniishi Bozu Jigoku (Shaven Monk's Head Hell), Yama Jigoku (Mountain Hell), Kamado Jigoku (Furnace Hell), Oniyama Jigoku (Demon Mountain Hell), Shiraike Jigoku (White Pond Hell), Chinoike Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell), and Tatsumaki Jigoku (Waterspout Hell). All these eight hells are magnificent tourist attractions in Beppu. Among these we visited Umi Jigoku and Chinoike Jigoku.
UMI JIGOKU
We entered into the first hell Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell) at 10:30. A magnificent small lake in the entrance charmed us. This lake is famous for producing gigantic Victoria Amazonica lotus. It’s leaves are so huge that a child can easily stand on it. There is a souvenir shop by the end of the lake. We passed through the shop and reached to the Hell. Magnificent! The cobalt-blue boiling water and steam make an illusion. This is the sea Hell (Umi Jigoku). It is so called because it resembles the sea. The blue pond is 200 meter deep and emerged 1200 years ago from a volcanic eruption. The water is extremely hot (98 degree centigrade). Here you can enjoy hell water boiled eggs. It’s very testy and healthy as well.
We visited the green house in the compound. You can find different types of beautiful flowers around you. There is a small red-colored hot spring beside the green house. We saw visitors were throwing coins by wishing something. We walk along the manicured garden and reached the leg hot spring (Ashiyu). You can enjoy it for free.
The scenic beauty of Umi Jigoku becomes extremely charming during the Cherry blooms time and Autumn. If you have a chance you must go to the hell. Besides the Umi Jigoku you can also enjoy the Onishibozu Jigoku, Yama Jigoku, Kamado Jigoku, Oniyama Jigoku and Shirake Jigoku. All these six hells are situated in the same Kannawa hot spring area within walking distance.
Address : Kannawa, Beppu-shi Oita Japan
Admission: 400 yen (Combination ticket for 8 hells: JPY 2,000)
Access: Take Kamenoi bus #2, #5, #9, #41, or #43 from JR Beppu Station to the Umijigoku-mae stop.
CHINOIKE JIGOKU
This hell is a situated in Kamegawa hot spring area. This is the oldest natural hell in Japan. The hell pond is 90 feet deep. The hell water color is brownish-red. So, it is called Blood pond hell (Chinoike Jigoku). The clay is steaming hot to the point that the steam is red. It seems that red blood is boiling in the pond. The temperature is 78 degree centigrade. The red clay is used for skin diseases. You can find the “Chinoike Ointment” produced from the red clay. You can use the red clay to dye towels and handkerchiefs.
We enjoyed the red colored leg hot spring (ashi-yu) here. The temperature was tolerable and very comfortable (around 40 degrees centigrade).
Tatsumaki Jigoku is within the walking distance from Chinoike Jigoku. This is a geyser that erupts every 45 minutes or so.
Hell tour is a must for visitors. Although visitors cannot bathe in any of the Jigoku springs, they are sure to enjoy their extraordinary appearances that are certainly worth seeing.
Address : Kamegawa778 Beppu-shi Oita Japan
Admission: 400 yen (Combination ticket for 8 hells: JPY 2,000)
Access: From JR Beppu Station: Kamenoi bus bound for Kamegawa
