Beppu Food Guide: Toriten, Reimen and Jigoku-mushi

JGO! editorial team — WEBMARKS Inc. (Fujisawa, Kanagawa)

Beppu's three signature foods are toriten (chicken tempura), Beppu reimen (cold noodles) and jigoku-mushi (food steamed with hot spring vapor). You can steam your own jigoku-mushi at Jigokumushi Kobo Kannawa in the Kannawa hot spring area. You can also try steamed pudding and toriten at Okamotoya in Myoban. This guide explains each dish, where to eat it and how the steaming works, step by step.

1Beppu food at a glance: the three signature dishes

If you only have one day, this table helps you plan. Each dish is different, so you can easily try all three.

Sources: Tourism Oita, Beppu Tourism Association, Okamotoya official.

2Toriten: Oita's chicken tempura

Toriten is chicken coated in tempura batter and deep-fried. It is a classic local dish across Oita Prefecture, where Beppu is located ⓘ Tourism Oita.

The way you eat it is the fun part. You dip it in ponzu (a citrus soy sauce). Add hot mustard (karashi) or yuzu kosho (yuzu citrus pepper) to the ponzu ⓘ Tourism Oita. Try one piece with mustard and one with yuzu pepper. Then pick your favorite.

Toriten is light, so it works well as a side dish. Many visitors order it with rice or curry. For example, Okamotoya in Myoban serves toriten for 825 yen and toriten curry rice for 1,320 yen ⓘ eat-in prices, Okamotoya official.

3Beppu reimen: cold noodles with a story

Beppu reimen has an interesting history. It is said to have started after World War II, when people who moved to Beppu from Manchuria spread Korean cold noodles in the city ⓘ Tourism Oita.

Over time, the dish became its own local style. The noodles are made from wheat flour and buckwheat flour. They are served in a Japanese-style soup with cabbage kimchi and beef chashu (sliced braised beef) ⓘ Tourism Oita.

The kimchi gives a gentle heat and some sourness. The soup keeps the dish light. It is a good choice on a warm day, or after a long hot spring bath.

4Jigoku-mushi: food steamed by the hot springs

"Jigoku" means "hell". In Beppu, the word describes the hot, steaming ground. Jigoku-mushi is food steamed using the natural vapor that comes out of the hot springs ⓘ Tourism Oita.

The Kannawa area has several facilities where you can steam your own ingredients and eat them ⓘ Tourism Oita. The best-known public one is Jigokumushi Kobo Kannawa, which is run on behalf of Beppu City.

Jigokumushi Kobo Kannawa: key facts

• Address: 5-kumi, Furomoto, Beppu, Oita 874-0044, along Ideyu-zaka slope ⓘ Beppu City
• Hours: 10:00–19:00, last order 18:00 (since April 1, 2023) ⓘ Beppu City
• Closed: the third Wednesday of each month. If that day is a public holiday, it closes the next day ⓘ Beppu City
• Announced closing days: November 18, December 16, January 20, February 17 and March 17 ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official. Check the official site for the latest list.
• Extra closures: the facility may close or change hours depending on the steam conditions ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official
• Age: steaming is for junior high school students and older ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official
• Free: entry, the foot steam bath and the foot bath ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official
• Phone: 0977-66-3775 ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official

Steaming pot prices

These prices were revised on July 1, 2021 ⓘ Beppu City.

There is also a ticket book: 10 tickets for 2,500 yen. A large pot uses 2 tickets (up to 20 minutes) ⓘ Beppu City.

Ingredients and payment

You can buy ingredients at the facility. The ingredient menu was updated on October 1, 2026 ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official. We could not confirm the price of each item or whether prices include tax, because the official site shows them only as images. Please check on site.

You can bring your own food, but there is a fee for bringing ingredients. We could not confirm the amount ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official. Payment methods (cash or card) are not listed on the official site, so bring some cash to be safe.

5How to steam your food at Jigokumushi Kobo Kannawa

The process is simple, and staff are there to help. Here is how it works.

1. Check the day. Make sure it is not the third Wednesday or an announced closing day. Check the official site, because steam conditions can change the hours ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official.
2. Arrive before last order. Last order is 18:00 ⓘ Beppu City.
3. Take a numbered ticket at reception. You cannot book in advance. Groups are called in ticket order ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official.
4. Ask about the wait. If it is busy, staff give you a number and tell you the approximate waiting time ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official. Use the free foot bath while you wait.
5. Choose your ingredients. Buy them at the facility. If you bring your own, expect a carry-in fee ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official.
6. Pick a pot size. Small pots start at 400 yen and large pots at 600 yen for the first 15 minutes ⓘ Beppu City.
7. Steam your food. Follow the staff's guidance on timing. Extra time is charged in 10-minute blocks ⓘ Beppu City.
8. Eat and enjoy. Then relax in the free foot steam bath before you leave.

6Getting to Kannawa by bus

The official Jigokumushi Kobo page lists these bus routes from JR Beppu Station. The page does not name the bus company ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official.

The West Exit buses are the quickest option. Fares and routes can change, so check at the station before you ride.

7Okamotoya in Myoban: steamed pudding and toriten

Myoban Onsen is in the hills above Beppu. Okamotoya's shop is famous for jigoku-mushi pudding, a custard pudding steamed with hot spring vapor. It also serves savory dishes.

• Address: 3-kumi, Myoban, Beppu, Oita 874-0843 ⓘ Okamotoya official
• Hours: 8:30–18:30. Last order 17:30, and eat-in seating until 18:00. Open every day ⓘ Okamotoya official
• Phone: 0977-66-6115 ⓘ shop direct line, Okamotoya official. Tourism Oita lists 0977-66-3228, so the numbers do not match. Try the official number first.
• Payment: not listed on the official site. Bring cash to be safe.

Sample prices ⓘ Okamotoya official

Getting there

From JR Beppu Station West Exit, it takes about 30 minutes by bus or about 15 minutes by taxi ⓘ Okamotoya official. The official site does not give the Kamenoi Bus number or the nearest bus stop name. Ask at the station tourist information desk.

8Where to eat toriten and Beppu reimen in the city

Many restaurants in Beppu serve toriten and reimen. Below are places that appear in official tourism listings. Some details could only be confirmed from search result snippets, because the listing pages were not loading. Please call or check before you go.

Ikkyu no Namida (Beppu reimen)

• Address: Westin Yamanami Building 1F, 10-5-7 Ishigaki-nishi, Beppu, Oita 874-0910 ⓘ Beppu Tourism Association
• Hours: 11:00–19:00 ⓘ Beppu Tourism Association
• Closed: Thursdays ⓘ Beppu Tourism Association
• About the noodles: homemade, high-water-content noodles. The soup is based on bonito flakes, kelp and beef bone ⓘ Beppu Tourism Association
• Prices, payment and bus access: not confirmed

Mingei Chaya Ajikura

• Address: 6-chome, Ishigaki-higashi, Beppu ⓘ Beppu Tourism Association
• Hours: lunch 10:30–15:00, dinner 17:00–22:00 ⓘ Beppu Tourism Association
• Closed: Thursdays, according to the tourism association. Some other media say it is open every day, so check before you go.
• Prices, payment and bus access: not confirmed

A note on Toyotsune

Some visitors look for the restaurant Oshokujidokoro Toyotsune. We could not find an official site or official listing. Its address and hours after moving are not confirmed, and outside articles do not agree. Please check locally before you visit.

9Mistakes first-timers make

• Showing up on the third Wednesday. Jigokumushi Kobo closes that day. Check the official closing list before you go.
• Expecting to book a steaming slot. Reservations are not possible. Arrive early, take a numbered ticket and use the free foot bath while you wait.
• Arriving just before closing. Last order is 18:00, not 19:00. Plan to arrive well before 18:00.
• Bringing only a card. Payment methods are not listed at Jigokumushi Kobo or Okamotoya. Carry some cash.
• Bringing young children to steam. Steaming is for junior high school students and older. Younger children can still enjoy the free foot bath.

10FAQ

What food is Beppu famous for? Toriten (chicken tempura), Beppu reimen (cold noodles) and jigoku-mushi (food steamed in hot spring vapor) ⓘ Tourism Oita.

How much does jigoku-mushi cost at Jigokumushi Kobo Kannawa? Pot fees start at 400 yen (small) or 600 yen (large) for the first 15 minutes. Ingredients cost extra. Item prices were not confirmed ⓘ Beppu City.

Can I reserve a steaming pot? No. Groups are served in order of their numbered tickets ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official.

Can I bring my own food to steam? Yes, but there is a carry-in fee. The amount is not listed in text, so ask at reception ⓘ Jigokumushi Kobo official.

How do I eat toriten? Dip it in ponzu mixed with hot mustard or yuzu pepper ⓘ Tourism Oita.

Where can I try jigoku-mushi pudding? At Okamotoya in Myoban. It costs 495 yen to eat in and 486 yen for takeaway ⓘ Okamotoya official.

11Related guides

• Kannawa Onsen guide
• Beppu sand bath
• Tattoo-friendly onsen in Beppu
• Beppu day trip from Fukuoka
• Fukuoka yatai etiquette
• Yatai prices
• Yatai opening hours
• Nakasu yatai
• How to order Hakata ramen
• Hakata vs Nagahama ramen

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