Yufuin is famous as a hot spring resort in the same area as Beppu. There was already known as a hot spring resort in the 8th century. There are many onsen ryokan that take advantage of the rich natural environment, beautiful scenery, and abundant hot spring resources in Yufuin. In this article, we will introduce the charms of Yufuin.

Yufuin, a hot spring resort with rural scenery

It takes about 40 minutes by car from Fujimax JDM Car Rental to Yufuin.

Yufuin has a history of preventing excessive tourism and preserving its scenery by local citizens. The one-of-a-kind fusion of rural landscape and hot spring resort attracts many travelers.

The urban area of Yufuin is not very large, and most tourist attractions are concentrated in the city center. When sightseeing, it is recommended to park your car at a pay parking lot or hotel and move around on foot.

The Best Driving Road: Nagiridai

A part of the Yamanami Highway runs through Yufuin. The Yamanami Highway is famous as one of the best driving roads in the world, and Sagiridai is one of the best places on it. On this road connecting Mt. Yufudake (Yufuin's iconic mountain) to downtown Yufuin, you can enjoy car handling and spectacular views at the same time. You will surely drive your car back and forth many times.

Yufu Silky Road

Yufu Silky Road is a place where you can see Mt. Yufudake and the city of Yufuin. It is a popular spot for taking pictures of Yufudake and cars, and is known as a spot with a spectacular view. However, the road is narrow and parking space is limited. If you continue on the road, you will enter a gravel farm road, so please turn around at the widened area.

Kinrinko Lake

Kinginko Lake, one of Yufuin's tourist attractions, is a lake with a hot spring. In addition to being a habitat for fish and waterfowl, the high water temperature throughout the year creates a fantastic sight of steam rising in the winter.

Yunotsubo Kaido (Yunotsubo street)

Yunotsubo Kaido is the main street of Yufuin. Lined with souvenir stores and restaurants, visitors can enjoy shopping and eating. Nearby is the Yufuin Retro Motor Museum, where you can see famous cars of the past.

However, in recent years, the number of Korean tourists has been increasing. For this reason, it is difficult to experience the serene atmosphere of Yufuin here. It is best not to drive through here too often, as it is full of walkers.

Onsen Ryokan Hananomai

Hana-no-Mai is a hot spring inn located close to the center of Yufuin. It is a ryokan with a very relaxed atmosphere and a high quality inn that attracts many fans from Japan and abroad. Please use this ryokan when staying overnight in Yufuin.

Iwashita Collection

A little outside of downtown Yufuin, there is a huge, privately owned museum. It is the Iwashita Collection. This museum has over 50,000 pieces of modern Japanese heritage, antiques from around the world such as stained glass and furniture, and above all, over 200 classic motorcycles from around the world, including the one and only “Ducati Apollo”.