Beppu, Ōita

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Map showing location of Beppu in Oita Prefecture (as of 2006).

The Pond of Blood Hell (a hot spring in Beppu)

Beppu (別府市, Beppu-shi^?) is a city located in Ōita Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan.

As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 126,854 and the density of 1,013.78 persons per km². The total area is 125.13 km².

The city was founded on April 1, 1924 and is famous for its thousands of onsen (hot springs), which are regarded as sacred. Beppu is Japan's onsen capital with the largest volume of hot water in the world aside from Yellowstone in the USA and the largest number of hot spring sources in Japan. Beppu contains nine major geothermal hot spots, which are sometimes referred to as the "nine hells of Beppu". Beppu is also divided into 8 major hot spring areas, otherwise known as Beppu Hatto. The 8 areas are Beppu, Kitahama, Kamegawa, Shibaseki, Kannawa, Myoban, Horita and Hamawaki. Beppu is considered a tourist town by the Japanese and is rather picturesque. Like many other Japanese cities, Beppu is sandwiched between the sea and the mountains.

American poet James Dickey described a World War II "anti-morale" raid on Beppu in his 1965 poem "The Firebombing."

Recently, Beppu has been undergoing a renaissance. In 2000, the city subsidized the creation of the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, an international university which focuses on International Relations and Business. The university attracts students from over 74 countries, making it one of the most culturally diverse universities in Japan.

The international student population has also invigorated the local restaurant scene with Jamaican, Indian, Lithuanian and Indonesian restaurants. In restaurants operated by locals too, food from various different countries served by Japanese-speaking international student waiters and waitresses have now become a common sight.

Since the 1980s Beppu has been known for its "sex museum" (Beppu Hihokan) which commemorates the resort town's sex industry with waxwork exhibits. The Hihokan was founded by an aficionado of sex-related artifacts, many of which are on display.