Located on the eastern side of Kyushu, Oita Prefecture is best known for its onsen hot springs, with the city of Beppu playing host to hundreds of spas and resorts that welcome travellers from across Japan and abroad.
From Beppu, travellers can easily enjoy day trips across the rest of the prefecture, which offers rich insights into Japan’s religious and pre-modern history. In addition to must-see shrines such as Usa Jingu (宇佐神宮), and the scenic trails of the Kunisaki Peninsula (国東半島), Oita Prefecture is also home to three charming castle towns:
- Hiji (日出)
- Kitsuki (杵築)
- Nakatsu (中津)
Consider spending a day walking along their Edo-period roads, viewing well-maintained samurai estates, and exploring the castle grounds, all while learning about the region’s vibrant history.
1. First stop: Hiji Castle
Located less than 15km from central Beppu, Hiji is the most easily accessible of Oita’s castle towns. While the castle itself is no longer standing, visitors can still enjoy walking around the moat and exploring the surrounding streets, which maintain their look and feel from the Edo period.
One particularly notable site is the Chidokan (致道館), a former school used to educate young boys in the 19th century. Inside, you can learn about Japan’s education system, and the historical shift that led to the school’s eventual closure.
After visiting the Chidokan, consider taking a break at nearby Tekizanso (的山荘), an early 20th-century villa that now functions as a restaurant and café. Inside, guests are treated to tea and Japanese sweets, or can opt for a luxurious kaiseki (懐石) lunch. Outside, a traditional garden offers beautiful views looking out across the bay.
Hiji Castle Ruins (日出城 Hiji-jo)
Address: 2610-1, Hiji, Hayami-gun, Oita 879-1506
Nearest station: JR Yokoku Station (暘谷駅
2. A short journey to Kitsuki Castle
Situated a further 15km east is the castle town of Kitsuki. With a hilltop castle, stunning samurai estates, and an old merchant district, little has changed since the town’s heyday in the Edo period, when Kitsuki served as the centre of political power across the Kunisaki Peninsula.
While the castle keep was rebuilt in the 1970s, many of the surrounding samurai residences retain their original structure. Perhaps most beautiful is the Former Residence of Ohara Family (大原邸 Ohara-tei), which boasts a traditional thatched roof, Edo-period furnishings, and an immaculate garden.
Likewise, the nearby Residence of Kato Yogoemon (加藤与五右衛門) boasts similar appeals. Its garden is also home to the Kurihara Katsumi Museum (栗原克実美術館), which displays Japanese ink wash paintings known as suiboku-ga (水墨画).
One particularly notable site is the Chidokan (致道館), a former school used to educate young boys in the 19th century. Inside, you can learn about Japan’s education system, and the historical shift that led to the school’s eventual closure.
For a souvenir or a bite to eat, head to the centuries-old merchant district at the bottom of the hill.
Kitsuki Castle (杵築城 Kitsuki-jo)
Address: 1-6-1 Shiroyama, Kitsuki, Oita 873-0001
Nearest station: JR Kitsuki Station (杵築駅)
Nearest bus station: Kitsuki Bus Terminal (杵築バスターミナル)
3. Through the mountains to Nakatsu Castle
The last of Oita’s castle towns is Nakatsu, located across the mountains on the opposite side of the Kunisaki Peninsula. Built in the late 1600s, Nakatsu is one of Japan’s three “castles on the sea,” situated at the edge of the Nakatsu River (中津川) and the Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海). Today, the renovated castle interior showcases a collection of samurai armour, swords, and displays documenting the castle’s history.
Perhaps most notable are the temples and shrines that surround the castle grounds. Among them, Gogan-ji Temple (合元寺) is distinguished by its vivid red walls, which—according to legend—were painted to conceal the bloodshed from a 16th century battle between rival samurai forces.
Other nearby sites include the Murakami Medical History Museum (村上医家史料館), and the former residence of Yukichi Fukuzawa (福澤諭吉), the founder of the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo.
Nakatsu Castle (中津城 Nakatsu-jo)
Address: Honmaru, Ninocho, Nakatsu, Oita, 871-0050
Nearest station: JR Nakatsu Station (中津駅)
How to get around
From Beppu, each of the castle towns can be easily reached by public transport or personal automobile. Trains and buses provide access to each Hiji and Kitsuki in 30 to 45 minutes, while getting to Nakatsu takes approximately 75 minutes.
Plan your trip
With hundreds of hotels, resorts, and guest houses in Beppu, no trip to Oita Prefecture would be complete without a trip to the hot springs paradise. Consider staying for a few nights in the city while taking day trips to the nearby castle towns, and visiting the majestic temples dotting the mountains of the Kunisaki Peninsula.
Header image credit: Kyushu Tourism Promotion Organization
