Kamado Jigoku

Locally knownKnown to people who live here. Not in the international guidebooks.

Researched and written by Hinato

Kamado Jigokucooking hellonsen eggsinteractiveBeppu

Photo: Suicasmo / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · original

The line outside Kamado Jigoku, if there is one, is usually a better sign than a review score.

Kamado Jigoku (かまど地獄, 'Cooking Pot Hell') is the most hands-on of Beppu's seven hells — in addition to viewing colorful hot springs (including cobalt-blue pools and orange-tinted ponds), visitors can experience interactive geothermal phenomena: a drinking fountain dispensing safe-to-drink 80°C onsen water, a steam inhalation booth, and a foot bath using hell water cooled to 42°C.

The name derives from the Edo-period tradition of using this hell's steam to cook rice offerings for nearby Hachiman Shrine festivals — the steam rising from the ground resembled a giant cooking pot (kamado).

Before you eat

Serving hours

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Closed: Open year-round

What it costs

Included in 7-hell combined ticket ¥2,200. Individual entry ¥450. DIY hell eggs ¥100 for 5.

Best time to go

Year-round; visit as part of the 7-hell combined circuit in Kannawa area

Time to allow

30–45 minutes (foot bath, steam inhalation station, egg cooking demo)

Access route

Access notes

Beppu City. Included in 7-hell combined ticket (¥2,200) or individual entry ¥450. A bus from Beppu Station (Kannawa/Umi Jigoku stop).

What locals order

**Onsen tamago DIY:** Kamado Jigoku sells raw eggs that you steam yourself in the hell's geothermal vents (¥100 for 5 eggs, 12-minute cook time). Staff provide a timer and basket. The eggs achieve onsen tamago consistency — liquid yolk, barely-set white. Eat on-site or take away. **Drinking water challenge:** The drinking fountain dispenses mineral-rich onsen water cooled from 98°C to 80°C — drinkable but scalding hot and metallic-tasting. Locals believe it aids digestion. Sip slowly from the provided cups. The water is safe but an acquired taste. **Color-changing smoke trick:** The main pond produces white steam that staff demonstrate turning blue when blown with a fan — caused by minerals reacting to air pressure changes. The demo runs every 30 minutes and is included in admission.

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