Beppu

What?
Beppu 別府 is the onsen town in Japan. It is mostly famous because of its scenic view of smoke rising above the roofs of the town. Although it is now more a tourist circus, Beppu does have enough charm to keep you fascinated.
Where?
Beppu is very easy to reach with the Sonic Express train from Kokura.
URL
Japan Guide Outline

The reputation of Beppu precedes it. I knew that many consider this place as a tourist circus, so I didn’t expect too much. Also because I only had the time to visit the hells.

All in all, ignoring the caged animals, and leaving early in the morning, it is possible to avoid large crowds and still enjoy these somewhat strange hotsprings.
I took the bus to the first cluster of hells and then walked towards the other, passing the castle along the way. The castle has nothing special apart from a good view on the city. This view is equaled though by a special viewing platform a little out of the way.