Beppu is a city located in the prefecture of Oita on the third largest island of Japan, Kyushu. As of 2021, the total population of Beppu is at 118,000 which the international students of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University contribute with 3500. This city is a very popular travel destination for both foreigners and Japanese as it is the best travel destination for those that wish to experience the feeling of authentic hot spring water. Because the city is built on top of hot springs, every day, throughout the year the steam from the hot springs can be spotted and enjoyed by the residents. Compared to other famous cities in Japan like Tokyo, Beppu is a quite small city surrounded by towns and villages. Nature can easily be enjoyed in Beppu as the city is located in a bay surrounded by beautiful mountains.
(Beppu city during the day. The steam is from the many hot springs set in the city. This is a normal view of the city that can be seen every day)
(Beppu city at night)
The fun thing about experiencing Beppu, unlike other cities in Japan is the difference of language ability. The city is quite proud of its international university and their students. Because of this, there are many Japanese in Beppu that can speak English and offer English translation at restaurants, tourist destinations and other facilities as well. However, experiencing a country where majority of its residents do not speak English is because it is still best to prepare by learning a few necessary Japanese words such as how to order, ask for destinations and overall ask for help if anything were to happen. Most international students residing in Beppu often have a saying, “Japanese citizens outside Beppu are shocked if I can speak Japanese, however Japanese citizens in Beppu are shocked if I cannot speak Japanese”. This is simply because the international students studying at Ritsumeikan Asia pacific University are required to take a mandatory one-year study of Japanese. They are taught Japanese, because it is important to learn the language of the country you reside in, therefore the university does a great job to prepare them for life in Japan.
Like other cities in Japan, Beppu has a range of festivals as well throughout the year. Japanese festivals are a major part of Japanese culture, they are different depending on location and the importance for why they are celebrated. Overall, they are rooted in the belief and practice of Shinto. However, today they are mostly focused on enjoying musical and dance performances, food, dressing up in traditional Japanese clothing such as yukata and kimono, and enjoy a beautiful display ranging from fireworks to meteor showers. In Beppu there are several festivals. They have a festival focused on hot springs, where citizens of Beppu will dress up in traditional Onsen attire and splash each other with water. Another where a beautiful fire display is created on top of a mountain. And a typical summer festival where people dress up in yukata, walk around playing festival games and buy delicious food, then lastly enjoy the firework display the city has prepared for the end of the festival.
(Mount Ogi, fire festival in early April. Trees on the mountain will be lit with fire, thus creating this beautiful triangle shape that looks like lava is flowing down the mountain).
(Beppu Sea Fire Festival, a festival at late July that lasts for three days and finishes with the biggest firework display in the island of Kyushu)
Overall, Beppu is an amazing city filled with wonderful Japanese and foreign citizens. If you wish to travel to Japan, then Beppu is definitely a destination you should visit. If you wish to study abroad as well and are interested to study at Ritsumeikan Asia pacific University, then hopefully learning about Beppu city has piqued your interest further.
Reference list (All photos belong to Beppu image gallery)
Beppu city. (2021, April 5). Beppu city. Retrieved from city.beppu.oita: https://www.city.beppu.oita.jp/
Tripadvisor. (2021, April 5). Explore Beppu. Retrieved from Tripadvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g298219-Beppu_Oita_Prefecture_Kyushu-Vacations.html
Beppu City Secretary Public Relations Section. (2021, April 5). Beppu Image Library. Retrieved from Beppu Image Library: https://tkhfhviifs7b5pll2u33nna3h4--photobeppucity-tumblr-com.translate.goog/
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