Oita
Discover Oita
Oita City Hall stands next to the old castle ruins. The ruins now consist of the old moat which surrounds a modern building, Oita Cultural Hall (Bunkakaikan). With Oita Cultural Hall, Grand Theater, and Otonoizumi Hall in the Iichiko Culture Center, Oita City is also the center of activity for events such as musical concerts and other stage events. The area near Oita Station has many shops, restaurants, and bars. Travel between the airport and surrounding cities and towns are handled by bus, unfortunately lacking any train access as of yet. The bus has an approximate travel time of 45 and 60 minutes to Beppu and Oita, respectively.
What to Experience in Oita
Taste of Oita...
Oita overflows with cheap and tasty ramen restaurants and stalls, most specializing in tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen that compete in flavor with Fukuoka's famous variety. Takoyaki aficionados would be wise not to miss the Tettako chain of takoyaki stalls scattered throughout the city. Chicken nanban, a kind of fried chicken cooked with rice vinegar and served with a tartar sauce-like topping that originally hails from Miyazaki Prefecture, has taken off spectacularly in Oita. This dish can be found at almost any low-budget restaurant around the city Karaage, that ever-present Japanese answer to chicken nuggets or buffalo wings, can be had on the cheap at any of the Oita Karaage chain stands around the city. Downtown Oita abounds with mid-priced izakaya, particularly in the Miyako-machi and Funai areas. Notable among these izakaya is Kamifusen, a small, popular chain that caters to groups large and small. For diners willing to pay a premium for authentic Japanese gourmet, a handful of Oita restaurants serve Seki-aji and Seki-saba, special kinds of mackerel caught in and around the swift currents of the Hoyo Channel between Kyushu and Shikoku. Also available in Oita, though in rarer quantities than the special breeds of mackerel, is fugu(blowfish), caught by fishermen in the city of Usuki. Like most Japanese cities, Oita has compressed virtually all of its drinking establishments into one general entertainment district called Miyako-machi.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsDespite its reputation as an out-of-the-way city, Oita has multiple points of access. Travel between the airport and surrounding cities and towns are handled by bus, unfortunately lacking any train access as of yet. The bus has an approximate travel time of 45 and 60 minutes to Beppu and Oita, respectively. Three JR Kyushu train lines run through 33.232639131.6067062 Oita Station, located downtown: Nippo Honsen, Hohi Honsen and Kyudai Honsen. The Nippo Honsen could be considered Oita's main rail access line, running JR Kyushu's Sonic trains from Hakata Station and reaching as far south as Miyazaki. Sonic express trains take approximately two hours to and from Hakata Station. The Kyudai Honsen has local service running to the west and reaching as far as Saga Prefecture. Finally, the Hohi Honsen runs local and express service as far as Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture (about 3 hours)....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The Oita Station area hotels, shops, and restaurants can be accessed easily on foot. You can rent a bicycle for ¥200 a day at Oita Station and ride it to scenic spots like the West Oita waterfront (also accessible by train) and Oita River. Buses leave from Oita Station and Tokiwa Department Store to other points in Oita City. Worth seeing is the 33.23944131.589981 Oita Prefectural Library, designed by architect Arata Isozaki, an early Metabolist masterpiece, finished around 1965. A remarkable brutalist concrete building, it was converted into an Isozaki museum in 1998. Oita has two large, Western-style malls. You can try out 33.1884131.581221 Wasada Town, a traditional fully-enclosed shopping center with an attached 33.18947131.58452 K's Denki for any electronics that you need, as well as a 33.2365131.608273 Tokiwa that has the latest fashion and clothing for any situation. Don't be surprised about high prices even though it's a small city. The other big mall, 33.19518131.
Money & Budget
Oita has two large, Western-style malls. You can try out 33.1884131.581221 Wasada Town, a traditional fully-enclosed shopping center with an attached 33.18947131.58452 K's Denki for any electronics that you need, as well as a 33.2365131.608273 Tokiwa that has the latest fashion and clothing for any situation. Don't be surprised about high prices even though it's a small city. The other big mall, 33.19518131.657364 Park Place, is newer than Wasada Town, has store entrances within and without its main enclosed area and it is 20 minutes walking from the "Big Eye" multi-purpose stadium. Here you`ll find another comprehensive shopping experience, plus it has some more attractions for the younger crowds.
Safety Information
Glimpses of Oita
Lake Kinrinko a small lake that the famous tourist attraction in Yufuin,Oita,Japan
a body of water surrounded by a forest
a person standing in front of a window overlooking a city
Ooita, Japan
a building with two benches in front of it
sit for a while
a tree in the middle of a city street
a tall white building sitting on top of a stone wall
a group of tall bamboo trees in a forest
a tall white building sitting next to a forest
Lake Kinrinko a small lake that the famous tourist attraction in Yufuin,Oita,Japan
a body of water surrounded by a forest
a person standing in front of a window overlooking a city