Oita (prefecture)

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Oita (prefecture)

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Discover Oita (prefecture)

Ōita Prefecture (大分県 Ōita-ken) is a prefecture of Kyushu, Japan. Onsens! Onsens! Onsens! are what this prefecture is famous for, but it has a lot more to offer from ancient Buddhist images to theme parks. With a much more laid-back feel compared to the big cities of Honshu this is a good place to dive into the more rural Japan off the beaten track. The Oita dialect differs a little from basic Japanese but not too much to cause any problems. A good English speaking information centre is located at Beppu Station and is recommended to plan parts of your trip.

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What to Experience in Oita (prefecture)

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Chinda Waterfall in Bungoono city, Oita, Japan.

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Cuisine

Taste of Oita (prefecture)...

Oita's most famous ingredients are both citrus fruits. The zesty yuzu (ゆず) citrus can now found in trendy fusion restaurants globally, but in Oita it's most commonly eaten mixed with chilli as spicy yuzukoshō (柚子胡椒) paste, a speciality of Yufuin. The more obscure kabosu (かぼす) straddles the gap between lemons and mandarins, and is often made into a sour but refreshing juice. Tempura chicken (鶏天 toriten) and dango jiru (rice dumpling udon soup) are both local specialities. The local fish sashimi is also exceptional here. Two special kinds of mackerel Seki-aji and Seki-saba caught in and around the swift currents of the Hoyo Channel between Kyushu and Shikoku are expensive but exquisite. Also available in Oita, though in rarer quantities than the special breeds of mackerel, is fugu (blowfish), caught by fisherman in the city of Usuki. The locally famous Barley shochu (麦焼酎 mugishōchū), and micro brewed beer are well worth a tipple.

Plan Your Trip

Essential Information

Getting There

Multiple Options

Located approximately 40 km (25 miles) northeast of Beppu, Oita Airport is the main commercial airport in Oita Prefecture and has daily services to and from Tokyo, Osaka (both Kansai and Itami) and Nagoya by JAL and ANA, as well as a single international flight to Seoul, Korea with Korean Air. Travel between the airport and surrounding cities and towns are handled by bus and hovercraft, 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. The hovercraft trip is significantly faster, only taking 25 minutes, and deposits passengers at a landing in Oita just east of the Oita River. Access between this landing and the city's downtown takes approximately 10 minutes via taxi or bus and about 1 hour Three JR Kyushu train lines run through Oita Station, located downtown: Nippo Honsen, Hohi Honsen and Kyudai Honsen....

Travel Tips

Getting Around & Staying

Getting Around

To get to some of the smaller places hiring a car is a very good or only option as public transport can be rare and not particularly convenient. For the cities the train service is the most convenient way to get around. The JR Kyushu Pass is well worth getting and can make travel relatively cheap. Another option is hopping on a bike! With beautiful scenery, friendly locals and numerous onsens Oita is a great place to bike around. Every March there is the annual Oita Charity Bike Ride that tours around the Ken. Stone Buddhas in Bungo Takada- where Buddhism and Shintoism are said to have fused in Japan Shouen Village in Bungo Takada- where the landscape and rice fields have kept the same natural scenery intact for 800 years. You can experience a farm stay here Yufu River Gorge- A ravine formed by Yufu River which flows between the Yufudake and Tsurumidake mountains.

Communication

Language & Talk

The Oita dialect differs a little from basic Japanese but not too much to cause any problems. A good English speaking information centre is located at Beppu Station and is recommended to plan parts of your trip. Located approximately 40 km (25 miles) northeast of Beppu, Oita Airport is the main commercial airport in Oita Prefecture and has daily services to and from Tokyo, Osaka (both Kansai and Itami) and Nagoya by JAL and ANA, as well as a single international flight to Seoul, Korea with Korean Air. Travel between the airport and surrounding cities and towns are handled by bus and hovercraft, 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.

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