Photo: 松岡明芳 / CC BY-SA 4.0Open in Google Maps · Directions from your berth
Checked against official sources · updated · Takumi Yamada
Kannawa is the district where Beppu's steam is thickest — it comes out of drains, gardens and the gaps between houses, and on a cold morning the whole neighbourhood disappears into it. This is the yukemuri view that is a designated national scenic asset.
At the Jigoku Mushi Kobo you buy raw ingredients, load a woven basket, and lower it into a stone steam chamber. Ten to twenty minutes depending on what you chose. The steam is around 100°C and slightly salty, so it seasons as it cooks — households here have done this for centuries and some kitchens still have their own steam box.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Eggs, corn and sweet potato are the reliable choices. Prawns are the good one.
- Wear something you do not mind smelling faintly of sulphur for the rest of the day.
- Free and near-free foot baths are scattered through the lanes. Bring a small towel.
- Cold mornings make the steam dramatic. November is the photograph.
- The hells circuit starts near here — but Kannawa itself is free and better.
The steam is around 100°C and slightly salty, so it seasons as it cooks — households here have done this for centuries and some kitchens still have their own steam box.
Guided ways to do Kannawa
Booked before you sail — there is no tour desk at the pier. Booking through these links supports the site.
More in Beppu
Questions people ask here
How does the Kannawa steam kitchen work?
You buy raw ingredients — prawns, eggs, corn, sweet potato, vegetables — load them into a woven basket and lower it into a stone geothermal chamber for ten to twenty minutes. The steam runs at around 100°C and is slightly salty, so it seasons the food as it cooks and very little needs adding.
Is Kannawa better than the Beppu hells?
For most short calls, yes. The hells circuit costs ¥2,400 and takes two and a half hours to look at water you cannot touch. Kannawa is free to walk, has scattered foot baths, and lets you cook your own lunch in the ground — it is closer to how the town actually works.