Visit Oita

Your starting point is Oita Station. Drive safely and enjoy your trip.

This Esoteric Buddhist temple is famous for its massive cliff-carved statue of Fudo Myoo. In June, beautiful hydrangeas bloom throughout the grounds, earning it the affectionate nickname “Hydrangea Temple.” Here, you can experience “Ajikan,” a Buddhist meditation practice. In this serene setting, you can calm your mind and spend a special moment reflecting on yourself. History, nature, and meditation—come to Fukumitsu-ji and enjoy a peaceful time that heals both body and mind.

Park your car in a lot near the station, then stroll through Taketa's historic streets searching for delicious treats. Start with freshly baked bread or piping hot croquettes fried to order at the butcher shop! Enjoy Oita specialties like “karaage” fried chicken and “toriten” fried chicken tempura too. Traditional Japanese confectionery shops and cafes dot the area, letting you savor Taketa's flavors nurtured by its pure water. Grab your camera and enjoy a gourmet moment!

Nestled deep within the Samurai Residence District, this cave chapel carved from tuff is a rare sight worldwide. It served as a place of prayer for those who steadfastly upheld their faith during the ban on Christianity. Traces remain of where priests once hid, and the interior is a mystical space featuring a dome-shaped altar. In the silence, one can feel the strength of faith and the depth of history. Sunlight filtering through the trees creates a fantastical atmosphere, making it an ideal photo spot. Experience the romantic history of faith and a feeling of stepping into another world.

Taketa's Samurai Residence Street is a beautiful walking path also known as the “Historical Path.” The townscape, preserving the atmosphere of the Edo period, has been designated a National Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Walking through this tranquil space lined with stone walls and white plastered walls, you'll feel like you've slipped back in time to the era of the samurai! The scenery, with its clear flowing waterways, offers photogenic views you'll want to capture. Immerse yourself in the quiet, beautiful Japanese aesthetics along this street steeped in history and culture.

Designed by world-renowned architect Kengo Kuma, the Taketa City History and Culture Museum · Yugakukan serves as a new hub for exchange in the castle town of Taketa. The building itself, combining white walls and bamboo latticework, harmonizes with the charming historical surroundings. Inside, an impressive diorama meticulously recreates the impregnable Oka Castle in detail. Visitors can also experience the solemn resonance of the nationally designated Important Cultural Property “Bell of Santiago,” significant in Christian history. Here, you can delve deeper into the history of the town you've walked through.

Taketa City is known as the “Hidden Christian Village,” where believers persevered in their faith even under the strict anti-Christian edicts of the Edo period. The Taketa Christian Museum displays precious artifacts that tell this tragic yet passionate history. A replica of the nationally designated Important Cultural Property “Bell of Santiago,” once hidden in Oka Castle, can actually be rung, allowing visitors to sense the weight of faith in those times. Also on display are rare and ingenious artifacts from the hidden Christians, including over 600 precious icon paintings (holy images) and Buddhist statues concealing crosses inside.

Taketa Machi Hotel offers a unique stay where the entire castle town functions as one hotel. Stay in guest rooms renovated from old folk houses and freely enjoy the town's restaurants and hot springs as “hotel facilities,” realizing a new style of travel. Limited to one group per day, enjoy a spacious, exclusive-use space for completely private time, undisturbed by anyone. Savor an elegant and luxurious experience of “traveling as if you were living there” in a space where history and modernity harmonize.

Roadside Station “Onsen Market” is a facility offering an abundant selection of local specialties. You'll find fresh vegetables carefully cultivated by local farmers, as well as dried shiitake mushrooms grown on logs and fresh shiitake mushrooms. A particular recommendation is the local confectionery “Onsen Sugar,” made with carbonated spring water that dissolves with a fizz. Other unique souvenirs include tofu made with famous spring water, naturally sun-dried rice, and bath salts from Nagayu Onsen. Take home memories of your trip and a taste of the local food culture.

On your final night, indulge in Oita cuisine near Oita Station. Must-try dishes include the firm-textured brand fish “Seki Aji and Seki Saba” and the juicy “Tori-ten” (fried chicken) unique to its birthplace. Additionally, traditional dishes found only here, like “Dango-jiru” (dumpling soup) and ‘Ryukyu’ (a local dessert), are all available. Savor Oita's “delicious” offerings to the fullest—from the bounty of the land and sea to Bungo beef—and create the best memories.

Arrival at Oita Station.