Oita in Style

Shh! Don’t tell everyone. Oita is a stylish and captivating destination that will only have you longing to return for more

Very surprisingly Oita is little explored, even by the Japanese themselves. Yet it is a an enchanting and elegant destination that once explored remains opulently in the mind and the heart, and continues to be savoured for years after any visit. Its many famed onsen hot springs are synonymous with Oita’s wonderful appeal of tranquil comfort, relaxed openness and its sumptuous myriad and complementary attractions. It is a place where being gently indulged, refreshed and inspired is the norm; where the senses are enriched and captivated; and where there is every chance to thrill in being human.

It is hard not to be thoroughly enthralled by Oita’s natural scenery. Stretching from the seas to the mountains, it encompasses a varied and beautiful countryside, which is the source of a wide range of the freshest foods. These in turn form the foundation of its high-end gastronomy found in restaurants of every type from Michelin starred restaurants to corner cafes. Plentiful local rice and wheat as well as the purest water flowing from myriad natural springs, are the justification for Oita’s large number of boutique nihonshu sake and shochu spirit makers. These together with a Sapporo brewery, some craft beer breweries and wineries provide an added local frisson to any meal. Lively evenings can be spent in pubs, karaoke snack bars and smart lounges, fashionable live music and DJ venues, in classy cocktail bars, or on a secluded beach with just yourself or with friends.

Some of Japan’s most attractive accommodation is found in Oita, from the exclusive, including the Kamenoi Besso and ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa, through to some of the most intimate and homely, such as the beachside Midori-so and rural homestay Nishinokubo. Golf is just one of its many outdoor pursuits, which also include paragliding, fly and sea fishing, scuba diving, sailing, trekking, camping, yachting, glamping, gliding, windsurfing, canyoning, horse riding, cycling and stargazing. Its network of mostly quiet winding country roads through gorgeous scenery are a delight for both drivers and passengers - though for sports motoring enthusiasts Autopolis and Spa Naoiri race courses offer some high-octane thrills on two and four wheels.

Oita may be far from Japan’s major metropolitan areas but it is no cultural backwater. It is steeped in a vibrant history that includes Kunisaki’s mystical Buddhist-Shinto Rokugo Manzan religion, and some of the earliest engagement in Japan with 16th Century Europe. Traditional and modern architecture, art, music flourish side by side with traditional events and festivals held throughout the year. In the north of the rural Kunisaki Peninsula and in historic Taketa are enclaves of creative people producing original artworks and finely-crafted merchandise, while Ontaka-yaki pottery is symbolic of Oita’s many delightful folk crafts.

Last but by no means least, Oita’s warm and generous people are the source of many simple yet precious moments of authenticity and humanity that gently envelop and gratify visitors. Oita is a delightful escape to a tranquil land where leisure is unrushed and well being are of the essence.

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