Q&A
The Yabakei area is large, so I will answer in 2 parts.
●Hon'yabakei
This is the area where the Blue Cave is located.
By car, it is about 15 to 20 minutes from Buzen IC, Jomo Smart IC, or Nakatsu IC on the Higashi Kyushu Expressway, or about 40 to 60 minutes from Hita IC or Kuju IC on the Oita Expressway.
The bus leaves Nakatsu Station about once an hour and costs about 700 yen one way.
If you take a taxi, it will cost about 10,000 yen round trip from Nakatsu Station.
There are over 10 restaurants where you can enjoy fried chicken, soba noodles, set meals, sweets, and more.
● Shin-Yabakei
This is the area where Hitome Hakkei, famous for its autumn leaves, is located.
By car, it is about 45 to 60 minutes from Buzen IC, Jomo Smart IC, or Nakatsu IC on the Higashi Kyushu Expressway, about 50 minutes from Hita IC on the Oita Expressway, and about 20 minutes from Kuju IC.
Traffic jams can occur in the fall, so we recommend that you plan your trip with plenty of time.
The bus runs four times a day from Nakatsu Station on weekdays only, with transfers along the way. The one-way fare is about 1200 yen.
There are about 10 soba restaurants lined up along the shopping street, and soba buns are a popular souvenir.
●Hon'yabakei
This is the area where the Blue Cave is located.
By car, it is about 15 to 20 minutes from Buzen IC, Jomo Smart IC, or Nakatsu IC on the Higashi Kyushu Expressway, or about 40 to 60 minutes from Hita IC or Kuju IC on the Oita Expressway.
The bus leaves Nakatsu Station about once an hour and costs about 700 yen one way.
If you take a taxi, it will cost about 10,000 yen round trip from Nakatsu Station.
There are over 10 restaurants where you can enjoy fried chicken, soba noodles, set meals, sweets, and more.
● Shin-Yabakei
This is the area where Hitome Hakkei, famous for its autumn leaves, is located.
By car, it is about 45 to 60 minutes from Buzen IC, Jomo Smart IC, or Nakatsu IC on the Higashi Kyushu Expressway, about 50 minutes from Hita IC on the Oita Expressway, and about 20 minutes from Kuju IC.
Traffic jams can occur in the fall, so we recommend that you plan your trip with plenty of time.
The bus runs four times a day from Nakatsu Station on weekdays only, with transfers along the way. The one-way fare is about 1200 yen.
There are about 10 soba restaurants lined up along the shopping street, and soba buns are a popular souvenir.
Nakatsu Castle is located about 1.2 km northwest of JR Nakatsu Station.
It's flat, so it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to walk there.
If you rent a bicycle from the station, it takes about 7 to 8 minutes.
In roughly the same area, you can find Fukuzawa Yukichi's Former Residence and Memorial Museum, Teramachi Street, and Nakatsu City Museum of History, all of which can be easily explored on foot.
If you come by car, we recommend parking in Nakatsu Castle's large, free First Parking Lot and then walking around the castle town.
There are over 50 stores in the city that sell fried chicken.
Of these, more than half are specialty stores, many of which offer takeaway.
If you are looking for a restaurant where you can dine in, please contact our association.
There are two flavors: soy sauce-based and salt-based, and also two types: with or without bones. For many Nakatsu residents, fried chicken is not something to cook, but something to buy and eat, and it is deeply rooted in the daily life of the residents, with each household purchasing it from a designated store.
<Spring>
Cherry blossoms can be seen throughout the city, especially around the castle, temples and shrines, and the best time to see the nemophila flowers around Ao-no-domon is from mid-April to early May.
<Summer>
You can enjoy water sports at Yabakei Dam.
<Autumn>
You can enjoy the autumn leaves throughout the city, including the Yabakei area.
The main attraction is a spot called Hitome Hakkei in an area called Shin-Yabakei.
Other spots to see autumn leaves include Keisekien Garden, Goryo Momiji, Sarutobi Senbo Gorge, and Hachimenzan.
<Winter>
You can enjoy hot springs.
As befits Oita, the hot spring prefecture, there are several hot springs in Nakatsu city.
Most of them are small, but they are frequented by locals, so you can immerse yourself in the local atmosphere.
＜Throughout the year＞
As for food, fried chicken is famous and can be eaten all year round, as well as soba noodles, which are in season in early summer and autumn, and conger eel, which is in season in summer, autumn, and winter. In the castle town area, you can also enjoy Japanese sweets from long-established shops all year round.
Cherry blossoms can be seen throughout the city, especially around the castle, temples and shrines, and the best time to see the nemophila flowers around Ao-no-domon is from mid-April to early May.
<Summer>
You can enjoy water sports at Yabakei Dam.
<Autumn>
You can enjoy the autumn leaves throughout the city, including the Yabakei area.
The main attraction is a spot called Hitome Hakkei in an area called Shin-Yabakei.
Other spots to see autumn leaves include Keisekien Garden, Goryo Momiji, Sarutobi Senbo Gorge, and Hachimenzan.
<Winter>
You can enjoy hot springs.
As befits Oita, the hot spring prefecture, there are several hot springs in Nakatsu city.
Most of them are small, but they are frequented by locals, so you can immerse yourself in the local atmosphere.
＜Throughout the year＞
As for food, fried chicken is famous and can be eaten all year round, as well as soba noodles, which are in season in early summer and autumn, and conger eel, which is in season in summer, autumn, and winter. In the castle town area, you can also enjoy Japanese sweets from long-established shops all year round.
● Castle Town
You can rent bicycles at the Tourist Information Center at the south exit of JR Nakatsu Station, the Nakatsu City History Museum, and Nakatsu Castle. It costs 4 yen for 300 hours. There are no electric bikes, only city bikes. There are 20 12-inch bikes at the Tourist Information Center and 26 4-inch bikes at the History Museum.
Estimated travel time is approximately 7 to 8 minutes from Nakatsu Station to Nakatsu Castle, approximately 7 to 8 minutes from Nakatsu Station to Fukuzawa Former Residence, and approximately 3 to 4 minutes from Nakatsu Castle to Fukuzawa Former Residence.
●Yabakei
There is a dedicated cycling road. In addition to the Yabakei Cycling Terminal, you can rent bikes at Fūshuien (Hon-Yabakei) and Yasuraginosato Yamakuni (Yamakuni). You can also drop off your bike at any of these 3 facilities. The bicycle-only road is about 20 km long.
Estimated travel times are 1 hour from the terminal to Feng Shui Garden, 1 hour from the terminal to Yasuragi no Sato, and 2 hours from Feng Shui Garden to Yasuragi no Sato.
You can rent bicycles at the Tourist Information Center at the south exit of JR Nakatsu Station, the Nakatsu City History Museum, and Nakatsu Castle. It costs 4 yen for 300 hours. There are no electric bikes, only city bikes. There are 20 12-inch bikes at the Tourist Information Center and 26 4-inch bikes at the History Museum.
Estimated travel time is approximately 7 to 8 minutes from Nakatsu Station to Nakatsu Castle, approximately 7 to 8 minutes from Nakatsu Station to Fukuzawa Former Residence, and approximately 3 to 4 minutes from Nakatsu Castle to Fukuzawa Former Residence.
●Yabakei
There is a dedicated cycling road. In addition to the Yabakei Cycling Terminal, you can rent bikes at Fūshuien (Hon-Yabakei) and Yasuraginosato Yamakuni (Yamakuni). You can also drop off your bike at any of these 3 facilities. The bicycle-only road is about 20 km long.
Estimated travel times are 1 hour from the terminal to Feng Shui Garden, 1 hour from the terminal to Yasuragi no Sato, and 2 hours from Feng Shui Garden to Yasuragi no Sato.
Route bus sightseeing ticket
This ticket allows round-trip bus travel between Nakatsu Station and the ① Hon'yabakei, ② Yabakei, ③ Yamakuni, and ④ Sanko areas.
① The Gourmet Route Bus Sightseeing Ticket is a ticket that includes a meal (worth 600 yen).
②The Cycling Route Bus Tour Ticket includes a bicycle rental (including drop-off fee).
③The hot spring route bus sightseeing ticket is a ticket that includes bathing and other benefits.
④The Hachimenzan bus sightseeing ticket includes bathing and other benefits.
Both are available for purchase at the Nakatsu Yabakei Tourist Information Center (south exit of JR Nakatsu Station).
This ticket allows round-trip bus travel between Nakatsu Station and the ① Hon'yabakei, ② Yabakei, ③ Yamakuni, and ④ Sanko areas.
① The Gourmet Route Bus Sightseeing Ticket is a ticket that includes a meal (worth 600 yen).
②The Cycling Route Bus Tour Ticket includes a bicycle rental (including drop-off fee).
③The hot spring route bus sightseeing ticket is a ticket that includes bathing and other benefits.
④The Hachimenzan bus sightseeing ticket includes bathing and other benefits.
Both are available for purchase at the Nakatsu Yabakei Tourist Information Center (south exit of JR Nakatsu Station).
Please contact our association.
For every 15 people, 1 guide will assigned to the group, and the basic rate for 2 hours is 2,000 yen. Please contact us for information on languages other than Japanese.
For every 15 people, 1 guide will assigned to the group, and the basic rate for 2 hours is 2,000 yen. Please contact us for information on languages other than Japanese.
Here are some places where you can play for free or at low cost:
Daisada Comprehensive Sports Park has large playground equipment that you can enjoy for free.
There is also a facility called Nakatsu Play Park along National Route 213, which is open to the public free of charge.
There are two river pools in the summer, both of which are free. Please contact our association for details on opening times.
If you would like to have fun with your children, we also have cycling tours. Please contact us in advance.
Daisada Comprehensive Sports Park has large playground equipment that you can enjoy for free.
There is also a facility called Nakatsu Play Park along National Route 213, which is open to the public free of charge.
There are two river pools in the summer, both of which are free. Please contact our association for details on opening times.
If you would like to have fun with your children, we also have cycling tours. Please contact us in advance.
There are Japanese sweets from long-established shops, items related to Fukuzawa Yukichi, and food ingredients.
There are still many traditional Japanese sweet shops in the castle town, and popular items include rolled steamed kenchin (a type of uiro) and maruboro. Another popular item is the 10,000 yen bill rice cracker, a sweet associated with Yukichi Fukuzawa, which is often considered unusual.
There are three roadside stations in the city, all of which sell locally produced food.
There is also a souvenir shop inside Nakatsu Station, making it a convenient place to shop for those leaving not only Nakatsu but also Oita Prefecture.
There are still many traditional Japanese sweet shops in the castle town, and popular items include rolled steamed kenchin (a type of uiro) and maruboro. Another popular item is the 10,000 yen bill rice cracker, a sweet associated with Yukichi Fukuzawa, which is often considered unusual.
There are three roadside stations in the city, all of which sell locally produced food.
There is also a souvenir shop inside Nakatsu Station, making it a convenient place to shop for those leaving not only Nakatsu but also Oita Prefecture.