Oita City is the capital of Oita Prefecture, the north-east coast of the island, over 70% of which is covered with forest and volcanic terrain of beautiful, lush valleys, peaks and gorges. The presence of so much volcanic activity means that there are an abundance of hot springs here – in fact Oita has the most onsen of any region in the country, with 4,500!

Beppu is the most famous and one of the largest onsen regions, and is just north of Oita City. Oita is also incredibly rich is Buddhist culture, it is here that the religion is said to have taken root in Japan, and there are some fascinating, ancient monuments, such as the Usuki Stone Buddhas.