Yufuin Onsen Town Guide 2026: Lake Kinrin, Yunotsubo Street, Floral Village Walk and Yufuin no Mori Access

What Are the Must-See Sights in Yufuin Onsen Town? 12 Highlights Along the Walking Route

The sights below follow the walking route, from the station to Lake Kinrin, with a few extra spots that need a car at the end.

Yunotsubo Street Map and Walking Route: How to Plan the Walk from Yufuin Station to Lake Kinrin

The main walking route through Yufuin is actually quite simple. Follow the order below and you will not get lost, and there are signposts along the way. “YUFUINFO,” the official travel guide for Yufuin, Shonai and Hasama, offers a digital map, and the website of the Yunotsubo shopping association (ゆふいん湯の坪商店会) has a member map (57 shops in total, grouped into shopping, takeaway snacks, dining, lodging and more). Save it to your phone before you set out. At Yufuin Station you can also pick up a paper map in English at the tourist information center.

1. Exit Yufuin Station: deal with your luggage first, then head straight toward Mt. Yufu along the “Yufumi-dori” street in front of the station.
2. Shirataki Bridge: after Shirataki Bridge, turn onto Yunotsubo Street. From here begins the main shopping street of about 800 meters, where snacks, sweets and general-goods shops are concentrated.
3. Yufuin Floral Village: about 100 meters along Yunotsubo Street toward Mingeimura, about a 15-minute walk from Yufuin Station. Open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
4. Lake Kinrin: the end of Yunotsubo Street. The loop around the lake is quickly walked. On the way back, you can cut through a side lane and take the riverside path upstream along the Oita River to avoid the crowds on the main street.

Walking just from the station to the lake takes about 20 to 25 minutes one way. With snack stops, the Floral Village and photos, plan for about 3 hours. The Floral Village and most shops close in the early evening, so it is best to finish the walk before 4 p.m.

Yufuin Station: A Black Wooden Station Designed by Arata Isozaki, with a Platform Foot Bath

Yufuin Station is the starting point of this walk. Designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, it is a rare all-black wooden building, and its high-ceilinged waiting hall makes generous use of natural light, making it a work of architecture in its own right. The station has an “ashiyu” foot bath, which requires a separate ticket that includes a dedicated towel, and it is the first stop for many travelers after they arrive.

From the end of the platform you can look straight out at the twin peaks of Mt. Yufu, a popular spot for souvenir photos on clear days. In front of the station are the departure point for the sightseeing carriage and the tourist information center, where you can store luggage and pick up maps. We suggest saving the foot bath for the return trip, when it feels even better after a full day of walking.

Yufumi-dori: The First Stretch of Avenue from the Station to the Onsen Street

The first main road after you leave Yufuin Station is Yufumi-dori, which points straight at Mt. Yufu and offers the most open views of the entire walk. Both sides are lined with Japanese confectionery shops, souvenir shops and cafes. It is a little less crowded than Yunotsubo Street further on, so it is a good place to warm up and compare prices.

This stretch is about 500 meters and takes roughly 8 minutes on foot, on a flat, easy surface. Early in the morning most shops have not yet opened, but with no crowds it is the best time to take the classic shot of Mt. Yufu at the end of the road.

Yunotsubo Street: Yufuin’s Core White-Walled Shopping Street

Yunotsubo Street is Yufuin’s liveliest street, lined with traditional white-walled Japanese buildings in a late-Edo style, with the majestic twin peaks of Mt. Yufu behind them. The composition looks great with almost no effort. More than fifty shops gather here, from stylish cafes and handmade goods to local-ingredient specialty shops.

The official Studio Ghibli shop “Donguri Republic,” the SNOOPY Chaya Yufuin shop and the Miffy-themed Miffy Sakura Kitchen are all on this street, must-stops for families and anime fans. The street is also home to Yufuin’s most famous street food, such as the original Kinshō Croquette shop, the legendary fresh-cream roll cake B-Speak, the half-baked cheesecake from Yufuin Milch, and Yufuin Kamameshi “Kokoro,” known for its Bungo beef kamameshi.

Note that most shops on this street close at 5:00 to 5:30 p.m., and many long-established shops accept cash only. The street is about 800 meters long, and with browsing and queuing for snacks, allow at least 1.5 hours.

How to Find Parking Near Yunotsubo Street: Driving and Parking Tips

If you drive to Yunotsubo Street, you can park in the coin-operated lots nearby. According to Times Parking search information, Times Yufuin (Kawakami 3021) is open 24 hours with about 67 spaces, and Times Yufuin Dai-2 (Kawakami 1024) has about 38 spaces and is also open around the clock. Rates differ between weekdays and holidays, with holidays higher, so check the sign at the lot for actual fees. In peak season the lots are often full around midday, so we recommend arriving before 10 a.m., parking, and then walking.

Yufuin Floral Village: An English Cotswolds-Style Fairy-Tale Village

Yufuin Floral Village is located about 100 meters along Yunotsubo Street toward Mingeimura, a themed village built in the style of the English Cotswolds countryside. Bright yellow low stone houses, winding cobblestone paths and flower-covered walls make for a dreamlike scene, and admission to the village itself is free.

The village has themed shops such as Kiki’s Delivery Service and Peter Rabbit, plus indoor small-animal areas such as the Owl Forest (separate ticket required). Families with children usually spend the longest here. The area is small: just walking through takes about 30 to 40 minutes, or allow 1 hour for photos and shopping.

Because the grounds are small and the paths narrow, it is almost impossible to move during tour group peaks. We recommend going before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m.

Lake Kinrin: A Lake Where Hot Spring and Fresh Water Both Well Up, Famed for Its Morning Mist

Lake Kinrin is Yufuin’s signature landmark and the end point of this walking route. What makes it special is that both hot spring water and fresh water well up from the lake bed. The meeting of warm and cold water keeps the lake relatively warm all year, and on autumn and winter mornings when the air temperature drops sharply, wisps of mist rise from the surface like a fairyland.

The lake’s name is said to come from the Meiji-era scholar Mori Kuso, who saw fish scales glinting gold in the setting sun. The path around the lake is gentle and quickly walked, with cafes and gallery spaces along the way, and Cafe La Ruche on the lakeshore is the most popular rest spot.

Seeing the morning mist requires only two conditions: autumn or winter, and a morning with a large temperature difference. That means day-trippers will almost never see it. You have to stay overnight locally and head out before dawn for a chance.

Amanosa Shrine: The Torii Gate in the Water at Lake Kinrin

Amanosa Shrine stands on the shore of Lake Kinrin, a very small but serene shrine dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami. It is best known for the torii gate standing in the lake, half submerged in the water, which together with the trees behind and the morning mist is one of Yufuin’s most popular photo spots.

The grounds have a few old trees and a small worship hall. Few visitors come, so even in peak season the atmosphere stays relatively quiet. The shrine has no permanently staffed office, so amulets and goshuin stamps are not always available. If you want to collect them, we suggest going to Unagihime Shrine instead.

Allow about 10 to 15 minutes. Since it is right on the lakeside path, you can simply step in while walking around Lake Kinrin, with no need to set aside extra time.

Shitan-yu: A Thatched-Roof Public Bath on the Shore of Lake Kinrin

Shitan-yu (下ん湯) is a public communal bath right next to Lake Kinrin. Its small wooden building with a thatched roof has real character, and it is one of the few outdoor baths in Yufuin that keeps its traditional form. You pay by dropping the fee into a box at the entrance, with no counter and no staff.

Inside there is an indoor bath and an open-air bath, fed by the source water that wells up from the lake bed, making for a very unusual bathing experience. Note that it is a mixed-gender bath, and the changing area is very simple with almost no partitions, so travelers sensitive about privacy should be prepared.

No towels or bath amenities are provided, so bring your own. Allow about 20 to 30 minutes. It suits travelers who want to experience the most original hot spring culture.

Butsuzan-ji: An Old Rinzai Temple at the Foot of Mt. Yufu

Butsuzan-ji is an old temple of the Myoshin-ji branch of the Rinzai school at the foot of Mt. Yufu. It is only a short distance from lively Yunotsubo Street, yet the atmosphere is completely different. The grounds are known for a thatched-roof gate and a tidy Japanese garden, surrounded by tall cedars, so quiet that you can hear birdsong.

Its best-known season is autumn, when the red leaves in the garden set off the thatched roofs, a spot photographers come for. Goshuin stamps are available at the temple, but note the service hours, as outside peak season you may occasionally find no one there.

It takes about 15 minutes on foot from Yunotsubo Street, and a visit lasts 20 to 30 minutes. It is well worth the detour for travelers who want to avoid the crowds and see another side of Yufuin.

Unagihime Shrine: Yufuin’s Spiritual Center Among Towering Cedars

Unagihime Shrine is the local spiritual center of Yufuin, with a long history, and its enshrined deity Unagihime is linked to the legend of the settlement of Mt. Yufu. The most striking thing about the approach is the enormous cedars standing straight on both sides, with light filtering through the branches and a solemn atmosphere.

The grounds preserve several sacred trees hundreds of years old, which are also the shrine’s most representative sight. It has a shrine office where you can get amulets and goshuin stamps, making it the best shrine in the Yufuin area for collecting goshuin.

The sightseeing carriage route passes through this area. If you are not taking the carriage, it is about a 20-minute walk from Yufuin Station. We suggest staying about 20 minutes; the light is best early in the morning or in the evening.

Yufuin Tsuji Carriage: A Retro Sightseeing Carriage Departing from the Station

The Yufuin Tsuji Carriage is a sightseeing carriage that departs from in front of Yufuin Station, pulled by real horses, and is one of Yufuin’s most representative experiences. The route circles country roads around Butsuzan-ji and Unagihime Shrine over about 50 minutes, and the driver explains local lore in Japanese along the way.

Tickets are handled on the day at the Yufuin Onsen Tourist Information Office in front of the station. In peak season places often fill up early, so we recommend registering as soon as you arrive. It does not operate from early January to March 1, and may also be suspended in the rain.

Rocking slowly past fields and Mt. Yufu in a wooden carriage offers a view you cannot get on foot, and it is especially good for travelers with elderly relatives or children.

Sagiri-dai Observatory: The Best Spot to Overlook the Morning Mist over the Yufuin Basin

Sagiri-dai Observatory is on the Yamanami Highway between Yufuin and Beppu, and is the best spot to overlook the whole Yufuin basin and Mt. Yufu. On autumn and winter mornings the basin is completely filled with thick mist, with only the summit of Mt. Yufu showing, forming a sea-of-clouds scene, which is where the name “Sagiri-dai” (mist platform) comes from.

The observatory has a parking lot and a simple viewing platform, and 15 to 20 minutes is enough. Kamenoi Bus timings are hard to match with the morning mist, so in practice going by car, taxi or chartered car is the most convenient, and it is the only spot in this route we recommend driving to.

In autumn this mountain road is also a well-known foliage route. If you already have a rental car, driving up on the way from Yufuin to Beppu involves almost no detour.

Kyushu Yufuin Mingeimura: A Craft Village of Old Farmhouses and Hands-On Workshops

Kyushu Yufuin Mingeimura relocates and restores old farmhouses from around Kyushu on a single site, forming a craft settlement you can walk into. The village has several workshops that display and sell traditional crafts such as pottery, glass, washi paper and indigo dyeing, and some workshops offer paid hands-on experiences.

For travelers who want to take home a one-of-a-kind souvenir, this place has more depth than the shops on Yunotsubo Street. It is about a 14-minute walk from Yufuin Station, and a full visit takes about 1 to 1.5 hours.

It is slightly off the main walking route, which suits travelers with a looser schedule or those looking for an indoor stop when it rains. In the rain, the old farmhouses and stone paths actually have even more atmosphere.