Take a trip to "hell"

This is Chinoike jigoku (blood pond hell - due to its reddish brown water) in Beppu, Kyushu. The hells are onsens (hot springs) for viewing not soaking due to their high temperatures - between 50 and 99 degrees Celsius! There are nine of them and they are very popular tourist attractions. Beppu in Oita prefecture is a famous bathing town - there are over 3000 onsens to soak in. Unlike the usual rarefied atmosphere of ryokans (traditional inns), Beppu revels in its tackiness and is often referred to as the Las Vegas of onsen towns!