Oita Prefecture, located on the northeastern coast of Kyushu island, is Japan's undisputed hot-spring capital, boasting more onsen sources and volume than anywhere else in the country. The region is home to Beppu, one of Asia's most famous spa towns with its dramatic steam vents, and Yufuin, a sophisticated mountain onsen resort framed by Mount Yufu. Beyond the thermal waters, Oita offers ancient Buddhist cliff carvings at Usuki, wild monkeys bathing in hot springs at Takasakiyama, dramatic gorges at Takachiho on its border, and some of Kyushu's finest local cuisine.
Oita's cuisine revolves around several iconic regional dishes: toriten (chicken tempura with kabosu citrus), Nakatsu karaage (double-fried garlic-soy chicken), Usuki fugu (pufferfish), Bungo beef wagyu, and fresh seafood from the Bungo Straits. Kabosu citrus is Oita's signature ingredient, used as a condiment almost universally.
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Toyotsune
A no-frills toriten specialist in Oita City, the dish this region is credited with inventing: chicken pieces battered and deep-fried like tempura rather than sauced like standard karaage. The counter-and-table setup is functional rather than decorative, built for fast turnover of workers and regulars on their lunch break.
3-2-34 Nishi-machi, Oita City, Oita 870-0023
Wakana Fugu Restaurant
Popular Fugu restaurant in Oita.
Uoichi Karaage
A karaage shop working in the Nakatsu style, a soy-and-garlic-marinated fried chicken tradition from northern Oita Prefecture that predates Oita City's own toriten as the region's fried chicken claim to fame. It's built around takeout counters and simple seating rather than a sit-down dining room.
Mushi-yu Steam Restaurant
A jigoku-mushi (hell-steaming) restaurant in Kannawa, Beppu's onsen district, where food is cooked over geothermal steam vented straight from the ground rather than on a stove. You select raw ingredients — vegetables, egg, seafood — and steam them yourself in communal steam chambers, so the cooking is entirely about the ingredient and the mineral heat, with no sauce or technique masking it.
5 Funaki, Kannawa, Beppu, Oita 874-0043
Miyamoto Bungo Beef
Popular Wagyu / Bungo Beef restaurant in Oita.
4-8-12 Chuo-machi, Oita City, Oita 870-0035
B-Speak Yufuin
The roll cake shop that put Yufuin sweets on the map, a plain sponge-and-cream roll sold sliced or whole, made fresh in small batches through the day. The shop itself is a small storefront geared toward walk-up sales rather than a cafe sit-down.
1-2-5 Yufuin-cho, Yufu, Oita 879-5100
Ebisu Izakaya — Beppu
Popular Seafood izakaya restaurant in Oita.
7-18 Ekimae-cho, Beppu, Oita 874-0911
Nishi-no-Naka Kaiseki
Popular Traditional Kaiseki restaurant in Oita.
2751 Yufuin-cho, Yufu, Oita 879-5100
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Freshwater Eel
Kome Eel Restaurant — Usa
5-15 Shinmachi, Usa, Oita 879-0441
Oita Local Set Meals
Yufuin no Shokudo
2836-1 Yufuin-cho, Yufu, Oita 879-5100
Tonkotsu Ramen
Kogane Maru Ramen — Beppu
9-6 Kitahama, Beppu, Oita 874-0920
Food tours & tastings in Oita
Eat your way through Oita with a guide.
Browse food experiences in OitaWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Oita Ichinoichi Market
Yufuin Nishi-machi Bussankan
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
M
o
s
t
r
e
s
t
a
u
r
a
n
t
s
o
p
e
n
f
o
r
l
u
n
c
h
1
1
:
0
0
–
1
4
:
0
0
a
n
d
d
i
n
n
e
r
1
8
:
0
0
–
2
1
:
0
0
.
E
n
g
l
i
s
h
m
e
n
u
s
a
r
e
a
v
a
i
l
a
b
l
e
a
t
t
o
u
r
i
s
t
-
a
r
e
a
r
e
s
t
a
u
r
a
n
t
s
i
n
Y
u
f
u
i
n
a
n
d
B
e
p
p
u
b
u
t
r
a
r
e
i
n
O
i
t
a
C
i
t
y
a
n
d
N
a
k
a
t
s
u
.
P
o
i
n
t
i
n
g
a
t
p
l
a
s
t
i
c
f
o
o
d
d
i
s
p
l
a
y
s
w
o
r
k
s
e
v
e
r
y
w
h
e
r
e
.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $5-15/meal | Street food, local eateries, and simple restaurants. |
| Mid-range | $15-40/meal | Sit-down restaurants with good service and varied menus. |
| Upscale | $40+/meal | Fine dining, international cuisine, and premium experiences. |