{"id":1837,"date":"2023-06-10T06:28:56","date_gmt":"2023-06-10T04:28:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smorgasbord.at\/?page_id=1837"},"modified":"2023-06-26T09:19:03","modified_gmt":"2023-06-26T07:19:03","slug":"beppu","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/smorgasbord.at\/en\/beppu\/","title":{"rendered":"Beppu"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Written in June 2023<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In April, we stayed for a month in Beppu, Oita Prefecture on the island of Ky\u016bsh\u016b<\/a> in Japan. Having been mainly touristy in Osaka before, Beppu surprised us with wonderful people, great places and memorable encounters. But one thing at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a disclaimer up front:<\/em> We travel the world as an artist and musician, so we have made it our business to find galleries, art cafes, music pubs and other artistic places and encounters. So it takes a certain amount of courage to approach people. Nevertheless, Beppu made it very easy for us in that respect and welcomed us with open arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, we did the typical tourist things in and around Beppu: We visited the Kijima Kogen amusement park<\/a>, went to Mount Tsurumi<\/a> and Takasakiyama Monkey Park<\/a>. That’s not what this is about. This is a guide to finding the more hidden places and supporting the ever-growing cultural scene in Beppu. In that one month, though, we only hung out in Beppu’s south. Once we get back there, we’ll try to explore the north as well. \ud83d\ude1b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kitakoka \/ Kitakouka<\/h2>\n\n\n
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The small shopping street under the train tracks is mentioned in a few places on the net, but only with generalities. As punky as this passage is, it offers an experience in itself with the art store KURUKURU<\/a>, the grocery Sempervivum<\/a>, the caf\u00e9 Sontokiniyoru<\/a>, the bar Gin&Lemon<\/a> and a handful of other stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since all the shops are run by their owners, the opening hours are very humane: most are open between 11am and 5pm, but not every day. It’s a good idea to check the social media channels, where the opening hours are announced every month. You should also bring time with you, time for a coffee or tea and a chat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also worth mentioning is the library<\/strong>, a place that belongs to no one and everyone. There are two comfortable armchairs and a lot of literature ready to be discovered. You will also find two cabinets full of children’s toys and a piano.<\/p>\n\n\n\n