Beppu Tower Guide: Tickets, Hours, Views and Floors (2026)

Beppu Tower at a Glance

Beppu Tower opened on May 10, 1957, and it stands 100m to the top. Its observation deck sits 55m above the ground on the 17th floor, with a second viewing level on the 16th. Tachu Naito designed it, the same engineer behind Tokyo Tower and Tsutenkaku. Japan listed it as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2007. The address is 3-10-2 Kitahama, Beppu City, Oita.

• Height: 100m overall, deck at 55m
• Observation deck hours: 9:30–21:30, last admission 21:00
• Beppu Art Museum hours: 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30
• Walk from JR Beppu Station: about 9 minutes
• Taxi from JR Beppu Station: about 3 minutes
• Free parking: 1 hour for deck and museum visitors

What You See From the Observation Deck (16F and 17F)

The deck is split across two floors, and the 17th holds reception. From up here you get a 360-degree view of Beppu Bay, the mountains and the steam rising from the hot spring districts. Visit Oita says the view reaches as far as Shikoku. At 55m, the deck is lower than Tokyo Tower's. Even so, the tower stands close to the waterfront, so the drop to the bay feels steep. For the official floor layout, see the Beppu Tower official site.

• Beppu Tower Shrine on 17F, a shrine for business prosperity
• Sky Screen Stage of Light on 17F, a photo spot once the sun goes down
• Space Fantasy Galaxy Walk on 16F, tied to Oita Airport's spaceport status
• 16F harbor view counter with USB power, handy if you want a view with a desk
• Stamp rally desk on the right after you leave the 17F elevator
• History photo display of Beppu in the 1950s

Beppu Tower Tickets and Opening Hours

Check prices before you go, since facilities can change them. Visit Oita lists the observation deck at ¥800 for adults, ¥600 for junior high and high school students, and ¥400 for ages 4 through elementary school. Infants under 3 enter free. Groups of 20 or more pay ¥100 less per person on each tier. Disability certificate holders get ¥200 off. Set tickets exist, but no price is supplied here, so ask at reception. The deck closes at 21:30, and the last admission is 21:00.

Floor-by-Floor Guide: More Than a View

Beppu Tower works as a small vertical complex. Floors 1 to 4 hold shops and entertainment, the 5th is a terrace, and the deck sits above. Each business sets its own hours, so check before you plan around one.

• 1F Creole Cafe: restaurant and bar, 11:00 to 1:00, closed Thursday
• 2F Beppu Art Museum: over 400 works, 9:00 to 17:00
• 3F Capsule Hostel Beppu Tower: from ¥2,000 per night, reception 8:00 to 23:00
• 4F Karaoke Queen's Echo: open until 5:00 AM
• 5F Space Deck and Kitahama Deck: BBQ, sauna and terrace
• 16F and 17F: observation deck

Beppu Art Museum on 2F

Beppu Art Museum displays over 400 works, including paintings by celebrities, sculptures and antique pieces. The Celebrity Art Corner shows more than 50 artworks by entertainers. The Beppu Tower Corner holds a detailed scale model of the tower. A role-playing corner lets you pose as a painter. Adults pay ¥1,000. Last entry is 16:30, and the museum closes at 17:00. Plan about 2 hours if you combine it with the deck.

Capsule Hostel, Karaoke and the 5F Space Deck

Capsule Hostel Beppu Tower on 3F uses a space theme and starts from ¥2,000 per night. Capsules have MuAtsu mattresses by Showa Nishikawa, and the bath area is a first for Kyushu according to the official floor guide. Karaoke Queen's Echo on 4F opens at 13:00 on weekdays and 12:00 on weekends and holidays. Both close at 5:00 AM. On 5F, the Space Deck has a bar counter, barrel sauna, jacuzzi and cold plunge. BBQ runs 11:00 to 22:00. Sauna runs 15:00 to 24:00. It is booked and paid separately from the deck ticket, so confirm details on the official floor guide.

Eating at Creole Cafe on the Ground Floor

Creole Cafe on 1F combines a restaurant, bar and music venue. Its signature dish is chicken tempura, the local toriten that Beppu is known for. The menu also lists taco rice, hamburgers, hot sandwiches and dessert sets. Hours run 11:00 to 1:00, with Thursday off. That late close makes it a sensible stop after the deck shuts at 21:30.

Daylight Versus Evening Views

Daytime gives you the clearest read on geography. You can pick out the bay, the mountain ridges and the steam plumes from the hot spring districts. Evening adds the lighting. Visit Oita says the tower is illuminated in colors and patterns that change with the season and events. It joined Japan's Nightscape Heritage in 2023. Arrive around sunset to catch the blue hour over the bay, then stay for the lit skyline. Last admission at 21:00 leaves time for both. Plan about 45 minutes for the deck alone. For a daytime counterpart, pair it with the hot spring Hells circuit.

Photography Tips for Kitahama Deck

Kitahama Deck on 5F is covered in artificial turf. Lie back or stand close to look straight up at the lattice frame. Entry costs ¥200, and children 3 and under are free. At night, colored lights on the tables and chairs change the mood. It is the best spot for upward shots of the tower. For skyline shots, use the Sky Screen Stage of Light on 17F after sunset.

The Six Tower Brothers: Where Beppu Fits

Naito designed six well-known iron towers in Japan, called the Six Tower Brothers. Beppu Tower is the third built, according to the official floor guide. The table shows how it compares. Beppu is the same height as Hakata Port Tower, and it is far shorter than Tokyo Tower. Its modest 100m is part of the appeal, because the bay sits just beside it. The Wikipedia entry also notes a pop-culture cameo in Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, which fans may enjoy.

How to Get to Beppu Tower

From JR Beppu Station, the tower is about 9 minutes on foot or about 3 minutes by taxi. Read our JR Beppu Station access notes for exits and onward transport. The station's own page is on the JR Kyushu station information site. By car, allow about 15 minutes from Beppu IC on the Higashi-Kyushu Expressway. Parking is free for 1 hour for deck and museum visitors. If you arrive by sea, our guide to the overnight ferry from Osaka covers the port. Ferry times are on the Sunflower ferry schedule. If you plan to drive the coast afterward, see these bay-side drives.

Beppu Tower vs Other Beppu Viewpoints

Beppu Tower suits you when you stay in Kitahama or want a night activity near bars. It is central and historic, and you can walk there from the station. Beppu Ropeway is the choice for altitude and mountain scenery. Yukemuri Observation Deck is the pick for steam views, and it needs a bus ride. Visit Oita lists all three as Beppu sights. Choose the tower for convenience, and the ropeway or Yukemuri when you want a bigger landscape. For a full day plan, see our two-day Beppu plan. For more sights across town, see Beppu's wider sights. Planning beyond Beppu? Try our wider Japan planning page.

Mistakes to Avoid and Local Tips

Timing causes most problems. Do not arrive at 18:00 and expect the art museum, because it closes at 17:00 with last entry at 16:30. Use the 1-hour free parking, but note that it only covers deck and museum visitors. Do not assume the sauna is included in your deck ticket. Book it separately. Finally, check the official site before you go, since hours and prices can change.

• Museum first, deck at sunset, dinner at Creole Cafe
• Deck ticket alone: about 45 minutes
• Deck plus museum: about 2 hours
• Skip Thursday if you want Creole Cafe