Beppu, Oita

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Image:Chinoikejigoku in Beppu Japan 001.JPG

Beppu (別府市; -shi) is a city located in Oita, Kyushu, Japan.

As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 126,854 and the density of 1,013.78 persons per km². The total area is 125.13 km².

The city was founded on April 1, 1924 and is famous for its thousands of onsen (hot springs), which are regarded as sacred. Beppu is Japan`s onsen capital, containing nine major onsens, which are sometimes referred to as the "nine hells of Beppu". Beppu is considered a tourist town by the Japanese and is rather picturesque. Like much of Japan, Beppu is sandwiched between the sea and the mountains.

The combination of sea, mountains and onsens makes Beppu an ideal location for a summer vacation or even a weekend break from the city.

Recently, Beppu has been undergoing a renaissance. The city subsidized the creation of the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, an international university which focuses on International Relations and Business. The university attracts students from over 70 countries, making it the most culturally diverse university in Japan.

Beppu is also famous for its traditionally thriving sex-industry, which a local sex museum (Beppu Hihokan) depicts and commemerates. The Hihokan was founded by an sex artifact aficionado in the 1980s and contains a number of interesting exhibits.