Oita（大分） Hot spring Day 1 - Yufuin station （湯布院） (22nd - 23rd May 2015)

Speaking of Oita, onsen (hot spring) is definitely one of the images that will pop up to your mind. Our 2nd destination after Kagoshima was Oita.

Oita Station

We went there from Kagoshima by a overnight bus and by the time we wake up in the morning, we arrived! I think it took about 6 hours? So we woke up quite early on that day.






All the shops were closed so we headed to Yufuin station by JR.

Yufuin station

 When arrived, you will see this busy street. (which I wasn't expecting cos I always thought that Kyushu isn't a tourist hot-spot yet, but I guess I was wrong!)





In front of the station, you will see a lot of tourists waiting and there are lots of car waiting there too. That is because for most of the hot spring hotels, they will provide a pick-up service at Yufuin station.









Also, on the left of the station, you will see this horse-carriage service.

I don't really know how much cos I would rather do a real horse riding...

We were also waiting for a pick-up but while waiting for that we ate our lunch! We went to a close-by restaurant on the 2nd floor. It's very easy to find this restaurant because it has photos of the grilled pork rice and Hitsumabushi outside the restaurant. (1st floor is a Soba, udon restaurant so don't enter wrong!)

Japanese tsukemono (fermented vegetables as starters)

Grilled Beef in hot pot! 2222 yen 

2222yen

Hitsumabushi - Chopped Kabayaki eel rice (famous in Nagoya)

I think Nagoya tastes so much better than this, so I am not recommending to eat Hitsumabushi here.

But I have to say, the pot is very pretty that increased my appetite!

This restaurant is called  Yufu Mabushi. There is also a chicken hot pot one which costed 1991yen. (note that all prices are tax excluded)
For more info: http://ichiba.geocities.jp/ggkbh080/


 In front of the station, there are lots of cake/dessert shops and there was this cake roll which apparently is extremely famous because I can see it everywhere on that street.

There are 3 flavours, green tea, chocolate and plain

 The  cake were really soft and not too sweet either. Therefore it won't make you feel like you have eaten a lot of sweet things.


I prefer the chocolate one over the green tea one!

For a simple plan coffee, tea + a roll cake, it's 500 yen!

Oh and also this shop also sell this premium crepe ice-cream!!! It is soooo creamy and soooooo milky that I had to eat it every time I see it!! It costed 500yen.

 The shop itself is very quite simple in design and it has quite a relaxing atmosphere!

This shop is called Yufuin Roll shop and it's near the middle of the whole street.
For more info: http://tabelog.com/tw/oita/A4402/A440201/44006960/