Day 4 of My Oita Prefecture Trip, Japan

February 2026 • Above the Steam, Beyond the City • Day 3 moved us well beyond Beppu and into the parts of Oita Prefecture that most international visitors never find. From a cliff-carved Buddha that has stood for a thousand years to a fugu dinner requiring years of specialized craft just to serve safely — this was a day of genuine discovery. Bungoono City, Tsukumi, and Usuki showed us a Japan that is deeply layered, largely uncrowded, and completely worth the detour.

JAPAN