Okamotoya Onsen Steamed Custard

Hell-Steamed "Pudding" and eggs!

In one area you've got Beppu Hoyoland onsen, YunoSato, and Okamotoya restaurant with their famous onsen steamed pudding. Worth the bus ride up the hill. In the Myoban area of the Beppu Hatto (hot spring areas) is my favorite Beppu onsen, Hoyoland. I like it because of the view from the outside baths and the unique muddy white water. Nearby is the Myoban Yunosato, a collection of thatched huts (called koya) where onsen minerals are dried from the water to powdered form to be sold. The powder is called Yu no Hana (hot water flower), and we can add it to baths at home. I enjoyed walking around there for free and looking at the gift shop. There are private baths that can be rented by the hour inside some of the smaller goya buildings also. The restaurant, Okamotoya, is famous for their "Jigoku Mushi Purin," the special Beppu name for custard steamed from onsen steam. Jigoku means hell and mushi is steam, so the translation is literally 'hell-steamed custard.' They also steam eggs this way, called ondama. I had one topping my curry rice. The custard is so good and I've heard from other people this is their favorite place to eat in Beppu. I can't pick just one favorite place to eat there, but I remember this one as the top five for sure. It was 600 yen for the Ondama Curry Rice, and 'hell-steamed custard was 260 yen.There is a green tea machine so you can drink for free, don't bother with the expensive (probably instant) coffee. There is parking at the restaurant. From Beppu station, we can take a bus (numbers 5, 24, and 41) to one of two or three stations in this area and walk up or down the hill to visit the Yunosato and Hoyoland. There's a nice view from the Myoban area and we can see a big bridge going across the mountains when we look towards the ocean on clear days. On their website there are really beautiful photos and the menu. Open 8:30-17:30; closed on Tuesdays? Or not, I've been there on a Tuesday. jigoku-prin.com