With some great day trip options available in the surrounding area, renting a car makes good sense. Without one, it wouldn’t be half as easy to explore everything that Hiji, 16 miles away, has to offer. Hells of Beppu should be high up on your list here. Harmony Land and Hiji Castle are terrific attractions too. Locals will also likely point you in the direction of Usa, 20 miles away. If you can only see one attraction here, let it be Usajingu Shrine. (But we’re also big fans of Ajimu Budoushu Koubou and Senzai Farm.)