Beppu sää — toukokuu

May in Fukuoka is the last month before the rains: Kyushu's tsuyu usually begins around 7 to 10 June, so May sits outside it and regulars call it the nicest season of the year. That does not mean dry - our row carries 172.2mm across 11.4 precipitation days - and their description of the rhythm is three days of sun then a day or two of rain. It is also warm and, this far south, humid enough that you will sweat. The packing list they give runs the whole range: short sleeves, long sleeves, a light jacket, a rain parka, waterproof shoes and a folding umbrella. Mid-May to early June is the window. The record: 24.6C days that feel like 26C, 16.4C nights, humidity 79 percent and 8.8 hours of sun.

Japan's forum rates April as one of the best months nationwide, and Beppu's own posters add a useful altitude note: up at Mt. Tsurumi (1,300m), overlooking the city, temperatures can run a full 10C colder than down in Beppu itself, with cherry blossoms arriving later there than at sea level. Down in the city, sunny days warm up nicely into the mid-20s C, but a light jacket is worth having for cooler mornings, evenings and the occasional spring rain shower. It's a genuinely pleasant month, just don't assume the summit will match the city's forecast.

Forum posters planning Kyushu autumn trips describe October as a comfortable, mild shoulder month for exploring Beppu's onsen district, with proper autumn foliage only starting to appear at higher elevations (around 1,000m) in the final week of October or early November - lower-lying Beppu itself stays greener longer. Posters recommend a one-day bus pass to work through the town's seven signature 'hells' (the tourist onsen viewing ponds, including the striking red 'Bloody Hell Pond'), noting five sit within walking distance of each other while two require the bus. Reviews are mixed on the wider town's upkeep, but the onsen sightseeing itself is consistently rated as worthwhile in October's mild, comfortable conditions.