Погода: Беппу, декабрь

Regulars are specific that northern Kyushu runs genuinely dry and clear this month, more sunny days than much of the rest of the country in winter, with coastal cities along this stretch relatively mild compared with inland Japan. Our row backs that cool, still-mild read, 12.4C over 5.8C nights feeling 2C, with 58.3mm of rain across 8.3 days and a trace of snow, 1.2cm. Regulars are consistent snow in the city itself is genuinely rare early in the month, appearing only in some years and largely dependent on exactly where a Siberian cold front settles, with one recent year seeing first snow in November and the next seeing none until deep December. Layers over a warm coat remain the standard advice given how much year-to-year variation regulars report. The sea sits at a cool 15.3C. The record: humidity 73 percent, 6.4 hours of sun, a 14 kph wind and AQI 49.

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.