It’s time for another excursion! For these articles, we leave the city behind and focus on places and events to visit outside of Fukuoka but still in proximity. Today’s article will be about a city that is around 2 hours away from Fukuoka and one of Kyūshū’s top university destinations and Onsen spots: Ōita (大分).
Ōita is the capital city of Ōita prefecture, on January 1, 2005, the town of Notsuharu and the town of Saganoseki were merged into Ōita. As of June 30, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 475,861, the total area of the city is 501.25 km2.

The city is bordered by the city of Beppu which is famous for its Onsen, therefore many tourists come to Ōita to stay for trips to the much smaller Beppu. 

When it comes to sights, there is the Takasaki mountain which includes a big park and is inhabited by monkeys which can be fed. In the middle of the city, there are many shops and department stores. Some major departmental stores include Tokiwa, Parco, Frespo Kasugaura, and D Plaza. There are also shopping malls in the suburbs, such as Tokiwa Wasada Town and Park Place Ōita.

When it comes to food, Ōita is famous for its chicken (唐揚げ) which is fried and usually enjoyed together with a cold beer. 
Outside the city, scenic spots include mountain plateaus, seaside villages and towns renowned for Onsen. 
If you happen to stay in Fukuoka, you should pay Ōita a visit, it’s a pretty little city with a lot to discover!