Beppu & Yufu: Mt. Tsurumi Ropeway and Lake Shidaka Highland Scenic Drive

A drive course brimming with spectacular views, set along the highland road linking Beppu, the town of rising steam, with Yufuin. The morning starts with about a 10-minute ride through the air on the Beppu Ropeway. From the summit of Mt. Tsurumi, the blue of Beppu Bay and the majestic form of Mt. Yufu spread out before you in one sweeping view. At midday, enjoy a swan boat and a lakeside picnic at Lake Shidaka, which reflects Mt. Yufu on its surface. In the afternoon, feel the power of the mossy rock walls and echoing water at Yufugawa Gorge, known as the Tyrol of the Orient, then stroll the retro slopes of Yunohira Onsen, where Edo-period stone paving remains. The day closes at Kirimidai, a lookout over the Yufuin basin, where you can etch the dusk-tinted townscape into memory. Mountains, a lake, a gorge, and a hot-spring town: a greedy one-day journey to savor every expression of Bungo's highlands.