Beppu Benten Pond
別府弁天池
A small spring in shrine grounds, fed from below and startlingly clear and blue. Cobalt or emerald by the light, it is a famous water source at the foot of Akiyoshidai.
A blue spring in the grounds of a shrine
Beppu Benten Pond is in Beppu, Shuho-cho, in the city of Mine, Yamaguchi Prefecture, inside the grounds of Beppu Itsukushima Shrine. It has nothing to do with Beppu Onsen, the hot spring town in Kyushu; the two places simply share the same name, Beppu.
The pond lies in part of the Akiyoshidai karst plateau, and water wells up from its bottom. It is about 4m deep, yet so clear that you can see right to the bottom, and depending on the angle of the sunlight it looks cobalt blue, turquoise or emerald. The water stays at around 14°C all year.
One of Japan's 100 best waters, and the legend of Benten
This spring water has been chosen as one of the Meisui Hyakusen, the national government's selection of Japan's 100 finest waters. It is essential to local life, used for drinking water, for the rice paddies and for raising trout.
Legend has it that a wealthy man troubled by water shortages had a revelation in a dream and enshrined Benzaiten (a goddess of water and good fortune with money), and water then began to gush from this spot. Every autumn, the Beppu Nenbutsu Odori, a Buddhist chanting dance, is performed as an offering of thanks for the water.
The pond is also one of the geosites (points of interest) of Mine-Akiyoshidai Geopark.
Trout fishing and famous water
Next to the pond is the fishing pond of the Mine City trout farm, which uses this famous water, and you can try fishing for rainbow trout there.
The water is drinkable, and there is a spot in the shrine grounds where visitors can collect it. According to legend, drinking it brings long life and wealth.
Getting there
Driving is the easiest way. It is about 25 minutes from the Mine IC on the Chugoku Expressway and about 60 minutes from JR Shin-Yamaguchi Station. There is a free car park.
By public transport, it takes about 40 minutes by bus from JR Shin-Yamaguchi Station, then about 20 minutes by taxi. Buses are infrequent, so a rental car is recommended.
Tips
- The pond's water is also drinking water for local people. Putting your hands or feet in the pond is forbidden, so just look.
- The colour changes with the sunlight. Visit on a sunny day, at a time when the light reaches down into the water, to see the blue at its best.
- It is in the same city of Mine as Akiyoshido Cave and Akiyoshidai, so if you have a car you can visit them all together.
Sources
Updated 29 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.
