Chapter 640: Beppu Benten Pond & Beppu Itsukushima Shrine (別府弁天池湧水・別府厳島神社)

Beppu Benten Pond & Beppu Itsukushima Shrine

(別府弁天池湧水・別府厳島神社)

When I think about ‘Blue Ponds’ I instantly think of the SHIROGANE BLUE POND (白金青い池) in Biei Hokkaido. I was visiting the Yamaguchi Prefecture and after doing some research online, I found out that there was a pretty blue pond located in a small city called Mine. Just behind the pond is the Beppu Itsukushima Shrine (別府厳島神社). The pond itself is only 4 meters deep, compared to the Shirogane one, Beppu Benten is small but shines with a more clear cobalt shade of blue, almost as if it’s made from glass.

Beautiful and almost magical. Not only is the colour impressive but the fact that the waters remain 14 degrees throughout the entire year. The waters are used for the trout farm that is located very nearby, it is also used for irrigation and drinking…In terms of drinking, there is a local legend that says: Drinking the waters here can extend your lifespan.

From Shin-Yamaguchi Station it’s only about a 30min taxi ride. The nearest station is called Ofuku station (於福駅) on the JR Line, you’ll then need to either take bus or taxi from the station which is only about 10 mins away….Walking would take over an hour. Best to go on a sunny day so the waters of the pond can impress you more with it’s shiny blues!

—Tofu