Jigoku Mushi: Cooking With Beppu's Volcanic Steam

Beppu, one of Japan's most active hot spring areas, sits over enough geothermal activity that some facilities pipe natural steam from the springs directly into cooking chambers — a method called jigoku mushi, or "hell steaming," named after the dramatic steaming vents (jigoku, literally "hells") scattered around the city. Vegetables, seafood, and eggs are placed in baskets and lowered into the steam, cooking gently without added fat or seasoning until served.

The appeal is as much about the process as the food — watching steam rise from volcanic ground and cooking your own meal in it is a genuinely different experience from a normal restaurant. The flavor is clean and mineral, sometimes with a faint sulfur note from the steam itself, which some people love and others find takes getting used to. A few public facilities let visitors bring or buy ingredients to steam themselves; hours and offerings vary, so check current details before planning around it.