Beppu tide times

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived.

Model-derived from a global ocean grid. Useful indication; expect about ±45 minutes on average vs. a local harmonic gauge, individual stations vary widely. See /methodology for per-region detail. Not for navigation.

Conditions as of 13:00 local time. Refreshes daily.

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived. · Not for navigation.

The angler tradition for major/minor fishing windows: major ≈3-hour windows around moon transit and opposition; minor ≈2-hour windows around moonrise and moonset. Times are Asia/Tokyo local. Folk tradition, not a scientific forecast.

Next spring tide on Sun 17 May (range 2.4m). Next neap on Fri 22 May.

Spring tides cluster around new and full moons (biggest swings). Neap tides land on quarter moons (smallest swings). See the spring tide and neap tide glossary entries for the why.

Beppu is on the east coast of Kyushu on Beppu Bay, the most geothermally active resort town in Japan and the second-highest volume of hot spring discharge in the world (after Yellowstone). Steam rises from pipes, gutters, drains, and roadside vents throughout the city. The tidal pattern is semidiurnal with a mean spring range of about 1.8 metres. The coast faces west into Beppu Bay, sheltered from the Pacific Ocean by the Kunisaki Peninsula; the bay is calm and warm, with water temperatures boosted slightly by the geothermal activity in the bay margins. The 'Hells' (Jigoku) of Beppu — nine distinct hot spring pools with different mineral compositions and temperatures — are the tourist attraction that defines the city. The Chinoike Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell) is red from dissolved iron; Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell) is cobalt blue from aluminium and calcium. The hells average 98°C and are for viewing, not bathing; the viewing circuit covers seven of the nine in a 3-km walk with entry fees. Bathing in thermal springs is at the hygienic public baths (sento onsen) and the sand baths (sunayu) at Beppu Beach. The Beppu Beach Sand Bath (sunayu) is unique — bathers lie on the black volcanic sand of the beach while attendants shovel thermal sand over them. The sand is heated to 40 to 45°C by geothermal water circulating through it. Bathers lie for 15 to 20 minutes in a shallow sand tomb while the heat penetrates; the sensation is profoundly relaxing. The sand bath operates on the beach in the harbour area; a yukata is provided and worn during the experience. Fishing in Beppu Bay targets yellowtail (hamachi, in autumn), sea bream (tai), and flounder (hirame). The bay's relatively enclosed geometry and warm water from geothermal inputs support productive aquaculture; locally farmed sea bream (Beppu tai) is a regional specialty. Shore fishing from the harbour walls and rock platforms is accessible without a licence in Japanese saltwater fishing. The Beppu ropeway ascends Tsurumi-dake (1375 m) from the city outskirts, giving views across Beppu Bay and the Oita coast. Predictions on this page come from Open-Meteo Marine, a gridded global ocean model. Accuracy is typically within plus or minus 45 minutes on timing and 0.2 to 0.3 metres on height — model-derived, not from a local gauge. For authoritative Japanese tide data, consult the Japan Meteorological Agency at jma.go.jp.