News announced this autumn from around Oita Prefecture: autumn flowers and a night event at Kuju Flower Park, a new bus route between Beppu and Yufuin, three new places to stay opening in 2027, and new shops at Oita Station and Oita Airport. Everything here was announced in September 2026.
In short
- Kuju Flower Park’s Autumn Flower Festa runs to November 3, with 70,000 African marigolds in bloom; a limited “Night Flower Park” opens on 5 dates in October (section 1).
- A new open-top bus route between Beppu and Yufuin runs October 7 to December 13, about 65 minutes, from ¥2,200 for adults (section 2).
- Three new places to stay are set to open in 2027: seven x seven Yufuin (April), CURENE ASO KUJU (March) and BEPPU 1911, a converted 1911 station building (spring) (section 3).
- A wine bar, “Di PUNTO,” opens at Amu Plaza Oita on October 16, its first Oita location (section 4).
Facts are carried over from our Japanese guide, checked September 27, 2026.
| Name | Area | What it is | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuju Flower Park Flower Festa | Kuju, Taketa City | 70,000 African marigolds and more, ¥1,300 adult | To Nov 3 |
| Night Flower Park | Kuju, Taketa City | Lit-up flower fields, ¥1,000 adult | Oct 3, 10, 11, 24, 31 |
| OPEN TOP BUS Beppu–Yufuin | Beppu–Yufuin | About 65-min open-top double-decker bus, ¥2,200 adult | Oct 7 – Dec 13 |
| seven x seven Yufuin | Yufu City | 39-room hotel, every room with a hot-spring bath, from around ¥80,000s | Opens Apr 2027 |
| CURENE ASO KUJU | Kokonoe Town | Rebrand to 19 rooms; rooms with large open-air baths and saunas | Opens Mar 2027 |
| BEPPU 1911 | Higashi-Beppu Station, Beppu City | 1911 station building converted to a whole-building rental stay | Opens spring 2027 |
| Di PUNTO, Amu Plaza Oita | Oita City | Wine bar, first Oita location | Opens Oct 16 |
| Oita Airport Pay | Oita Airport | Pay ¥5,000, get ¥6,000 of value (20% bonus) | To Nov 30 |
| SUPER GT Round 7 | Autopolis, Hita City | Pink Ribbon awareness activities held alongside the race | Oct 17–18 |
| Dog run, day visits | Kunisaki City | Seaside dog resort, up to 2 dogs for ¥1,100 | Now available |
1. Kuju Flower Park: 70,000 marigolds and a night flower field
At Kuju Flower Park in Kuju, Taketa City, the “Autumn Flower Festa” runs from September 12 to November 3, 2026, with 70,000 African marigolds at their best from late September into late October. Admission is ¥1,300 for adults (high-school age and up) and ¥500 for children (age 5+), and the park has no closed days. Tricolor salvia, celosia (“Bright Sparks”), kochia and autumn roses also bloom at staggered times. “Sky-Connected Flower Fields: Autumn Flower Festa” from September 12 (Sho5 Co., Ltd. (Kuju Flower Park) press release, announced September 1, 2026)
A special night-only opening, “Night Flower Park Autumn,” also runs for 5 nights only in October. On October 3, 10, 11, 24 and 31, 2026, from 18:00 to 21:00 (last entry 20:30), visitors can see the gently lit flower fields and starry sky of the Kuju highlands at 850m elevation — an experience aimed at adults. Admission is ¥1,000 for adults and ¥400 for children (age 5+). “Night Flower Park Autumn: Flowers Blooming in the Autumn Night” for 5 days only in October (Sho5 Co., Ltd. (Kuju Flower Park) press release, announced September 13, 2026)
2. A new open-top bus route between Beppu and Yufuin
Kamenoi Bus’s “KAMENOI OPEN TOP BUS” is adding a new “Beppu–Yufuin Course” between Beppu Station and Yufuin Station-mae Bus Center from October 7 to December 13, 2026. The ride takes about 65 minutes, and fares are ¥2,200 for adults and ¥1,100 for children (tax included); booking and paying online through Highway Bus.com gets a web discount rate of ¥2,000 / ¥1,000. Bookings opened at 8:00 am on September 7, 2026, and can also be made by phone (Kitahama Bus Center 0977-25-3220, Yufuin Station-mae Bus Center 0977-84-3145) or at a counter. New “Beppu–Yufuin Course” starts October 7 (Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co., Ltd. press release, announced August 31, 2026)
3. 3 new places to stay, opening in 2027
At the foot of Mt. Yufu in Yufu City, a new hotel, “seven x seven Yufuin,” opens in April 2027 with 39 rooms, every one with its own hot-spring bath. It has a thermal spa designed by Finnish architecture firm Avanto Architects, and its top rooms add a private sauna and outdoor pool. Bookings opened September 2, 2026, with rates from ¥80,300 for a room-only stay for 2 people, 1 night. “seven x seven Yufuin,” a hotel with a hot-spring bath in every room, opens in Yufuin, Oita in April 2027 (FHG hotels Co., Ltd. press release, announced September 2, 2026)
In Kokonoe Town, a new hotel brand, “CURENE ASO KUJU,” opens as a 19-room rebrand on March 1, 2027. Its 7 room buildings include Japanese-modern twin rooms with a large open-air bath and sauna; advance bookings opened September 17, 2026. New hotel brand “CURENE ASO KUJU” rebrands with a new building featuring large open-air baths and saunas (Core Global Management Co., Ltd. press release, announced September 17, 2026)
At Higashi-Beppu Station in Beppu City, a whole-building rental stay, “BEPPU 1911,” is planned to open in spring 2027 inside the 1911 (Meiji 44) station building, a Beppu City-designated tangible cultural property. It sleeps up to 7 guests in rooms that keep the original wooden pillars and sliding doors, plus a bathroom looking onto the garden. The plan keeps the building working as an active station while adding local guided walks and art tours by NPO BEPPU PROJECT; bookings are expected to open on the official site around November 2026. “BEPPU 1911” project launched, a stay inside a 1911 station building designated as Beppu City tangible cultural property (Kyushu Railway Company press release, announced September 25, 2026)
4. New shops and shopping vouchers at Oita Station and Oita Airport
At Amu Plaza Oita, connected to JR Oita Station, a wine bar called “Di PUNTO” opens October 16, 2026 — its first location in Oita Prefecture. The food menu has over 40 items, including a prosciutto and salami platter and stone-oven pizzas, and it’s open 11:00 to 24:00 (last order 30 minutes before close). First Oita location, “Wine Bar Di PUNTO, Amu Plaza Oita” (Pronto Corporation press release, announced September 4, 2026)
At Oita Airport, “Oita Airport Pay” (an Oita Airport premium voucher scheme) runs from September 1 to November 30, 2026. Pay ¥5,000 for a unit and get ¥6,000 of value (a 20% bonus), with a limit of 2 units per person. You scan a QR code posted around the airport with your phone, register, and pay by credit card; the vouchers can then be spent, down to the yen, at 11 participating airport restaurants, gift shops and convenience stores. Oita Airport Terminal’s “Oita Airport Premium Voucher” scheme (giftee Co., Ltd. press release, announced September 15, 2026)
At SEKIYA RESORT in Beppu City, the art hotel “GALLERIA MIDOBARU” has added an in-room dining service (meals from ¥5,500 to ¥16,500) and an “Apero Lounge” open 15:00 to 22:00 for guests. An evening treat, dinner in your room (Sekiya Resort Co., Ltd. press release, announced August 31, 2026) GALLERIA MIDOBARU’s “Apero Lounge” launches (Sekiya Resort Co., Ltd. press release, announced September 12, 2026) At the group’s “Terrace Midobaru,” its restaurant “Setsugekka” has also added a half-size “tai-dashi ramen,” made with the bones of Oita-grown red sea bream, as a closing dish. “Tai-dashi ramen,” made with Oita-grown red sea bream, arrives at Terrace Midobaru’s “Setsugekka” (Sekiya Resort Co., Ltd. press release, announced September 24, 2026)
5. Motorsport and a day out with your dog
At Autopolis in Hita City, SUPER GT Round 7 takes place October 17–18, 2026, with Autopolis (a subsidiary of Kawasaki Motors Japan) and Pink Ribbon Oita jointly running Pink Ribbon awareness activities. Autopolis and Pink Ribbon Oita run Pink Ribbon activities at the “Super GT Race” (Kawasaki Motors Japan Co., Ltd. press release, announced August 28, 2026)
In Kunisaki City, “Kunisaki Forest & Sea Dog Resort” has opened its dog run to day visitors, a feature that used to be for overnight guests only. It welcomes dogs from small to large breeds, 13:30 to 17:30 (until 22:00 for overnight guests), for ¥1,100 for up to 2 dogs and ¥500 for each additional dog (tax included). Along with indoor and outdoor dog runs, there is a snack cart and goat’s milk for the dogs. Large dogs welcome too: a seaside dog resort in Kunisaki, Oita opens its dog run for day visits (Relo Vacations Co., Ltd. press release, announced September 15, 2026)
All three 2027 stays announced here have just opened bookings. Kuju Flower Park’s Flower Festa and the Beppu–Yufuin bus are both limited to this season, so if you already have a travel date in mind, check each official site for the latest details.
Sources (checked September 2026)
- Sho5 (Kuju Flower Park): Autumn Flower Festa press release
- Sho5 (Kuju Flower Park): Night Flower Park Autumn press release
- Nishi-Nippon Railroad: Beppu–Yufuin bus course press release
- FHG hotels: seven x seven Yufuin press release
- Core Global Management: CURENE ASO KUJU press release
- Kyushu Railway Company: BEPPU 1911 press release
- Pronto Corporation: Di PUNTO Amu Plaza Oita press release
- giftee: Oita Airport Premium Voucher press release
- Sekiya Resort: GALLERIA MIDOBARU in-room dining press release, Apero Lounge press release, Terrace Midobaru ramen press release
- Kawasaki Motors Japan: Autopolis Pink Ribbon press release
- Relo Vacations: Kunisaki dog resort press release
- Japanese version
