Bungo-Ono City, located in southern Oita Prefecture, is a Geopark encompassing its entire area.
It is a treasure trove of nature and culture where the power of volcanoes and the lives of its people intertwine.
Designated as a Japan Geopark in 2013, the entire region continues its efforts to engage with, learn from, and utilize nature through initiatives like nature experience tours.
Toyotabi offers tours designed for you to fully enjoy Bungo-Ono’s beautiful nature and delicious food, engaging all five senses.
Bungo-Ōno is a land where the traces of pyroclastic flows from the massive eruption of Mount Aso 90,000 years ago remain vividly visible. The cooled and solidified pyroclastic flow rocks were eroded by wind and water, creating the dynamic gorges and waterfalls seen today. In this region, the characteristics of human life and nature blend together, seen in stone Buddhas, stone bridges, and terraced rice fields built using the rocks formed by the pyroclastic flow. Not only the geology, but also the “way of life” rooted there is an important attraction.
This waterfall, suddenly appearing amidst the expansive countryside, is so powerful it's called the “Niagara of the East.” Water cascades forcefully from a cliff face 120 meters wide and 20 meters high. A stone bridge spans the river just upstream, creating a scene where nature and human activity intertwine.
This location is also known for being depicted in paintings by the artist Sesshu. Beyond the waterfall's inherent beauty, it offers a sense of historical and cultural depth. Spanning the main river and its tributary are the Male Falls and Female Falls, each flowing powerfully yet quietly. Near the falls lie the remains of a hydroelectric power plant that once supported Japan's modernization, allowing visitors to view this area from both natural and industrial perspectives.
A colossal Fudō Myōō is carved directly into the cliff face, quietly watching over visitors. This rock-carved Buddha is believed to have been sculpted during the Muromachi period, conveying the prayers and wishes of the local people across the ages. In early summer, hydrangeas bloom profusely within the temple grounds, gently coloring the solemn space.
Here, you can see the dynamic canyon created by regular rock fissures known as columnar jointing. Over time, the river's flow has carved away the volcanic rock, creating cliffs towering over 70 meters high. Within the stillness lies an overwhelming power.
Hello, this is Toyotabi (Tourism Bungo-Ono).
We plan and operate experiential tours centered around Bungo-Ono City in Oita Prefecture, valuing encounters with the unique nature, culture, and people of this land.
We constantly pursue “what can only be done here” and “what exists only here,” aiming to create a region that feels like a ‘hometown’ where visitors say, “I’ll be back.” Toyotabi began with the desire to share the charm of Oku Bungo with many people, and above all, to help those who live here grow even fonder of their own region.
Journeys where you walk, talk, eat, and touch alongside local people, feeling the air of Bungo-Ono with your whole being.
That is the kind of journey Toyotabi strives to create.
Are you having trouble arranging airline tickets and hotels for domestic travel or business trips in Japan?
We also provide services for individuals, group tours, and business trip arrangements within the region.
No time to make arrangements? Want to avoid the hassle of complicated procedures? Looking to reduce costs? We can solve those problems! We handle not only business trips but also arrangements for family vacations and group tours.
Please feel free to contact us.
People who grew up surrounded by nature, sharing the resilience of the forest and the joy of playing in water. People who practice an agrarian lifestyle, transforming the bounty of their fields into bread and sweets to share with others. People who fell in love with the beauty of the landscape after moving here, living alongside nature while delving deeper into its charm.
People who rediscovered the richness of the land through their own transformation—having once felt no connection to their hometown.
Our guides gather here, each viewing this land through a distinct lens, sharing its stories through lived experience.
