The Blood Pond Hell is the most dramatic of the southern Beppu jigoku: a pool of deep red water that looks genuinely alarming. The colour comes from iron-rich red clay that the spring pushes up from below, and the combination of crimson water, rising steam, and the slightly sulphurous air gives the site a theatrical quality that more than justifies its name.
Chinoike Jigoku is located in the Kannawa area, a short distance from the main cluster of northern hells. The site has a small museum and sells cosmetic creams made from the red clay, which is claimed to have medicinal properties. The pool is smaller than Umi Jigoku but the colour is more vivid. Allow time to walk the full circuit of the grounds.