Oita Prefecture, of which Beppu is the main city, is known for toriten (tempura chicken) and seki aji (horse mackerel) from the coastal waters. Jigoku-mushi (hell-steaming) is a distinctive local cooking method: food is placed in bamboo steamers over geothermal vents and cooked by the natural volcanic steam. Several restaurants near the Kannawa jigoku serve hell-steamed vegetables, eggs, and pork that have a distinctive mineral quality from the steam. Beppu's nightlife area near Takegawara Onsen has a dense concentration of izakayas, ramen shops, and small restaurants that are considerably cheaper than the ryokan dinner menus.