Kifune Castle sits on a hill east of Beppu Station and serves primarily as an observation tower with views over the city and Beppu Bay. The reconstructed castle tower houses displays on Beppu history and the surrounding coastal landscape. It is a somewhat eccentric attraction — the original castle it supposedly reconstructs has minimal historical documentation — but the hilltop setting and the views are genuine.
The climb to the castle through the wooded hill takes about 15 minutes on foot. The views from the tower are good on clear days, with Beppu Bay and the onsen steam rising from the city below making for an unusual panorama. The site is quieter than the jigoku circuit and gives a sense of the city's geography that is useful context for exploring the rest of Beppu.