At the nearby resort town of Unzen Onsen, you can see a prime example of Kyushu's hot spring "hells" (jigoku), where steam clouds the volcanic landscape, as if to make human manju. Read more ...

The Jigoku-mushi Purin, or “hell-steamed custard pudding,” is so devilishly delicious that it topped the list in a nationwide survey on which local creme caramels people most want to buy.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Rurouni Kenshin, and many mangaka including Eiichiro Oda find themselves in the ...

Clearly, Shueisha has a number of top-tier artists on speed dial, and many accepted the chance to celebrate Rurouni Kenshin. The series itself is well worth the praise given its incredible story and ...

Once you're cleansed, start sampling Beppu's magnificent culinary scene. Jigoku-mushi purin (hell-steamed pudding) is the most famous of the city's dishes — a mix of smooth, delicately sweet custard ...

Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) and The Spider's Thread (Kumo no Ito) by Ryunosuke Akutagawa and In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom (Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita) by Ango Sakaguchi.