A celebration of scent at the Oita Fragrance Museum (Photo: Fairy scribe)
- 2 min read

Oita Fragrance Museum

Learn about all things scent-related at this unique museum

Our sense of smell is incredibly important. In fact, our olfactory system sits in the same part of our brain that impacts our emotions, memories, and creativity. It's why a whiff of someone's perfume, the scent of your favorite comfort food cooking, or even unpleasant smells can affect you almost instantaneously. The Oita Fragrance Museum introduces visitors to a range of perfumed scents, with the opportunity to engage in a number of hands-on aromatherapy activities and crafts.

The museum spans three levels, with each floor taking a different approach to understanding fragrances. The first floor showcases a large number of perfume bottles, details on how fragrances are made (including details on practices like steam distillation), and an introduction to popular fragrances from different parts of the world. The second floor offers more of a historical insight, with information on fragrances from Ancient Egypt to the Middle Ages in Europe, the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods, and more. The third floor may be the most interesting, though — it's where visitors can connect with scent in an interactive way. The museum conducts classes where you can mix your own perfume blend, or create scent bags which are great for keeping in closets and drawers. There's also an aromatherapy experience room, where you can relax on a recliner with your choice of scents surrounding you.

Getting there

The Oita Fragrance Museum is located approximately 15 minutes on foot or under 5 minutes by taxi from Beppudaigaku Station, served by the Nippo Main Line.

Alternatively, from Beppu Station, take the Kamenoi Bus bound for Kannawa via Beppu University. Alight at the Oita Fragrance Museum stop, and the premises is only a minute away on foot.

If you opt to drive, take the Beppu Interchange from the Oita Expressway. The museum is around a 10 minute drive from the expressway exit, and you'll find free parking out the front.

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