Published date: May 23, 2025
Enjoying Hot Springs in Beppu♨️
Room Type Stayed
Some info has been automatically translated by AI.
Experience of the stay
I previously received a flight ticket from Oita to Itami through a hafh campaign, so I went to Oita. Since I was there, I stayed at this popular hotel that often appears in stories. The bus stop is right in front, which is convenient. My room had an open-air hot spring, and the large window bath becomes a semi-open-air bath when the window is opened. The hot bath while feeling the sea breeze was exceptional. After the bath, I enjoyed some wine from the welcome drink on the terrace. Of course, I also entered the large bath located in a separate building. It featured a large outdoor bath, a jacuzzi, and a sauna, with reclining chairs available for relaxation, which was very pleasant. Since I booked without meals, I took advantage of other people's stories to order takeout from Kurukuru Kamesho Sushi and brought in bread from Tomonaga Bakery. My flight was early the next morning, around 6 AM, but I managed to soak in the hot springs both at night and in the morning, fully enjoying the hot spring experience.
Experiences during the trip
I wanted to experience a sand bath, so I visited Takegawara Onsen. This hot spring was built in the early Showa era and has a retro atmosphere with a communal bath. I arrived around 3 PM on a weekday and had to wait for about an hour. After signing in, I was told to return by the designated time. There’s a shopping street around the hot spring, and I took a stroll. I found a wonderful bamboo craft shop and bought a basket bag. However, just a step away is a red-light district, which might be a bit scary at night. At the mixed-gender sand bath, you wear a special yukata. The staff takes photos if you bring your smartphone. I was buried under hot, heavy sand (much hotter than the 42°C bath I usually take 🥵) for 15 minutes, sweating profusely. When finished, I rinsed off the sand in the separate changing rooms for men and women. I also entered the regular large bath, which felt refreshing. This onsen doesn’t have washing areas, so it seems people don’t really use shampoo. There are 100-yen lockers where you don’t get your money back for the lobby and sand bath, so it's best to leave valuables in the lobby lockers to save 100 yen. Overall, I had a very satisfying sand bath experience 😊