Takegawara Onsen

Onsen

Prefecture

Oita

Type

Onsen

N/A

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Train Access

About This Destination

A city-run bathhouse a 10-minute walk from Beppu Station, in a 1938 wooden building with a curved karahafu gable over the door. The ordinary bath is 300 yen. For 1,500 yen you put on a yukata, lie down on the sand-bath floor and staff shovel hot sand over you for about 15 minutes.

Takegawara opened in 1879, and the name, "bamboo tile", comes from its first roof, which was bamboo before a rebuild put tiles on it. The building you see now went up in 1938. Its front has a karahafu, the curved temple-style gable, and it sits in the old streets southeast of Beppu Station, a short walk from the covered shopping arcades. This entry is about the bathhouse itself; the Beppu Onsen entry covers the town and its eight hot spring districts. There are two things to do here. The ordinary bath costs 300 yen and is a plain neighbourhood bath with nothing to buy beyond the ticket. The sand bath is why most visitors come. You change into a yukata, hand your ticket to the attendant, lie down, and the attendant shovels warm sand over you. You stay about 15 minutes, then rinse the sand off in the shower still wearing the yukata, wash, soak and change. Allow 30 to 40 minutes in total. If you came without toiletries, the counter sells a shampoo, conditioner and soap set for 100 yen and a towel for 350 yen. Beppu's tourism site lists it as tattoo friendly. There is no parking.

Location

Prefecture: Oita

Address: Beppu, Oita, Japan

Nearest Station: Beppu Station (JR Nippo Line), about 10 minutes on foot

Opening hours: Mon–Sun 06:30–22:30

Closed: Closed on the third Wednesday of each month (the following day when that Wednesday is a public holiday).

Hours note: The ordinary bath is open 6:30 to 22:30. The sand bath runs 8:00 to 22:30 with last entry at 21:30, and the last entry can move earlier on busy days. The sand bath takes no reservations: buy a ticket at the counter and wait for your number.

Best time to visit: Year-round. The sand bath is indoors, so rain does not stop it, and it is at its best on a cold winter day; expect a wait for it on weekends and holidays

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Food Options: Nothing to eat inside. The streets between the bathhouse and Beppu Station are full of small restaurants, and toriten (chicken tempura) and Beppu reimen cold noodles are the local dishes to look for.

Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Takegawara Onsen cost, and when is it open?

The ordinary bath is 300 yen for adults (junior high school age and up) and 100 yen for elementary school children, and is open 6:30 to 22:30. The sand bath is 1,500 yen, which includes the ordinary bath, and runs 8:00 to 22:30 with last entry at 21:30. It is closed on the third Wednesday of the month, or the next day if that Wednesday is a public holiday.

Do I need to book the sand bath, and what should I bring?

No booking is taken. Buy a ticket at the counter and wait in the lobby for your number. A yukata is provided, and you take off underwear, glasses, watches and jewellery before the sand. Bring a towel or buy one for 350 yen, and a 100-yen coin for the locker. There is no toilet in the sand-bath area, so go before your number is called.