Takegawara Onsen
竹瓦温泉33°17′ N 131°30′ EPublic bath¥300, about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates)Tattoos welcome
Takegawara suits anyone who wants Beppu's public bath at its most traditional, a short walk from the station, and the sand bath often has a queue.
Photo Suicasmo · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Know before you bathe
Wash before you get in and keep your towel out of the water. For the sand bath you change into a yukata and lie down, and a sand attendant shovels the warm sand over you.
Getting there
Walk about 10 minutes from JR Beppu Station down the main street toward the sea. The bath has no car park.
Takegawara opened in 1879 with a bamboo roof, and the name comes from the bamboo and the tiles that replaced it. The present building dates from 1938, with a curved karahafu gable over the entrance that has become a symbol of Beppu's hot springs. Inside, the high-ceilinged lobby still looks much as it did in the early Showa years.
The famous part is the sand bath. You put on a yukata and lie down, and an attendant heaps sand warmed by the hot spring over you. The ordinary baths are plain city-run tubs, open from 6:30 in the morning until 22:30.
Worth knowing
- The sand bath opens at 8:00. Come then if you want the shortest wait.
Quick answers about Takegawara Onsenよくある質問
Can you go into Takegawara Onsen with tattoos?
Yes. Beppu City's official tourism site lists Takegawara Onsen as tattoo-friendly.
How much is the sand bath at Takegawara Onsen?
The sand bath costs ¥1,500 from age six, and it runs from 8:00 with last entry at 21:30. It takes no bookings, so you queue at the counter.
Can you visit Takegawara Onsen without staying the night?
Yes. Takegawara Onsen sells day entry at ¥300 per adult (2025), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates).
What are the opening hours of Takegawara Onsen?
Takegawara Onsen keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 06:30–22:30.
Within 12 km
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