Takegawara Onsen in Beppu: Standard Bath or Sand Bath?
Plan a Takegawara visit with current hours and fares, the sand-bath age limit, walk-in rules, optional supplies and source-water details.
Checked: September 27, 2026
Takegawara Onsen is an easy walk from Beppu Station and one of the city’s most recognisable public bathhouses. The present wooden building dates to 1938. Come for the ¥300 standard bath if you want a straightforward soak in a historic setting; pay ¥1,500 for the sand bath if you want to try something that a regular pool cannot offer.
The sand bath is not a mud bath. You change into a yukata, lie on sand warmed by the spring, and a staff member covers you with it. The sand portion takes about 15 minutes; allow roughly 30–40 minutes for changing, rinsing and washing as well. Busy periods add an unpredictable wait.
| Standard bath | Sand bath | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult price | ¥300 | ¥1,500 |
| Child price | ¥100; free below elementary-school age | From age 6 |
| Opening hours | 6:30 am–10:30 pm | 8 am–10:30 pm; last reception 9:30 pm |
| Reservations | Walk-in | No phone or online reservations |
| Minimum age | — | 6 years |
| Regular closure | Third Wednesday of the month; moves to the following day if it is a holiday | Same |
| Outdoor or private bath | No | No |
The sand bath has space for up to eight guests at a time. On busy days, reception may close before the listed 9:30 p.m. cutoff, so do not leave it until the end of a tightly timed evening. If you use the sand bath and then want the standard bath, the standard-bath fee is waived after you change back into your own clothes.
The standard bath is a complete visit on its own
The ordinary bath is the lower-cost option and the simpler one to fit into a city walk. It is a shared indoor bath, not a spa with an outdoor pool, sauna circuit or private room. The spring is source-fed and continuously flowing. Men’s and women’s baths have separate published water-analysis records, so there is no single source temperature that describes every bathing area. Those source figures should not be mistaken for the pool temperature.
The building is about a ten-minute walk from JR Beppu Station. If you prefer the bus, ride from the east exit to the Ryukawa Yume Town-mae stop and walk about two minutes. There is no parking at Takegawara, so drivers need to use a nearby paid lot.
Bring the basics or budget for them
The washbasin is free, but most bathing supplies are not. Current listed extras are:
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Original face towel | ¥350 |
| Original bath towel | ¥1,200 |
| Shampoo, conditioner and soap set | ¥100 |
| Coin locker | ¥100 |
| Hair dryer | ¥100 per 7 minutes |
The original bath towel is optional, not an entry requirement. Bringing a small towel and your usual toiletries keeps the visit close to the ¥300 bath fare.
Beppu’s visitor listing marks Takegawara as tattoo-permitted. If you need a specific accommodation, such as an accessible bathing garment, the city asks guests to arrange it with the facility in advance.
The bath has no private room for couples or families. For a shared private soak, compare these Beppu private day-bath options. To choose among the station-area public baths, see our Takegawara, Kaimonji and Furoisen comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reserve the sand bath?
No. The city accepts no phone or online reservations; visitors check in at the reception desk.
Do I pay twice to use both the sand bath and standard bath?
No. After finishing the sand bath and changing back into your own clothes, the standard bath is included.
Are the published temperatures the temperatures of the bath?
No. The figures in the spring-analysis records describe the source, not a guaranteed temperature in the pool.
Sources
- Beppu City: Takegawara Onsen
- Official facility and fee information
- Official sand-bath instructions
- Men’s bath spring analysis
- Women’s bath spring analysis
- Sand-bath spring analysis
- Beppu City municipal bath closure calendar
- Beppu visitor listing: Takegawara
Tags: Takegawara Onsen, Beppu sand bath, Beppu public bath, Beppu Station, Oita onsen
