Beppu Onsen: Day-Use Baths, Tattoos, Private Baths & Access

Overview

An onsen area along Beppu Bay in Oita Prefecture. There are many city-run public baths, which you can use for free or for a few hundred yen. You can enjoy hot springs in many forms, including sand baths, steam baths and the Hells tour (Jigoku Meguri).

City-run hot springs are found all over the city, and the source water is said to be relatively hot. At the city-run Takegawara Onsen near Beppu Station, you can try a sand bath as well as regular bathing. The Kannawa area has the free Netsu no Yu and Kannawa Mushiyu, where you warm up in a stone chamber, and the Hells tour, including Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell), is also in this area.

Location: Beppu, Oita
Official website: https://www.gokuraku-jigoku-beppu.com/

Nearby area

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Tickets & tours you can book in advancePR

Day-Use Baths

Baths you can visit without staying

Public baths, day-use spas and foot baths open to non-staying visitors.

Public bath

Takegawara Onsen

Price: Regular bath: adults ¥300, children ¥100, preschoolers free / Sand bath: ¥1,500 (as of October 2026)
Hours: 6:30–22:30 (sand bath 8:00–22:30, last entry 21:30)
Closed: Third Wednesday (following day if a public holiday)
Note: Sand bath for age 6 and up. No reservations; numbered tickets are handed out. When busy, reception may close early
Official site: https://www.city.beppu.oita.jp/sisetu/shieionsen/detail4.html

Public bath

Netsu no Yu

Price: Free
Hours: 6:30–21:00
Closed: Year-end cleaning day (date varies)
Note: A city-run public bath in Kannawa Onsen
Official site: https://www.city.beppu.oita.jp/sisetu/shieionsen/detail12.html

Public bath

Kannawa Mushiyu

Price: ¥700 (junior high school students and up), yukata rental ¥220 (as of October 2026)
Hours: 7:30–19:30 (last entry 19:00; October 1, 2026 – January 31, 2027)
Closed: Fourth Thursday (following day if a public holiday)
Note: A steam bath where you lie on sweet flag (sekisho) leaves in a stone chamber heated by the hot spring. Up to 4 people at a time each for men and women. The foot steam bath is free
Official site: https://www.city.beppu.oita.jp/sisetu/shieionsen/detail11.html

Prices and hours are as of the date shown and may change, with occasional closures. Check each facility’s official website before you go.

🖋 If you have tattoos

Policies vary by facility, so check with each facility

Spring

Spring type and features

♨ Varies by source (Takegawara Onsen: sodium-calcium-magnesium-chloride spring; Netsu no Yu: sodium-chloride spring)

Etiquette

Bathing etiquette

✓Pour hot water over yourself before getting into the bath
✓Do not put towels in the bath
✓Tie up long hair so it does not touch the water
✓Do not take photos in the bathing area
✓Follow staff instructions at sand baths and steam baths

Sights

Nearby sights

Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell)

A cobalt-blue pond at 98°C said to have formed about 1,200 years ago. Designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty together with Chinoike Jigoku, Tatsumaki Jigoku and Shiraike Jigoku

Beppu Hells Tour (Jigoku Meguri)

Visit seven hells, including Umi Jigoku. A combined ticket is available

Tips

Good to know

!City-run hot springs require no reservation (reservations not accepted). For the sand bath at Takegawara Onsen, wait your turn with a numbered ticket
!Bringing your own soap and towel to public baths is a good idea
!You may bring a T-shirt and shorts to wear at Kannawa Mushiyu

Access

Nearest station / bus stop: Beppu Station (JR Nippo Main Line)Takegawara Onsen is in the town center on the east side of the station
Kannawa bus stop (Kamenoi Bus, etc.)About 20 minutes by bus from Beppu Station West Exit. The nearest stop for Netsu no Yu, Kannawa Mushiyu and the Hells tour
From major cities and airports: Oita Airport: Airport bus (About 53 minutes)
Hakata: Highway bus (About 2 hours 20 minutes)
Hakata: JR Limited Express (to Oita) (About 2 hours)

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Getting There

Getting there from major cities

Osaka → Beppu

Fastest: About 11 hr 50 min

🚄 Shinkansen⛴ Ferry

Travel Passes

Travel passes for getting there

🚄 JR

Japan Rail Pass

Nationwide ・ Three types: 7, 14 or 21 days. The period of use cannot be extended or changed

From ¥50,000

🚄 JR

JR KYUSHU RAIL PASS (All Kyushu / Northern Kyushu / Southern Kyushu)

Kyushu ・ 3, 5 or 7 consecutive days (Southern Kyushu is 3 days only; Northern Kyushu is 3 or 5 days)

From ¥22,000

Where to Stay · Agoda

Places to Stay near Beppu OnsenPR

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Attractions

Attractions in Beppu & Yufuin

Zoo

Kyushu Natural Animal Park African Safari

Kyushu ・ Usa, Oita

A safari park in Ajimu, Usa City, Oita Prefecture, where you tour free-roaming animals by car or bus. You can explore in two ways: the My Car Safari, driving your own car through the Safari Zone with lions, elephants, and more, or the Jungle Bus, which moves along as you feed the animals. It's about 7 minutes by car from Beppuwan Smart IC, making it easy to combine with sightseeing in Beppu and Yufuin.

Experience

Beppu Jigoku Meguri (Hells of Beppu)

Kyushu ・ Beppu & Yufuin

A Beppu sightseeing classic: touring the seven hot spring sources known as jigoku (hells) in the Kannawa and Kamegawa areas of the hot spring town of Beppu. The hells each differ in color and form, from the cobalt-blue Umi Jigoku and the red Chinoike Jigoku to Tatsumaki Jigoku, which erupts at regular intervals. A combined ticket covers all seven, and you can tour them in about 2.5 hours including travel.

Aquarium

Oita Marine Palace Aquarium Umitamago

Kyushu ・ Takasakiyama, Oita

An aquarium near Mt. Takasaki in Oita City, themed on becoming friends with animals. Performances by dolphins, walruses, and others are held many times a day, and you can get close to the animals. It can be reached by bus from Beppu Station and Oita Station, making it easy to combine with sightseeing in Beppu.

See all attractions →

Onsen

Onsen towns in Kyushu

♨ Onsen

Kyushu ・ Takeo, Saga

♨ Day use Adults ¥500, children (age 3 to elementary school) ¥250 (as of October 2026)

Private baths

See all onsen towns →

Beppu Onsen

Overview