10 Best Hot Springs in Beppu

The Hells of Beppu are comprised of 7 different hot springs, each with its own ‘hell’ name, and each offering a chance to see nature’s astonishing power and beauty. While you can’t bathe in these springs, they offer a chance to view various aspects of the natural world. The Alligator Hell, for example, offers the chance to engage in wildlife viewing, and many of the hells offer the opportunity to sample delicious cuisine that was actually steamed in the springs.

Tanayu at Suginoi Hotel is the main hot spring facility at one of the region’s leading ryokan, with a massive complex offering elegant surroundings and spectacular city views. The hotel has a variety of different outdoor pools for bathing and taking in unobstructed views of the city and the ocean beyond. As bath facilities, many of these pools and facilities are enjoyed without clothes, so they may be better for couples.

For a more family-friendly atmosphere, the Aqua Garden facility next door offers hot springs, which are enjoyed while wearing bathing suits. It’s in the heart of town, a 6-minute drive from the city centre.

Hyotan Onsen is a public bathhouse that offers a wide range of natural spa-like experiences, all driven by a local hot spring for a romantic couples’ getaway. This large bathhouse has baths both indoor and outdoor, plus a waterfall feature, where you can get your shoulders massaged by the cascading waters as you soak. In addition, visitors can enjoy both steam baths and sand baths here, where the sands are heated by natural thermodynamics.

For those who want a personalised romantic getaway just for two, the facility also offers private baths and meals. The facility is just an 8-minute drive to the north of the city centre.

Takegawara Onsen is a historic hot spring spa that stands among the most famed in the city, with various attractions and adult entertainment. This bath house was constructed and opened in 1879 and was renovated and rebuilt in 1938. It offers regular baths and hot spring sand baths, all surrounded by elegant history that makes you feel as though you’re taking a walk into the past. An open lobby is available for relaxation both before and after the bath.

If you’re a couple who are particularly adventurous, it’s worth noting that a portion of the surrounding area is a well-known red-light district. It’s in the city centre.

Beppu Onsen Hoyoland is famed for its detoxing mud baths and offers pure relaxation and a chance to recharge the batteries in the creamy mineral mud here. Mud baths like Hoyoland can be quite hard to find, given the specific mixture of natural minerals. You can choose from unisex open-air pools or gender-specific indoor baths. Besides the mud baths, you can kick back in a waterfall bath or enjoy a relaxing steam in a natural sauna.

This facility also offers the opportunity for an overnight stay, including 2 meals if you choose. It’s just 11 minutes to the northwest of the city centre.

Myoban Yunosato Onsen is a famed hot spring bath facility on the slopes overlooking the city, with indoor and outdoor baths to enjoy. The waters here are famed for their sulfuric content, which makes them good for the skin and are purported to have many health benefits. Because of the high sulfuric content of the waters here, the facility also offers shops where you can buy yunohana, locally made sulfuric powder, to take with you as well as other souvenirs, compounds, arts and crafts.

The facility offers views of the city below, though the baths aren’t situated on these viewpoints. They are located about 11 minutes to the northwest of the city centre.

Beppu Beach Sand Bath is among the most outstanding sand bath facilities in the town, offering fantastic views of the Beppu Bay coast at a legendary spot. As the story goes, this was the first spot in Kyushu that Ippen Shonin landed, which led to its formal local name, Shoningahama, or the Beach of Shonin. It has been operating since 1986 and is a great spot for large groups as the bath area can accommodate more than 10 people at once.

The facility is outdoors but has a movable roof for rainy days, and it also offers a lounge area for relaxation. It’s just 10 minutes up the coast from the city centre.

Kannawa Steam Bath, also called Kannawaen Onsen, is both a hot spring bathing house and a small town of its own, offering tours, steam baths and resort facilities. The area is famed for the mystical atmosphere provided by the puffs of white steam that erupt from the springs. The town was founded in the Kamakura Era by a Buddhist monk. Today it’s a renowned health resort. In addition to steam baths, you can tour boiling hot springs and enjoy local vegetables cooked in the geothermal heat.

Visitors wash in a bathhouse before using the steam bath. The overall experience is said to be quite medicinal and rejuvenating. It’s just 10 minutes to the north of the city centre.

Ebisuya Onsen is located in Beppu’s rural Myoban district and offers multiple sizes and styles of public baths, steam boxes and other elegant spots for relaxation. This modern facility offers tubs of many different sizes, so whether you’re on your own, on a romantic escape with your special someone or travelling with a large group, they can accommodate you. Different styles are also on offer here, so you can take a steam bath, an aroma bath, or even have an old-fashioned jacuzzi party, but in natural mineral hot spring waters.

The facility is also a hotel, so you can book lodging and grab meals while you are onsite. It’s about a 12-minute drive to the northwest of the city centre.

Ashiyu is not a single hot spring but a means of enjoying many hot springs throughout the region by soaking your feet in mineral waters to refresh your whole body. Ashiyu are footbaths, which many locals recommend for warming up your entire body without sapping energy. The local wisdom is that keeping your feet warm and your head cool can benefit your health.

A few of the Ashiyu in Beppu include Umi Jikoku Ashiyu with its mildly acidic waters that are good for the skin and Kamado Jigoku Ashiyu with its cobalt blue sand-bottom waters. Jigokumushi Ashiyu is another popular footbath that uses steam rather than water.