♨️ Onsen City
An entire city of onsen exceeding expectations
Finally made it to Beppu, AKA Onsen City!
Initially, I was doubtful whether this was the best choice for a great Onsen experience in Japan.
Most reports I read didn’t praise it too highly and generally dedicated little time to it.
Beppu turned out to be my favorite place this time and I ended up pulling in extra days to extend my stay here.
I highly recommend going if you enjoy onsen, as there is a lot of variety, and it’s a great place to relax.
I’ll showcase a few of my favorite places below.
Yuyama no Sato 湯山の里
This onsen village lies just behind Myoban (明礬), so I kind of count it into the same area.
After a quick checkin with the owner, who built the entire place himself, there’s a small 5 min hike through a small bamboo forest, down to then onsen.
Since we didn’t meet anyone else here, this would be my secret tip.
There is an abundance of different pools, with the temperature on the hotter side.
Ebisu 湯屋えびす
Located in Myoban (明礬). They have both shared and private baths.
Nabeyama 鍋山の湯
There are a few free onsen pools in the mountains a small hike away from Myoban (明礬).
The water wasn’t quite warm enough when I got there, so it can be hit or miss, but the hike is nice and the views good, too.
Kannawa 鉄輪温泉
Cozy little district with steam coming out of the ground everywhere.
Cats chilling, sometimes hiding their head in a crack in the ground to keep warm.
Tons of small ~100¥ Onsen which make it fun to hop from one to the other.
Shibaseki 紫関温泉
Don’t have any pictures of this one, but very worth a visit.
They have a very hot indoor pool, a relaxing outdoor pool, and an amazing sauna!
The locals are super fun here :)
Suginoi area
This refers to the south-western part of Beppu, where the Suginoi Hotel is located.
Since these places are closely located, I group them under this moniker.
Horita 堀田温泉
Mugen no Sato 夢幻の里
Consists of multiple private onsen, which you can rent for 1h for very little money (I think 1000?).
You can also steam your own food here, using the steam from the water.
Recommend to capitalize on this and bring lots of raw ingredients.
Things like Kabocha turn out great.
Suginoi Hotel 杉乃井ホテル
This hotel has a rooftop outdoor pool area for swimming (heated) and an onsen area with amazing views over the Beppu bay.
Suggest to time your visit for sunset and enjoy the evening here.
For more Onsen, see some of my favorite hot springs.
