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Exterior of Takegawara Onsen photographed in 2013; shows the 1938 building, not indicative of current operating status

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Takegawara Onsen

竹瓦温泉 · Motomachi, Beppu, Ōita

Photo: At by At · CC BY-SA 3.0

In an early-Shōwa wooden bathhouse, see Beppu's tradition of public bathing and sand baths.

Know before you go

  • Do not photograph bathers in the bathing area
  • do not enter the bath without washing or dip your towel in the water
  • do not claim the sand bath cures illness, and do not treat the regular bath and sand bath as the same ticket or the same queue.

This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.

Culture

Culture & customs

Background

Takegawara Onsen was established in 1879; according to Beppu City, its name relates to its early bamboo roof and later tiled roof. The present building dates from 1938, and its karahafu gabled roof at the front and high-ceilinged hall make it a representative building of Beppu's hot springs. The regular bath and the sand bath are different experiences; for the sand bath, staff cover visitors wearing yukata with sand heated by hot-spring water. The bathhouse is still used by local residents, so its value lies not only in the old building but also in the everyday interaction of a public bath. The building has been registered as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan, but the present 1938 building should not be mistaken for the 1879 original.

Local customs

  • On entering, first confirm at the front desk how the regular bath or sand bath works, available times and what to bring. Before the regular bath, wash your body first, and do not use soap in the bath or take photos
  • in the sand bath, follow staff instructions and tell them immediately if you feel too hot or unwell. You may rest in the hall, but leave a passage for other bathers. For tattoos, children, photography and health restrictions, follow the facility's rules for the day, and do not apply the rules of other hot springs to Takegawara.

Religion & beliefs

  • Takegawara Onsen is a public bathhouse and modern-era building, not a religious site
  • the etiquette focuses on hygiene in shared bathing, privacy and staff guidance.

Etiquette & taboos

Etiquette & taboos

Rules that apply here

Essential restrictionsEveryday mannersCountry-wide guidance · Japan

No photography and no eating or drinking in the permanent gallery of the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum

Do

  • Put away your camera, food and drinks before entering the permanent gallery
  • For the special exhibition gallery and the children's gallery, check the notices of the day to see whether photography is allowed
  • If you need to eat or drink, go to the areas designated by the museum, such as the outdoor colonnade

Don’t

  • Do not take photos or videos in the permanent gallery
  • Do not eat or drink in the permanent gallery, and do not have meals in other areas of the museum either
  • Do not extend the permanent gallery's photo ban into a photo ban across the entire park

The museum's 2026 visitor guide explicitly prohibits photography, eating and drinking in the permanent gallery and asks visitors to check the restrictions for other galleries separately; follow the museum's instructions on site.

Not yet verifiedSource: Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum: FY2026 visitor guide, page 6

Essential restrictionsSafetyCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Japan: At fireworks festivals, don't tape off spots in advance, and never fly drones

Do

  • Spread your sheet where there is actual space when you arrive, leaving room for neighbours
  • Follow police and staff directions and move with the crowd
  • Bring plenty of water and cooling gear to prevent heatstroke
  • Riverbanks have lots of insects, so bring repellent
  • Festivals usually go ahead in light rain, so bring a raincoat
  • Take your rubbish home

Don’t

  • Don't mark spots in advance with tape or spray paint on roads or in parks
  • Don't fly drones
  • Don't use selfie sticks in crowds; the Sumida River festival bans them
  • Don't stop in the middle of the path to watch and block the flow

Spots marked in advance are cleared by the organisers, and flying drones is prohibited by law. City-centre festivals run one-way crowd flows, and going against the flow or stopping can cause dangerous crushes.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Excite News: Sumida River Fireworks, access and viewing guide

Essential restrictionsHot springsCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Mixed, open-air and private baths: read the signs, don't stare, never take photos

Do

  • Check the signs before entering; mixed baths are clearly marked, and joining is entirely your choice
  • Most mixed baths are nude only, with no swimwear; some allow or lend special bathing wraps or towels, so follow the bath's rules
  • If you prefer not to bathe mixed, use the separate men's and women's baths or a private bath
  • Outdoor baths are slippery and the temperature changes sharply; hold the handrails when moving
  • Use a private bath only within your booked slot and leave on time
  • Tohoku and other regions still have many therapeutic hot springs with mixed bathing; for long therapeutic stays, follow the ryokan's and your doctor's advice

Don’t

  • Don't stare at other bathers, strike up conversations, or linger to watch
  • Don't take photos or videos in the bath area
  • Don't overstay a private bath; the next group is waiting

Mixed bathing works only because bathers keep their eyes to themselves; staring or taking photos will get you asked to leave, and filming others in a bath may break local law.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Wikipedia (Japanese): Konyoku

Essential restrictionsPhotos & dronesCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Stay off private land, and ask before photographing children or people

Do

  • Ask parents' permission before photographing their children
  • Ask geiko, maiko, and other working people before photographing them
  • Check for 撮影禁止 (no photography) signs, and ask staff if there are none
  • Photograph trains and stations themselves without disrupting operations

Don’t

  • Do not enter private homes or land for a shot
  • Do not photograph the inside of homes
  • Do not aim your camera at individual passengers on trains or buses
  • Do not step into rice paddies, flower beds, or along railway tracks for photos
  • Do not use selfie sticks or tripods in crowds or dangerous spots
  • Do not chase or stop geiko or maiko

Trespassing on private land is illegal and can get you told to leave or to delete your photos. Shooting in no-photo areas will be stopped, and photographing children is seen as an invasion of privacy.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Aichi Now: Sightseeing Manners

Essential restrictionsHot springsCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Bathe nude in the onsen and keep your towel out of the water

Do

  • Bathe fully nude, without swimwear or underwear
  • Rest your small towel on your head or the edge of the bath
  • Tie up long hair so it stays out of the water
  • Enter the bath slowly and keep quiet
  • Leave your phone in the locker
  • Keep your first soak short, and dry off before returning to the changing room

Don’t

  • Do not dip your towel into the bath
  • Do not swim, dive, or talk loudly in the bath
  • Do not take photos anywhere in the bathing area
  • Do not wrap your yukata right side over left; that is how the deceased are dressed

Most of these are written bathhouse rules. Breaking them gets you a reminder from staff, and in serious cases you may be asked to leave. Soaking too long can also make you dizzy.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Authentic Local Japan: Onsen Etiquette

Don’t DON'T

  • Do not photograph bathers in the bathing area
  • do not enter the bath without washing or dip your towel in the water
  • do not claim the sand bath cures illness, and do not treat the regular bath and sand bath as the same ticket or the same queue.

Locals appreciate DO

  • Look up at the karahafu roof and the high-ceilinged hall
  • distinguish the 1879 founding from the present 1938 building
  • read the shared-bathing rules before bathing.

Plan your visit

Practical info

Travel tips

  • Takegawara Onsen is in Motomachi, Beppu, within walking distance of Beppu Station
  • the actual route depends on the station exit and the streets on site. Allow about 20–30 minutes to see only the outside of the building and the hall
  • the regular bath needs another 45–75 minutes, and for the sand bath you should factor in waiting, changing and resting time, so allow about 1–2 hours for the whole visit. The regular bath and the sand bath differ in opening times, closing days and how they receive visitors
  • the city explains that the sand bath does not take reservations by phone or email and usually requires applying at the front desk in person
  • Check the operator's notices before you go. The water may be quite hot, so get used to the temperature first, and if you feel unwell, leave promptly and tell the staff. Check valuables storage, towels and toiletries, and tattoo rules before entering.
Sources & verification notes

Beppu City: Takegawara Onsen's building, sand bath and reception

Beppu City: Chinese-language description of Takegawara Onsen

Beppu City: hot-spring architecture and cultural-property materials

Beppu City: the Eight Hot Springs and public bathhouse locations

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