I Looked Into Beppu Kaihin Sayu

On this blog, I've looked into several facilities that seem enjoyable for day-trip hot springs or 'hotel-vacation' style stays. This time, as a bit of an unusual pick, I looked into a facility where the main attraction isn't so much a hot spring bath as a 'sand bath.'

The reason I got interested was seeing a post on social media saying 'a sand bath resort has opened in Beppu.' As someone who tends to stay indoors, the idea of a hot spring where you get buried in sand felt fresh to me, so I got curious about what kind of facility it actually was and started looking into it. What I'm covering this time is 'Beppu Kaihin Sayu (Sand SPA).'

What Kind of Place Is Beppu Kaihin Sayu?

It's a facility located within Shoningahama Park in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, and apparently its origins trace back to 1532, when a hot spring first sprang up along the Beppu coast. In 1986 it opened as the city-run 'Beppu Kaihin Sayu,' and then in July 2025 it was renovated and repositioned as the 'Sand SPA' within a complex resort called 'TKP SHONIN PARK.' It gives the impression of a sand bath with a long history that has been reborn to fit the current era.

Opening hours apparently change depending on the season: 8:00-20:00 in April and May, 8:00-22:00 from June through October, and 8:00-18:00 from November through March. It seems the facility closes on an irregular basis about twice a month, so if you're planning to visit, it seems safer to check the official website for the latest information. As for pricing, using the sand bath together with the large communal bath costs 2,500 yen for adults and 1,800 yen for children (ages 6-12), while the large bath alone costs 1,500 yen for adults and 1,000 yen for children; the yukata robe and bath towel needed for the sand bath appear to be included in the free rental. Also, it seems children who haven't yet started elementary school are not able to use the facility.

It seems reservations are recommended to be made in advance through an external reservation system linked from the official website. Same-day reservations also seem to be possible, but apparently there can be some waiting time, so it seems like a good idea to plan your schedule with a bit of buffer built in.

Komorin

Finding out that a hot spring which has been flowing for almost 500 years is the origin of today's resort genuinely gave me a sense of romance while researching this. Since I don't drive, the fact that this facility is fully self-contained within the park also feels like a big plus for me.

The Sand Bath Experience and the Resort Facilities Attached to It

The sand bath apparently uses sand heated using the hot spring water, and in the deeper spots it can reportedly exceed 60 degrees Celsius. Staff referred to as 'sand-covering attendants' cover you with sand using a special tool called a 'joren,' and the actual sand-covering process apparently takes about 3 minutes, after which you get to spend some time lying down and relaxing. It seems the sand's temperature, amount, and placement can be adjusted to your preference, which gives the impression that it's easy to consult with staff even as a first-timer. Apparently you can also ask them to take a commemorative photo for you.

Besides the sand bath and large communal bath, there's also apparently a free foot bath and a bar on site, so it seems like you could spend your time there without it being just about the hot spring. As a whole, the facility appears to be a complex resort that also includes a cottage-style lodge called 'ISHINOYA Beppu,' a Hawaiian-themed restaurant called 'Grill Takka,' and shops, so it seems like there's also the option of staying overnight and taking your time, rather than just visiting for the day.

Checking the Facilities That Catch My Eye as an Indoor Type

In terms of facilities, the official website listed the following.

• Sauna / Shower: Available
• Shampoo / Soap: Provided
• Hair dryer: Available
• Barrier-free access / Ramps: Available
• Baby cots / Nursing room: Available
• Service dogs accommodated: Yes
• Multilingual support: Available
• Guests with tattoos: Allowed
• Payment: Card payment / cashless payment accepted
• Parking: 104 spaces (free), and apparently 4 EV charging stations (6kW fast chargers) are also installed

Since items like barrier-free access, multilingual support, and a nursing room all seem to be covered, I got the impression that this facility is set up to be easy to use for a wide range of people, including families and older visitors. For someone like me who doesn't drive, having a location where everything is self-contained within the park and walkable felt more valuable than the ample parking.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location (the Shoningahama-cho area of Beppu City, Oita Prefecture) using the official 'My Area Network Simulation' tool, the overall rating came back as 'C.'

Since it's a C rating, it seems reassuring to know the connectivity situation ahead of time. If you're planning to watch videos indoors or do anything involving heavy data usage, it might be worth preparing with this rating in mind. Time spent relaxing in the sand bath probably isn't the kind of time where you'd be looking at your phone anyway, but if you're staying overnight at the cottage, it might be worth keeping in mind.

Komorin

Honestly, I felt like a C rating is just something I have to accept as it is. As a Rakuten Mobile user myself, maybe one way to look at it is to treat the sand bath as a chance to zone out without worrying about signal at all.

Wrapping Up

Putting it all together again, Beppu Kaihin Sayu struck me as a place where you can enjoy a natural sand bath with a history dating back to 1532, now renovated and reborn as a resort facility. Between the sand-bathing experience, the foot bath, and the attached cottage and restaurant, it feels like a facility with plenty of ways to spend your time, whether visiting for the day or staying overnight.

That said, since the official tool gave Rakuten Mobile's signal a C rating, if you're planning to use a lot of data, it seems reassuring to check that ahead of time. If you're curious, you can check it yourself using the official Rakuten Mobile tool, so it might be worth taking a look before you visit.

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Related Links

• Official Site