I Looked Into Hamada Onsen

As part of my Komorin Fantasy Travels series, I've been gradually looking into day-trip hot springs that even I, someone who doesn't drive, can easily get to. I've lost count of how many Beppu city-run hot springs I've covered by now, but it feels like the map in my head is slowly filling in.

This time I looked into Hamada Onsen. Besides being located right by JR Kamegawa Station, I came across information saying it has accessible facilities for people with disabilities, and as someone who's an indoor type with a paper driver's license, that caught my interest, so I decided to dig in.

The Short Version

Besides being within walking distance of JR Kamegawa Station, what impressed me most was the range of accessible facilities, including an entrance ramp and a restroom for people with disabilities.
As for Rakuten Mobile signal, the official tool apparently rated it "C," so that's something worth keeping in mind.

I'll go into more detail below.

What Is Hamada Onsen Like?

Hamada Onsen is apparently one of the city-run hot springs located in the Kamegawa area of Beppu. When people think of Beppu's city-run hot springs, places like Takegawara Onsen, Hamawaki Onsen, and Kannawa Mushiyu tend to come to mind, but Hamada Onsen is apparently run as one of those 18 facilities as well.

The water is a sodium chloride spring, what's commonly called a chloride spring, which is said to be a type that keeps you warm longer after bathing. Operating hours are 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM, but from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM the facility is closed for cleaning and you can't enter or bathe, so it seems worth keeping an eye on the timing of your visit. It's closed on the first Thursday of the month, though that can apparently shift if it falls on a public holiday.

Admission is quite affordable: 200 yen for adults (junior high school age and up), 100 yen for children, and free for kids under elementary school age. There are also 10-visit and 30-visit resident bathing tickets available, which can apparently be used interchangeably across several city-run hot springs including Hamada, Tanoyu, Hamawaki, and Nagaishi Onsen, so this seems like a handy system for anyone doing a hot spring tour around the Beppu area.

As for access, if you take a bus from JR Kamegawa Station, it's said to be about a 3-minute walk after getting off at the Kamegawa Station stop. It's roughly a 15-minute drive from JR Beppu Station and about a 10-minute drive from Beppu International Tourist Port, so even for someone like me who doesn't drive, this seemed like a relatively easy facility to reach.

Komorin

Having good access from the station is a huge plus for someone like me who doesn't drive. And at 200 yen, it seems easy to just drop by on a whim.

The Accessible Facilities Caught My Attention

What caught my eye most while researching this was how well-equipped the facility is for people with disabilities. There's a ramp at the entrance so there's no step to navigate, and a restroom for people with disabilities is also available. I also found mention that you can enter the bathing area while still in a wheelchair, which gave me the impression that this public communal bathhouse has really thought things through.

The parking lot has space for 28 vehicles, one of which is apparently reserved for people with disabilities. I also saw information mentioning that a floor manager is stationed on-site, so even first-time visitors might find it easy to ask about how to use the facilities or how bathing works there.

Washbasin: apparently free to use
Towel: available for purchase at 300 yen, it seems
White soap: apparently 150 yen
Shampoo with conditioner, body soap, razor: 50 yen each, it seems
Coin locker: apparently 100 yen to use

Even dropping by empty-handed, having a full set of amenities available felt reassuring. There are apparently separate changing rooms for men and women as well, which adds to the sense of ease.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location using the official "My Area Connectivity Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as "C." Since that's the actual result from the official tool, I'll just share it as is.

A C rating suggests that connectivity might vary depending on the exact spot. If you're planning to use your phone while soaking in the bath, or if you want to check your connection for contacting someone, it might be reassuring to check your own device and area beforehand. If you're curious, you can check using the official Rakuten Mobile tool, so it's probably worth looking into before your visit.

Komorin

The C rating was a bit surprising to me. I figured that since it's close to the station, the signal would be reliable too, so this reminded me how important these little checks really are.

See Rakuten Mobile Details

Wrapping Up

To sum it all up, Hamada Onsen struck me as a city-run hot spring within walking distance of JR Kamegawa Station, with easy access and well-equipped accessible facilities. Admission is affordable too, and the fact that the ticket books and resident bathing passes can be used across other city-run hot springs seems convenient for anyone visiting the Beppu area repeatedly.

The Rakuten Mobile signal came back with a C rating, so anyone who prioritizes connectivity might feel more at ease checking their own device beforehand. As a day-trip hot spring you can casually stop by without a car, this seems like a facility worth keeping in mind as one option.

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