I Looked Into Iyashi no Sato GI

In my 'hokance detour spots' category, I've been continuously researching inns that seem reachable even without a car. I've honestly lost count of how many places this makes by now.

This time, I looked into Iyashi no Sato GI in Beppu, Oita Prefecture. Despite being a small inn with only 6 rooms in total, I came across information suggesting that its private baths are free to use 24 hours a day, which caught my interest as someone who's more of an indoor type, so I decided to look into it.

What Kind of Inn Is Iyashi no Sato GI?

It's an inn located in the Shonin-ga-hama area of Beppu, with apparently only 6 rooms in total. According to the operating company's website, it seems the inn used to be called something like "GI Garman Healing Spa Resort," but current booking sites appear to consistently list it under the name Iyashi no Sato GI.

One of this inn's distinguishing features seems to be its multiple private baths using naturally flowing hot spring water known for being gentle on the skin. From what I could find, the setup was apparently as follows.

• Private baths: multiple options, including an open-air bath made with marble and hinoki cypress, plus two retro stone-built indoor baths
• Usage fee: all free of charge, available 24 hours a day
• Parking: apparently free, with space for 8 cars, though I also saw a note that reservations are required

Since there are so few rooms, it seems like you'd be able to use the private baths whenever you like without worrying about other guests. It also feels like it would suit a hokance-style stay where you settle in and take your time.

Komorin

Free private baths available 24 hours a day is information that really resonates with me as an indoor type. Being able to soak alone late at night sounds pretty great.

Looking Into the Meals and Access

As for meals, the signature offering seems to be a kaiseki course using carefully selected seasonal ingredients from the mountains and sea of the Bungo region, apparently including local specialties like A4-grade Bungo beef and Seki mackerel and Seki horse mackerel. I also saw mentions that the building is surrounded by a Japanese garden, which gave the impression that you could enjoy your meal in a calm, relaxing atmosphere. It seems a 60-minute massage service is also available on-site.

As for access, it's apparently about a 3-minute walk from the nearest station, JR Beppu Daigaku Station, which made this feel like a relatively easy inn to reach even for someone like me who doesn't drive. The beach at Shonin-ga-hama is about a 2-minute walk away, and Beppu Kaihin Sunayu is about a 5-minute walk, so it seems easy to combine a stay here with some strolling around or hopping between day-trip hot springs. I couldn't confirm whether there's a shuttle bus, but reservations are apparently possible through booking sites like Rakuten Travel, as well as by phone.

I couldn't find a specific pricing chart for accommodation, so it seems you need to search by specifying dates and number of guests. If you're curious, it's probably best to check directly on a booking site.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this inn's location using the official "my area Connectivity Simulation" tool, the overall rating came out as a C.

If you're planning to do any online work or video calls during your stay, it seems worth keeping this result in mind and checking things out in advance. I wasn't able to confirm whether Wi-Fi is provided on-site this time, so that's another thing that seems worth checking before booking.

Komorin

Honestly, a C rating is a bit of a concern. As a Rakuten Mobile user myself, though, maybe it's precisely because there's time to relax in the private baths that it's worth just accepting the signal situation and not worrying about it too much.

Wrapping Up

To sum up, my impression of Iyashi no Sato GI is that even though it's a small inn with only 6 rooms in total, being able to use private baths fed by natural hot spring water free of charge 24 hours a day is a major draw. The calm atmosphere surrounded by a Japanese garden and the kaiseki meals using local ingredients also seem enjoyable, and the good access—just a 3-minute walk from the station—was a welcome point for someone like me who doesn't drive. Since the Rakuten Mobile signal came out as a C rating, it might be reassuring to check with the official tool in advance if that's a concern for you.

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