I Looked Into Okamotoya Ryokan

On this blog, I haven't actually visited these places myself, but I keep researching inns and campsites that catch my interest, one by one, relying on information from their official websites.

This time, I looked into Okamotoya Ryokan in Beppu, Oita. Hearing that it's known for its milky-white hot spring water is what got me curious about what kind of place it is.

What Kind of Place Is Okamotoya Ryokan?

Okamotoya Ryokan is located in the Myoban Onsen area of Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, and it was apparently founded in 1875, so it seems to be quite a historic, long-established ryokan. According to the official website, its specialty is a milky-white sulfur hot spring called the 'Milky Blue Hot Spring,' typical of Myoban Onsen, and the water quality is described as having scientifically confirmed health benefits. I can't really know what the water actually feels like without going there myself, but reading the description made me want to look forward to it.

It's also clearly stated on the official website that day-trip bathing isn't offered, so if you're thinking of just stopping by for a soak, you'd need to look for a different hot spring facility. It seems to be more the type of place where you stay overnight and take your time enjoying the bath.

Checking Out the Kaiseki Cuisine and Room Variations

For meals, kaiseki cuisine centered on local Bungo-region dishes is apparently the specialty, and there seem to be several plans available, including a basic kaiseki plan combined with sea bream head steamed using Beppu's geothermal 'hell-steaming' method, a seafood kaiseki plan featuring seafood from the Bungo area, and a breakfast plan featuring a Japanese set meal with dango soup. There also seems to be a room-only plan, so it looks like it would suit people who want to enjoy just the stay without meals. Apparently the gift shop also sells a specialty steamed pudding cooked using the region's geothermal steam, sometimes called "jigoku-mushi pudding," which caught my attention.

Rooms apparently come in several types, ranging from a 51-square-meter special suite with its own hot spring bath, called "Bokai" (Ocean View), down to a 27-square-meter Japanese-modern-style room. Since the windows are said to offer views of the Myoban Bridge and the Beppu townscape, spending some relaxed time taking in the scenery from the room sounds like it could be a nice luxury. I couldn't find specific room rates in the main text of the official website—it seems you're meant to check those through the booking site instead. I also wasn't able to confirm check-in and check-out times on the main pages of the official website.

Komorin

Just the sound of "jigoku-mushi pudding" got me a little tempted, even as an indoor type. It was surprising that they don't offer day-trip bathing, but I imagine it's the kind of place meant to be enjoyed slowly, on the assumption that you're staying overnight.

Access and How to Book

As for access, it's apparently about a 15-minute taxi ride from the west exit of JR Beppu Station, or about a 30-minute ride on a local bus to the "Myoban" bus stop, followed by roughly a 1-minute walk from there. I couldn't find any mention of a shuttle bus on the official website's access page, so it seems there might not be one available. By car, it's said to be about 7 minutes from Beppu IC and about 10 minutes from Beppu Bay Smart IC, so it seems relatively close if you're driving. Since I'm a license holder who barely drives, I read through this imagining the route of taking a train and then transferring to a bus.

Bookings can apparently be made through the availability calendar or list of plans on the official website, and reservations by phone are also possible. There seem to be exclusive perks for booking through the official website, so it looks worth checking that out before making a reservation. The official website clearly states that there are few shops in the surrounding area, and it takes about a 20-minute walk to reach the nearest restaurant or convenience store, so it might be reassuring to prepare what you need in advance. The area also seems to have attractions such as the sightseeing spots known for the "hell" hot spring tour and the yunohana hut clusters (traditional huts used to cultivate hot spring minerals), but the official website doesn't specify exact distances or travel times, so I couldn't get a clear picture of that.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location using the official "my area coverage simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as "C." I'm sharing this as-is, since it's the result from Rakuten Mobile's own official tool.

Since it came back as a C rating, it seems worth getting a sense of the signal environment ahead of time. If your priority is relaxing at a hot spring ryokan, it might not matter much, but if you need to rely on your phone's connection for work-related communication, it might be reassuring to check in advance.

Komorin

A C rating feels like an honest result, but at a hot spring inn, maybe it's nice to set your phone aside and take it slow. Since I'm a Rakuten Mobile user myself, this result caught my attention a bit.

Wrapping Up

To sum it all up, my impression of Okamotoya Ryokan is that it's a long-established ryokan with a history dating back to its founding in 1875, where you can enjoy the milky-white "Milky Blue Hot Spring" typical of Myoban Onsen. I also feel it's a place with a lot of appealing points on the food side, like the Bungo-region kaiseki cuisine and the jigoku-mushi pudding. On the other hand, I'll note as points worth keeping in mind beforehand that day-trip bathing isn't offered, and the Rakuten Mobile signal came back with a C rating. If that's a concern for you, it might be reassuring to check with Rakuten Mobile's official tool as well.

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Related Links

• Official Site