The sand bath (sunamushi onsen) is one of Beppu’s most distinctive and enjoyable hot-spring experiences. Wearing a light cotton yukata, you lie down and attendants shovel warm, damp volcanic sand — heated naturally from below by the hot springs — over your body until you are buried up to the neck. As you lie cocooned in the heavy, gently steaming sand, the warmth penetrates deeply and evenly, promoting circulation and inducing a profound, drowsy relaxation quite different from a normal soak, often described as detoxifying. After ten to fifteen minutes you emerge, rinse off the sand and finish with a regular hot-spring bath. Beppu’s most famous sand bath is right on the beach at Takegawara or nearby, where you can be buried with the sound of the waves. Novel, warming and wonderfully relaxing, the sand bath is a Beppu must-try.
🗓️ At a Glance
| Location | Beppu (beachfront & bathhouses), Oita |
| Hours | ~8:30–18:00 (varies) |
| Admission | Paid (low) |
| Time needed | 45–60 minutes |
| Best time | Year-round |
What to Experience
- Being buried in warm volcanic hot sand up to the neck.
- Deep, even warmth from the geothermal springs below.
- A beachfront sand bath with the sound of waves.
- A finishing rinse and regular hot-spring soak.
Combine Your Visit
- Combine with the Beppu mud onsen nearby.
- Pair with Kannawa Onsen town .
- Read our Oita overview .
Getting There
- On foot: beachfront sand baths near central Beppu.
- By bus: to Beppu’s onsen bathhouses.
Tips
Wear or bring what you need underneath the provided yukata, and relax completely for the ten to fifteen minutes you’re buried, as the deep even heat is the whole point. Stay hydrated before and after as it makes you sweat, rinse off the sand and take a regular onsen bath afterwards, and choose the beachfront bath to be buried with the sound of the waves.
