Takegawara Onsen

An onsen complex near Beppu Station. They stamp your pass. Opens at 6:30, but the sand onsen starts at 8:00. Located in a cool old building, the interior is quite old-school. You enter on what's essentially the second floor, since there's a stairway down to the baths (which is why the baths have high ceilings). The sand onsen costs 1,500 yen and includes access to the regular bath. The sand onsen experience is a must, great experience. You go to a separate sand onsen area divided by gender, put on a yukata, and enter the sand "bath." They show you where to lie down and one of the guys buries you, then you can lie there for about 15 minutes. The sensation is cool, it heats your entire body in a unique way. Then they tell you to get up and you go back to the area where you put on the yukata. You need to wash the sand off yourself and the yukata (doesn't come off super quickly). There's also a small bath you can use right there. Then you get dressed, go back to the onsen lobby, and can proceed to the regular bath. The regular bath has the changing room on the "second" floor where you enter, and you go down stairs to the actual bath. The bath design is old-school, no showers, but with daylight it's very pleasant. Water color is clear, almost no smell, hot (same in the small bath in the "sand" area). There were three composition charts in one spot in the lobby, photographed them all - which belongs to what, I have no idea. Highly recommend visiting in the sand + regular bath combo.