Beppu Showaen is a ryokan of detached Japanese cottages spread over about 20,000 square meters (6,000 tsubo) of garden in Beppu, Oita. It says it was founded in 1926, the first year of the Showa era, and each cottage has its own free-flowing hot-spring bath. Before you book, three things matter: the last check-in is 18:00; the two private open-air family baths are free for 50 minutes; and the free shuttle from Beppu Station must be requested by phone.
Beppu Showaen at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 3783-1 Otobaru, Beppu, Oita |
| Phone | +81-977-22-3211 |
| Rooms | Detached Japanese cottages, each with its own hot-spring bath |
| Check-in / out | 14:00 (last 18:00) / 10:00 |
| Hot spring | Sodium sulfate and bicarbonate spring, free-flowing (water added), 68.0°C at source, pH 8.1 |
| Shared baths | Kin-no-yu outdoor bath (men and women separate); two private family baths |
| Meals | Kaiseki dinner and Japanese breakfast |
| Shuttle | Free for staying guests, by phone request |
| Parking | Free |
| English website | None (Japanese only) |
From the official site, read October 13, 2026.
The inn sits next to Rakutenchi, an amusement park in Beppu, and its own pages describe it as a quiet place to listen to water, wind and insects. Since 2018 it has been run by the Nishi Sekiyu group, a Beppu company. For the rest of the city, see our Beppu guide.
Which cottage should you choose at Beppu Showaen?
The rooms page lists these cottages. Each is its own building with a Japanese-style room, and every type has a washlet toilet.
| Cottage | Size | Layout | Bath | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukifune, Hikaru | about 48 m² | 10-mat room, 2-mat tea room | Cypress tub indoors | 3 |
| Akashi, Yugiri, Murasaki, Kumoi | about 69 m² | 10-mat room, twin-bed room, 3-mat tea room | Cypress tub indoors | 6 |
| Mihotsukushi, Kiritsubo | about 50 m² | 12-mat room, 3-mat tea room | Rock bath outdoors + indoor bath | 4 |
| Wakana (barrier-free) | about 102 m² | 16-mat room, twin-bed room, dining space | Rock bath outdoors + cypress tub | 7 |
From the official rooms page, read October 13, 2026.
Which cottages have an outdoor bath?
Mihotsukushi, Kiritsubo and Wakana have rock baths outdoors; the inn calls Mihotsukushi and Kiritsubo two of its most popular rooms. The others have an indoor tub of Japanese cypress. Akashi and Yugiri look onto the garden, Murasaki and Kumoi onto the river, and Ukifune and Hikaru onto the pond.
Is there a room for wheelchair users?
Yes. Wakana is barrier-free, close to the parking lot, and can be entered in a wheelchair. The inn gives it first to guests who find walking hard, so mention it when you book.
How do the baths work at Beppu Showaen?
The water is a sodium sulfate and bicarbonate spring that the inn calls “the bath of beauty”: free-flowing, with some water added, 68.0°C at the source and pH 8.1. Besides the bath in your cottage, there is Kin-no-yu, an outdoor bath with separate sides for men and women.
Are the private family baths free?
Yes. The two private open-air baths, Sen-no-yu and Man-no-yu, are free for 50 minutes and open from 15:00 to 22:00. They are booked at the inn, and guests choose their time in order of check-in, so arriving early gives you more choice.
When is Kin-no-yu open?
The official pages do not give the hours of the shared outdoor bath. Ask at check-in.
Can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention tattoos. Your cottage bath and the family baths are used only by your group, but ask the inn before you book about the shared bath. Our tattoo and onsen guide explains what to ask.
What are the meals like at Beppu Showaen?
What is served at dinner and breakfast?
Dinner is a seasonal kaiseki of Oita and other Japanese ingredients. The October menu on the site includes saury sushi, a clear soup of pike conger and matsutake, three kinds of sashimi, Japanese Black beef steak and a rice dish of mushrooms, ending with chestnut mousse; dishes change with the season. The kitchen makes its own dashi, ponzu and sides. At breakfast, the inn singles out the chef’s home-dried fish.
Dinner starts at about 18:00 to 18:30 and breakfast at about 8:00 to 8:30; other times can be discussed. Local Seki aji or Seki saba can be ordered ahead as an extra dish, from 6,000 yen before tax for a whole fish for two or three. Where meals are served is described in more than one way on the meals page, so ask the inn. If floor seating is hard for you, chairs and a table can be arranged.
Can the inn handle allergies?
Yes. The meals page says it will prepare a separate menu for food allergies and foods you dislike; tell the inn when you book. Vegetarian, vegan and halal meals are not mentioned.
Getting to Beppu Showaen
Is there a shuttle from Beppu Station?
Yes, for staying guests and free. Call +81-977-22-3211 to request a pickup at JR Beppu Station, the Beppu Kitahama bus stop or Beppu Station front. Pickups run from 14:00 to 17:00 and drop-offs from 9:00 to 11:00.
How long is the trip from Fukuoka or Oita Airport?
From Hakata, the limited express Sonic takes about 2 hours 10 minutes via Kokura; from Kokura, about 1 hour 10 minutes. From Oita Airport, the Airliner bus takes about 45 minutes to Beppu Kitahama or Beppu Station, and from Fukuoka Airport the Toyonokuni highway bus takes about 2 hours to Beppu Kitahama. By car, the inn is about 50 minutes from Oita Airport and 30 minutes from Yufuin; it suggests setting your navigation to Rakutenchi-shita Station, next door, and following the signs. Parking is free.
Prices and rules at Beppu Showaen
How much does a night cost?
The official site says prices vary by plan, room type and season and points to its booking page, which we could not read automatically. On top of the room price, Beppu City charges a bathing tax per person per day, set by the room and meal price before consumption tax: 250 yen from 6,001 to 50,000 yen and 500 yen from 50,001 yen. Children under 12 are exempt. See our onsen bathing tax guide.
What is the cancellation policy?
In normal seasons: 30 percent of the planned charge from 3 to 2 days before, 50 percent the day before, and 100 percent on the day or for a no-show. Over New Year and special seasons: 20 percent from 10 to 8 days before, 50 percent from 7 to 4 days before, 70 percent from 3 days to the day before, and 100 percent on the day. See our hotel cancellation guide.
What about children and payment?
The official pages do not give child rates or accepted payment methods. Ask the inn by phone or through its contact form before you book.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Beppu Showaen
- The website and booking page are in Japanese only. For questions, use the contact form or email info@beppu-showaen.jp; the inn suggests phoning for bookings in the next few days.
- Arrive by 18:00, or call; a late arrival without notice may be treated as a cancellation.
- Book the shuttle by phone, and plan to reach Beppu Station between 14:00 and 17:00.
- Pick your family-bath time early; slots go in order of check-in.
- Keep 250 or 500 yen per adult per night for the bathing tax.
Frequently asked questions
What time is check-in at Beppu Showaen?
Does Beppu Showaen have private baths?
Can I use the baths at Beppu Showaen with a tattoo?
What is the cancellation policy at Beppu Showaen?
How do I get to Beppu Showaen from Beppu Station?
Bottom line (2026): Beppu Showaen is a ryokan of detached cottages in a large garden, each with its own hot-spring bath, plus two free private family baths. Arrive by 18:00, request the free shuttle by phone, and ask the inn directly about tattoos, child rates and payment.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Beppu Showaen’s official pages: home (Japanese), rooms, baths and facilities, meals, guidance, access and contact, and from Beppu City’s bathing tax page. All were read on October 13, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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