Beppu Onsen Hoyoland — Attraction in Beppu

Deeply Disrespectful and Discriminatory Toward Men

I visited this onsen with my boyfriend earlier this month, looking forward to a relaxing mixed bath experience. What we encountered instead was a series of shocking, gender-biased decisions that left us both deeply uncomfortable — especially for my boyfriend, who was consistently denied the most basic level of privacy and respect.

The discrimination began the moment we stepped into the changing areas. The women’s changing room is protected by three layers: a curtain outside the doorway, a solid door, and then another curtain inside. It feels safe, private, and thoughtfully designed. In stark contrast, the men’s changing area has only a sheer curtain separating it from the hallway. You can see straight through it. Anyone standing outside can easily watch men changing clothes or even taking a shower. It was uncomfortable just to witness — I can’t imagine how it must feel to be the one inside.

Then came the mixed bath itself. Women are given a special, fully enclosed entrance to access the onsen. Once we entered and submerged in the muddy water, we couldn’t see anything — not even our own bodies. It felt very private. But for men, the entrance is completely open-air. The moment men step out of their changing area, they’re fully exposed. We could see every single man who walked into the onsen — no barriers, no attempt at privacy. It was humiliating to watch, and I felt so sorry for my boyfriend.

Even worse, there’s a smaller onsen off to the side that men can only access by walking along an exposed outdoor path, again in full view of everyone. Meanwhile, the exact same type of walkway for women is completely shielded by fences. The message couldn’t be clearer: women deserve protection, men do not.

This is not just poor design — it’s outright discrimination. It sends a loud and disturbing message that only one gender deserves dignity, safety, and respect. If this onsen can build such thoughtful safeguards for women, why can’t they do the same for men?

This experience left both of us upset and angry. Men are not second-class customers, and no one should be made to feel this vulnerable or exposed in a place that’s supposed to offer peace and relaxation. Until this onsen corrects its blatant double standards, I absolutely cannot recommend it — and I truly hope they listen and...

I almost didn't enter because the google reviews stressed me out but this was one of my favourite experiences in Beppu! Definitely a retro vibe to this onsen, it's not a luxury experience but it was fun and interesting and I'd recommend it if you've been to a few (non-luxury) onsen and are looking for something new to try. Don't be scared to go into the deeper area of the large mud bath - the mud gets thicker, silkier, and much hotter! The wooden barrier means you're not really making eye contact with anyone on the other side anyway.

My friends told me to be careful of the smell after this onsen, and while I did use a fresh towel after this, I didn't have any issues with the smell affecting my clothing as others have said 🤷 I just made sure to soak a while in the non-mud bath before leaving.

A few negative points.. There's no toilet inside the women's changing room, and the map that shows the toilet location is in the onsen area past the changeroom, so after getting undressed I had to put everything back on again to exit and use the bathroom. 😂 The map is a bit unclear and the (Japanese) signage is a bit vague, so it felt a bit unnerving walking the path to the smaller mud bath that was past the large one, because other than a few muddy footprints there's really no indication you're going the right way - maybe a few arrows on the ground...

My partner and I had a fabulous time here! First time to have the mudbath in Japan As you walk in, you need to remove your shoes and wear plastic slippers; pay ¥1500 pp, then you are issued a ticket which you then present to another staff member inside prior to entering the bath The main waiting / relaxation area has tatami mats. There is a locker you can store your belongings which cost ¥100 per locker ( only store your bag/ jacket here) because there will be another place where you can keep your clothes inside ( make sure not to lose your locker key as you'll have to pay ¥3000 ( a bit over $30 AUD) if you do! There were 3 baths- 2 indoor and 1 open air public one You need to 'rinse' your body first before going inside the bath- there were white plastic bowls which you scoop the water from the bath ( copy the others) The 2nd bath has more mud so surface can be slippery The 3rd open air bath, you'll need to 'crouch' to protect your modesty ( there are separate entries / exit area for men and women) but can otherwise 'share' the mudbath The mud was very soft to touch, they encourage you to apply to your body We spent a bit less than 1 hour here Just be aware that the location of this onsen is a bit out of the way, so if you come here by taxi, you may need to book a taxi to pick you up afterwards. The staff can speak very...