Koudei onsen — Attraction in Beppu

Excellent onsen with a local feeling. It operates daily only for four hours 8:15 to 12:00. Entrance fee ¥900. You need to bring your own towel and soap-shampoo. If there is nobody at the entrance when you enter, proceed with the bath and you pay at your way out. There are lockers for your valuables. Everything is outdoor, as you enter after the changing room there is a large outdoor tub with small wooden places to sit on its edge. There you clean yourself using the bucket provided. Be careful for the soap not to fall in the water. Then you can enjoy your bath, the water is VERY strong, a sign suggests maximum three dips no more than 7 minutes each. Then a bit further there is a smaller tub with the mud spa. The mud is in a quite liquid form, when you go out if you wait a bit it will form a thin crust on your body. Wash off with water well before you renter the big non-mud tub. The locals were friendly, mostly old folks. Tattoos should be allowed as before I leave there was a young guy who had his upper body full tattooed. I read that this place doesn't want so much publicity so it restricts TV crews and media of much coverage, also there is only one person working there so it would be hard if it got too crowded. For a local, strong onsen experience,...

This was the third and last onsen in my trip to Beppu and it was a lucky choice because it was the hottest. The water is slightly sulphuric. The onsen is only open in the morning until noon. Some reviewers say it's a hidden gem known only to locals but I think it's hidden in plain sight. The water is so hot i could only soak in the large bath for maybe two minutes then cool off before soaking in the even hotter mud bath. They recommended alternating this cycle 2 to 3 times. If you want a long relaxing onsen stay this isn't the place (no spa, restaurant, lounge chairs, or showers) . However, it's an excellent onsen for its purpose and definitely one to work you're way up to. You'll leave smelling of eggs although the place doesn't have any hotspring egg gimmicks (or showers to rinse...

The best mud onsen in all of Beppu! Go first thing in the morning for the freshest mud. The mud is very well cared for and extremely clean compared with other mud onsen in the area (no hairs, etc ). You may be asked periodically to step out of the onsen so the mud can be "refreshed." The spring is very hot so the recommendation is to take three dips for 7 minutes each. Not on the Beppu stamp passport but very worth visiting and among the best hot springs I've been to in Japan. A great opportunity to meet some locals and enjoy a very quintessential Beppu experience of relaxing...