We visited “Sabo Takasaki” in Asami, Beppu, Oita. Sabo Takasaki is a café, the owner started the onsen bathing service so that the café visitors can enjoy the onsen bathing after taking a drink. Some call this onsen as a special place because it is located at a breezy place surrounded by a lot of green leaves and is close to Asami Shrine and sacred mountains.

To take a bath, you need to order a drink in the café. The bathroom is in another building. This room used to be the owner’s private bath and now it is opened for visitors. You can use this bath exclusively. If you want, you can bathe only with your family or friends.

As the bathroom used to be the owner’s private bath, the bathtub is not big; however, the room is comfortable enough to enjoy privately. The owner says the room was designed by himself.

The onsen is simple thermal spring and is not recycled. Generally natural hot spring water in Beppu is so hot, thus cold water is mixed with it to lower the temperature; however, the water here is not mixed with water and adjusted to approx. 43°C|110°F. The touch of water is so gentle, and bathing at this onsen can warm up the body thoroughly.

Motokazu is a member of Beppu Hatto Onsendo, and is a frequent visitor of Sabo Takasaki. He has been living in Beppu since he was born, so he is knowledgeable about hot springs in Beppu. He chats with the owner while taking a coffee when he comes here.

This is a second bath connected to the main bath. If you feel the water is too hot to bathe in the main bath, you can take this second bath because the water temperature is lower than the main bath.

The owner Fujio, who was the representative of the Asami Local Community Union, started “Asami walk” in 2008 to revive the Asami town. It is a walking event where you can learn the history and culture of Asami while walking around the town. His motto is “Work for people, not money”, actually, his friends were chatting with smiles in the café when we visit Sabo Takasaki.

Finally, this painting is painted on the bathroom door. This is painted by a French artist Elodie Dornand. The stamps of Beppu Hatto Onsendo are painted like a tattoo on the women’s back. When he visited Sabo Takasaki, he asked the owner to draw his painting on the door. He might be delighted with the owner’s hospitality.

MAP

INFORMATION

Name: Sabo Takasaki

Address: 1-2-11, Asami, Beppu, Oita

Tel: 0977-23-0592

Access (Car): 24 min from the centre of Oita City. 57 min from the Oita airport

Parking Lot: 3 to 5

Opening Hours: 10:00 - 17:00

Closing Days: Every Tuesday

Price: Free (you need to take a drink in the café)