Bathing in Style!
Who needs water to take a bath? This past weekend on our trip to the other side of the island of Kyushu, to a city called Beppu, we came across quite an experience! Beppu is well-known for their hot springs and onsens. And it was here that we found the unique experience of sand bathing.
There are a few places that offer sand baths, one being in a red light district… but we chose to visit this quaint place, located right on the ocean shoreline. It is called Beppu Sand Bath. It costs 1,000 yen/person ($10 US).
Once you enter, the polite staff explain to you what to do. First, you go into the boys/girls changing room and change into a robe that is given to you. (Everything must be off underneath, including undergarments). Then you go outside to experience the sand bath for 10-15 minutes. Afterwards, you head back into the changing room where you shower off the sand and then enjoy time relaxing in the hot spring.
As you head outside for your sand bath, this is what you see. At this location, 10 people can bathe at once. It’s a nice experience for a group of friends, family, and even by yourself to enjoy the sand bath.
The staff have a small hole dug for you to lay down in and then they bury you- from your neck to your toes!
The sand is very warm and heavy. They also give you the option to have an umbrella placed over your head, which we did for fun!
The staff is more than happy to take a picture of you buried in the sand.
When time is up and you dig your way out, you begin to notice how heavy the sand really is. And after stepping out of the sand, the air becomes chilly and you realize that your whole body is wet from the moisture of the sand. So nothing beats a chilly feeling than a nice shower and a soak in the hot spring!
Lindsay View All →
Our roots will forever be from here, America, born and raised. Yet, life requires us to move more frequently than we care to count. Whether living stateside or abroad, you can always find us traveling somewhere. We scout out places that you only think you can dream of one day seeing and we seek out those that aren’t found in guidebooks. We then bring them to life here in our travel memos, so hopefully, one day you too can visit them or at least be able to live vicariously through us. This blog isn’t just about crossing off places from a bucket list. It’s about absorbing and learning how other cultures grow and fit into the same world that we do. Life is short and the world is big. Enjoy and get out there!
American Roots. Traveling Boots. 
Wonderful, Wonderful BLOG Lindsay!!! Thanks you for doing this!!