Toku no Yado Fubu-an

Stayed at Watoku.The Room is a bit small, but more than enough for two people.Above all, the open-air bath was amazing—I used it many times.This Accommodation offers No Meals Included only, but there are many restaurants nearby, including a famous sushi restaurant.The Room also has delivery menus for family restaurants, pizza, and Chinese food.We checked in after having dinner, but I wanted to try Oita’s local specialty—stir-fried garlic chives and pork—so we ordered delivery.If I have the chance to visit Beppu again, I’d love to stay here again.

I stayed for one night to visit the “Hells” (Jigoku Meguri). It was about a 5-minute drive away. The entrance from the main road is a bit hard to spot and narrow, and the parking lot isn’t very large, so it may be inconvenient for bigger cars. Check-in is done at the place called “Front Desk,” just to the right of the gate marked “Fubu-an,” but there’s no waiting area, and I ended up overlapping with other guests and waiting outside with lots of luggage. In hindsight, I should have completed check-in first and then taken my time unloading from the car afterward. One staff member handled everything, which looked tough, but they were very pleasant and courteous, which I really appreciated. After check-in, they guided me to the Room and explained things, and I didn’t see anyone again after that.I chose the single-story “Watoku” type. It was such a wonderful Room—I was truly impressed. Since it’s a standalone house style, the entryway is spacious, making it easy to bring in and set down lots of luggage at once. When you step from the entry into the tatami room, there’s a large low table and two floor chairs.The best part was the refrigerator: a full two-door model with separate freezer and fridge sections. Since this Accommodation is “stay-only” (no meals), I brought a large cooler bag with big ice packs and bought sashimi and other items at roadside stations and supermarkets on the way—being able to refreeze my ice packs was extremely helpful. Unlike the small fridges you often find in a Hotel, it held quite a lot. There was also a microwave, an electric kettle, and a tea/coffee set.Although I stocked up on various things, we went out for dinner at “Toyoken.” It was about 10 minutes by car, with wide roads that were easy to follow. It seems there are several dining options nearby.As for the private free-flowing Onsen bath I was looking forward to: there are “hot” and “cool” taps, so before going out to eat I filled it partway using only hot water; when we returned later, soaking with fresh flowing water felt just right. Both the indoor bath and open-air bath were excellent. Since this Accommodation is in a residential area there isn’t much of a view from the baths, but in the morning if you step up onto the edge of the indoor bath you can see a bit of ocean through gaps between houses—it was beautiful. Just be careful not to stretch too far or you’ll be fully visible.The Onsen water left my skin smooth and silky. I was also surprised that the shower head in the indoor bath was ReFa—amazing! I wish the hair dryer had been ReFa too (I think it may have been Panasonic). Amenities were well stocked overall, and even the samue loungewear looked stylish with nice sturdy fabric.I will definitely come again!