First built in 1879, Takegawara Onsen is a symbol of the hot spring culture of Beppu. In 1938 the building was renovated, and its original bamboo roof was replaced with tiles. Accordingly, the onsen’s name is a compound of the Japanese words for “bamboo” (take) and “tile” (kawara). Inside the bathhouse are both sand baths and hot spring baths.
Takegawara Onsen is both a tourist destination and a local community center. As with many of the publicly supported onsen in Beppu, the second floor is a community hall. This combination is unique to Beppu, where bathhouses are a space for locals to bathe and hold community meetings and events.