Chikushin

Chikushin stands on Ideyu-zaka in the heart of Kannawa, where rising steam is part of the streetscape. Its small collection of Japanese-style rooms makes it a close fit with the neighborhood’s older hot-spring-inn character.

The most distinctive meal option is jigoku-mushi, Beppu’s method of cooking ingredients with geothermal steam. Choosing that plan brings the same natural resource used for bathing directly into dinner. Meals are served in the guestroom, keeping the evening centered on the inn.

Three bathing spaces use the local spring water, with water added because of the source temperature. The rooms are simple, but the combination of private surroundings, steam cooking and Kannawa’s atmosphere gives the stay a strong identity. Chikushin is a good choice for travelers who want Beppu’s bathing culture expressed in both the bath and the meal.