別府温泉は、大分県別府市内各地に数百ある温泉の総称で広義には別府温泉郷とも呼びます。
特に古くから由来のある八つの温泉地は別府八湯と呼ばれているんですよ！
温泉都市として知られる別府は、源泉数、湧出量ともに日本一。

そんな日本一の温泉年にある竹瓦温泉は明治12年創業時は「竹」屋根葺きだった建物を昭和13年に改築するときに「瓦」葺きにしたことから「竹瓦」という名称になったんだそう。
正面の屋根は唐破風造（からはふづくり）で、その外観は別府温泉の象徴とも言われています。

竹瓦温泉は砂の中に埋まり汗を流す砂湯で有名な浴場です。黒い砂の上に横たわり、上から身動きがとれないほどに砂をかけてもらい顔だけ出し、しばらくすればジワリと汗が流れ落ち、まるで天然サウナのよう。この砂湯は観光客に人気が高く繁忙期には順番待ち必至です・・・。

Takegawara Onsen

Beppu Onsen is a general term for hundreds of hot springs in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, and is also called Beppu Onsenkyo in a broad sense.
In particular, the eight hot spring areas that have been around for a long time are called Beppu Hachiyu!
Beppu, known as a hot spring city, has the largest number of hot springs and the largest amount of spring water in Japan.

Takegawara Onsen, which is the hot spring year in Japan, was named “Takegawara” because it was “bamboo” roofed when it was rebuilt in 1938. That’s right.
The front roof is Karahafu-zukuri, and its appearance is said to be a symbol of Beppu Onsen.

Takegawara Onsen is a bathhouse famous for its sand baths that are buried in the sand and sweat. Lying on the black sand, I asked him to put sand on it so that he couldn’t move from above, and only his face came out. After a while, the sweat ran down and it was like a natural sauna. This sand bath is popular with tourists and it is inevitable to wait in line during the busy season.