Yamada Bessou

Yamada Bessou A 1930 house full of nostalgia with a mixture of western style rooms (a parlour room with a bow window and a tea room) and a maze of Japanese style rooms with engawa, sliding doors and tatamis floor. Indoor baths (one for male one for female) and a cozy open air bath, perfumed with mandarines floating on the hot water. A carefully groomed zen garden. Intricate tile roofs which must sound lovely by rainfall. Pictures and objects from the great grandfather who came from Hiroshima and initially built this house adorning an upright piano. Laughters echoing through the rooms because life here must be good and peaceful. The noises of the city are all subdued and the comfortable futons ensure a good night sleep. Breakfast is heart warming. Beautifully deep orange raw eggs that you crack open over a ball of local rice. A piece of grilled fish. Tsukemono. Why leaving? A soothing place, suspended in time, like a lazy bubble that is not ready to burst. Needless to say the service is warm and welcoming. A special solace only for the happy few: the Inn has only three rooms!

What an amazing stay! We made use of the private onsen the following morning. The room was very traditional looking and was perfect. The place is also nestled perfectly between Beppu station and Beppu Tower, so it's easy to get to and from via bus or train.

We only visited for the onsen, and it was absolutely lovely. The bath itself is beautifully maintained, and the family running the hotel was incredibly kind and welcoming. Honestly, we regretted booking a large hotel nearby instead of staying here. Next time, we’ll definitely choose this place!

We had the most wonderful stay at Yamada Bessou in Beppu! Yamada Bessou is a family-run ryokan with a long history. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel incredibly welcome with their warm hospitality and kind attention to detail. You can really feel every moment that the Okami (so called landlady of a Ryokan) is really devoted to offer the guest a pleasant stay. The rooms were spotless, cozy, and full of charm—everything you’d hope for in a traditional ryokan experience. The onsen were absolutely fantastic, especially the outdoor bath, which was such a peaceful and relaxing experience. It felt like a hidden gem surrounded by nature. Breakfast was a highlight—beautifully presented and absolutely delicious, with a perfect balance of local flavors and seasonal ingredients. If you’re visiting Beppu and looking for a serene, authentic Japanese stay, I highly recommend Yamada Bessou. I can’t wait to come back again someday!

A very unique experience in Japan. Beppu is a wonderful destination in itself, staying at this classic and beautiful Ryokan enhanced our visit to the city. Staff is very earnest and friendly. The men’s and women’s baths are a great way to start and finish your day. The outdoor private bath was exceptionally good. Highly recommend, will definitely return!

I came here with my girlfriend without a reservation and they immediately provided a private open air bath (on a Friday). The bath was beautiful and the water hot, so we sat down in a room off to the side to cool off and the staff noticed we were a bit hot and gave us ice cold plum tea and cold water free of charge. Omotenashi takes on a different meaning at Yamada Bessou!

I personally loved it here and actually stayed one night longer than I intended.||Service: so kind and homely. The staff are smiling and eager to help you with anything. The breakfast is very very nice and totally worth the 1000yen. I planned a hike one morning and so asked for a Bento breakfast which they made for me. It was also delicious. Building: is quite old, so yes, the floor creaks and makes noise. The walls are thin, so yes, noise carries. I think it adds to the charm of the place. I will admit that the toilets are a little awkwardly set up outside the rooms and probably not so sound insulated, but I was one of the only customers during my stay so that didn't really matter to me.||Onsen: there are two- an open air onsen that you can reserve for private use during its open hours (which is most of the day) and an inside one which I think is open all the time. The towels have a lovely smell to them and I really really loved the outdoor bath. It must be incredible to be there as a couple or as a family||Overall: I highly recommend it! If you want something with luxury or great privacy don't come here. If you want an authentic Japanese old style ryokan, then definitely check it out.

We had a wonderful 3 days in Beppu! The staff were so nice and helpful. The property was beautiful. The breakfast each morning was a delight. The private onsen was such a tranquil area. Highly recommend!