The cool spot at Beppu’s Furosen used to be by the tap

At the old Furosen bathhouse near Beppu Station, people who wanted cooler water sometimes ran the cold tap and sat right by it. There was one long oval tub. A visitor in 2013 would get in for two or three minutes, get out, then go back in. The 2014 rebuild put a low stone divider across the bath. Blue marks ぬる湯, the cooler side. Red marks あつ湯. A regular put them at about 40°C and 43–44°C on his visits. He spent most of his winter soak on the blue side and switched to red for his last minute. The ¥250 adult ticket gets you both temperatures in the same room.