Experience Tranquility and Tradition: Etajima Onsen, a Hidden Gem in Hiroshima

This is a hot spring beloved by both Hiroshima locals and visitors to Etajima on weekdays.
On weekends, many Hiroshima locals cross by the sea to bathe in this hot spring.

Families gather with their towels in hand at this bustling hot spring known as Etajima Onsen.

The water isn’t too hot.
While Japanese people generally love hot baths, some find them too hot. My husband and son usually prefer our baths at home. However, I think everyone can comfortably enjoy the baths here.

Its compact open-air baths are also fantastic.

With your face feeling the cool winter air while your body is immersed in the warm spring, you might start to want to stay here forever.

There are also private baths available for individuals.

And of course, there’s a sauna.
While saunas have been around for a while, they’re currently trending in Japan.

Here’s a little bit about how saunas are enjoyed here:

▶ Soak in the sauna (6-12 minutes)
▶ Go into a cold water bath (30 seconds-2 minutes)
▶ Take an open-air break (5-15 minutes)

Repeated cycles of this are said to totono [refresh] the mind and body.
It’s also deeply relaxing and offers a very pleasant experience.
It has led to a sauna boom in Japan, appealing to people of all ages and genders.

Etajima Onsen’s sauna is a mist sauna.
You enter a steam-heated room, warm up, and sweat.
It’s just right for those who are new to saunas.

Etajima Onsen faces the Seto Inland Sea. So, you can get a stunning view after soaking in the hot springs.

Stretch out on their clean sofas and enjoy some soft-serve ice cream.

Or maybe you prefer their banana juice, in which they use bananas from Etajima.

Etajima Onsen is next to Etajimasou Hotel.

But you can enjoy Etajima Onsen without staying at the hotel.

Rates (Day Use): On weekdays, 1,100 yen for adults and 550 yen for children; On weekends and holidays, 1,300 yen for adults and 650 yen for children
Location: Etajima Onsen
Contact Information: Etajimasou’s official Instagram account, Etajimasou’s official Facebook page, or me! *I’ll help you go to Etajima island and have fun there! *(You may want to use an extension to translate pages in Japanese.)
Access: 30 minutes by Seto Inland Sea Line from Hiroshima Port. The fare is ¥980. *There is a free shuttle bus from Etajima Port to Etajimasou.