Hiroshima Kakenagashi Onsen: Which Baths Are Actually Free-Flowing?

Yuki Lodge describes its indoor and outdoor baths as source-water flow-through, with no added water and heating for bathing temperature. The two Honoyu branches also identify specific outdoor tubs as free-flowing; this does not apply to every bath in either complex.

Kurahashi confirms that its outdoor Gold Bath uses 100% source water but does not state the circulation method. Miyahama Grand Hotel states that its baths use filtration and circulation, with heating and added water for temperature control.

Here, “free-flowing” means water runs through the tub rather than being recirculated. The term does not rule out heating. “100% source water” describes where the water comes from, not how it is handled in the bath.

Yuki Lodge: the clearest flow-through description

Yuki Lodge is the easiest choice if you want the operating method spelled out. Its official onsen page says fresh Yuki Onsen water is used without added water in a flow-through system, with heating for temperature adjustment; it says the large indoor bath also uses source-water flow-through. The listed spring temperature is 28.3°C and pH is 9.0. The outdoor bath faces the Minochi River, so this is the option that pairs the clearest supply description with a riverside setting.

Check the Yuki Lodge day-use guide for the route and return-bus constraint. The bus from JR Itsukaichi Station takes about 76 minutes, making a late soak a poor fit if relying on public transport.

The Honoyu branches: buy the ticket that reaches the source baths

At both Honoyu Ujina and Honoyu Rakurakuen, the free-flowing claim applies to named outdoor tubs, not to the entire bathing complex. That distinction matters at the ticket machine. Each branch sells a lower-priced basic bath ticket that excludes outdoor baths, sauna and cold plunge. Choose the full onsen-entry ticket if you are coming specifically for the source-water tubs.

At Ujina, the official page identifies the outdoor Source Bath and Rock Bath as natural hot-spring baths; the Source Bath is described as free-flowing and undiluted.

The basic ticket excludes the outdoor source baths. Hours are 9 a.m.–11 p.m., with last entry at 10 p.m. Inspection closures may occur; there is no regular weekly closing day.

Rakurakuen says its source is pumped from a granite layer about 1,100 metres underground, with a listed yield of 392 litres per minute. The outdoor Source Bath and Rock Bath are free-flowing; the Rock Bath is slightly cooler.

The basic ticket excludes the outdoor tubs. Hours are 9 a.m.–11 p.m., with last entry at 10 p.m. Inspection closures are possible.

The Honoyu sites post separate notices for closures, special-day prices and temporary equipment outages. For instance, a women’s outdoor reclining bath at Rakurakuen was announced as back in service on September 10, 2026. That was not one of the named flow-through tubs, but it is a useful reminder to check the current notice if a particular feature matters. The Ujina–Rakurakuen comparison covers how the two branches fit different parts of a Hiroshima trip.

Kurahashi: a strong source-water claim, with one unanswered question

Kurahashi Katsuragahama Onsenkan says the outdoor Gold Bath uses its source water, pumped from about 1,650 metres underground. The facility does not state whether the tub is flow-through, filtered, heated or recirculated. Its spring analysis gives the source composition and temperature, but not the bath’s water-handling method. If you specifically want kakenagashi, ask the facility before visiting.

The baths are open 10 a.m.–9 p.m., with last entry at 8 p.m. The facility closes Mondays, or the following day when Monday is a holiday. The first- and third-floor bath areas alternate between men and women weekly. Kurahashi fits a Kurahashi or Kure-area outing better than a detour from central Hiroshima.

Miyahama: natural spring water, but not a flow-through bath

Miyahama Grand Hotel is worth separating from the flow-through shortlist. The hotel publishes a simple weakly radioactive spring at 22.1°C, but also states that the bath water is filtered and circulated, then heated and diluted to regulate temperature. That is a natural hot spring with a different operating setup—not evidence of a lesser or “fake” spring. The hotel’s rooftop and stone open-air baths face the sea and Miyajima, so choose it for that setting rather than for kakenagashi.

The general day-use window is 1–8 p.m., but the hotel directs visitors to dated notices for the actual schedule. On the latest notice available September 28, a full closure appeared for one date and admission ended as early as 3 p.m. on some days. Busy overnight bookings can also shorten access. A March 2026 notice says day-use payment is cash only. Check the latest notice or call before travelling for a bath.

For another comparison built around outdoor-bath scenery rather than supply method, see the Hiroshima scenic open-air onsen guide.

Match the evidence to the trip

For a strict flow-through requirement, Yuki Lodge has the most complete written description, while the Honoyu branches are practical city-side options if you buy the full entry ticket and are content with the claim applying to named outdoor tubs. Kurahashi is a source-water option whose circulation method remains unconfirmed on the facility page. Miyahama belongs in a scenery-led plan, not a kakenagashi shortlist.

The operational details can change faster than the water-source descriptions. Before leaving, check the relevant facility notice for closures, ticket changes and individual-bath outages. For Yuki, plan around the long bus ride and its earlier winter closing time; for the Honoyu branches, pick the full bath ticket; for Miyahama, confirm that day’s actual entry window. Those checks are more useful than ranking five facilities on a single “purity” scale the published evidence cannot support.

Sources and verification

- [Yuki Lodge: hot-spring method, spring data, seasonal day-use hours and prices](https://www.yuki-lodge.jp/onsen.html) - [Yuki Lodge: public-transport and road access](https://www.yuki-lodge.jp/access.html) - [Yuki Lodge: 2026 facility fee schedule](https://www.yuki-lodge.jp/usage-fee2026.pdf) - [Honoyu Ujina: baths and the specific free-flowing outdoor tubs](https://www.honoyu.jp/ujina/onsen/) - [Honoyu Ujina: current entry types, fees, hours and closure caveat](https://www.honoyu.jp/ujina/guidel/) - [Honoyu Ujina: latest notices](https://www.honoyu.jp/ujina/news/) - [Honoyu Rakurakuen: baths, source details and free-flowing tubs](https://www.honoyu.jp/rakurakuen/onsen/) - [Honoyu Rakurakuen: current entry types, fees, hours and visitor rules](https://www.honoyu.jp/rakurakuen/guidel/) - [Honoyu Rakurakuen: September 10, 2026 notice that the women’s reclining bath reopened](https://www.honoyu.jp/rakurakuen_news/%E5%A5%B3%E6%B9%AF%E9%9C%B2%E5%A4%A9%EF%BC%88%E3%81%86%E3%81%9F%E3%81%9F%E5%AF%9D%E6%B9%AF%EF%BC%89%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E5%86%8D%E9%96%8B%E3%81%AE%E3%81%8A%E7%9F%A5%E3%82%89%E3%81%9B/) - [Kurahashi Katsuragahama Onsenkan: facility details, Gold Bath source claim, fees and weekly bath rotation](https://icou-kurahashi.com/katsuragahama-spa) - [Kurahashi Katsuragahama Onsenkan: Gold Bath spring analysis](https://icou-kurahashi.com/pdf/bunseki02.pdf) - [Miyahama Grand Hotel: spring details, circulation method, day-use rates and general hours](https://miyahama.com/bath/) - [Miyahama Grand Hotel: date-specific day-use hours](https://miyahama.com/guidance/day-spa/) - [Miyahama Grand Hotel: 2026 cash-only payment notice](https://miyahama.com/guidance/news-2290/)

Checked September 28, 2026.