Hotaru no Yu: A Local Onsen for an Evening in Moriyama

Hotaru no Yu is a day-use hot spring in Yoshimi, Moriyama, about a 20-minute walk from JR Moriyama Station. Adult admission starts at ¥1,050 on weekdays, and towels cost extra. The baths stay open until midnight, with last admission at 11:30 p.m. There is no station shuttle listed.

The spring is drawn from around 1,300 metres underground and is classified as a simple hot spring, with a published pH of 7.7. The facility also has several non-spring baths and saunas, tatami and reclining-chair rest areas, and a restaurant. Sauna equipment differs by bathing area, so check the current setup if you are travelling for a specific feature.

Admission prices

The standard prices currently posted by the facility are below. Children aged two and under enter free, but children who still wear nappies or training pants cannot use the shared tubs. A baby bath is available.

All listed prices include tax.

Towel and clothing rental

For an adult without towels, admission plus the towel set comes to ¥1,350 on a weekday or ¥1,450 on a weekend or public holiday. Bring your own towel to pay admission only.

Member rates and passes

Membership and the pass suit repeat local visits better than a one-off stop on a Shiga trip.

Opening hours and dining

The restaurant stops taking orders before the baths close. If dinner is part of the plan, arrive early enough to eat before last order; a late-night soak does not come with late-night dining.

What the spring and bath areas offer

Hotaru no Yu lists its source as Moriyama Natural Hot Spring. The water is classified as a simple hot spring (low in dissolved minerals, weakly alkaline and low-temperature under Japan's spring classification), with a pH of 7.7. The facility says it comes from roughly 1,300 metres below ground. It does not publish a current source temperature or a bath-by-bath breakdown of how each tub is supplied, so those figures should not be inferred from the classification.

The facility's bath guide lists a carbonated bath, a regular hot-water bath, a cold bath, a loyly sauna, a steam-and-salt sauna, a reclining bath and outdoor-air rest space. The general guide does not give operating times or a full men's-versus-women's equipment chart.

Rest areas include tatami seating, reclining chairs and a manga corner. Massage and body-care services are also available for an extra charge. There is no rock-bathing area in the facility list, so this is better suited to a bath, sauna, meal and short rest than to spending half a day moving between multiple spa zones.

Getting there from Moriyama Station

Moriyama Tourism Association gives the walk from JR Moriyama Station as about 20 minutes. The facility's own access page gives driving directions rather than a station shuttle or a timed public-transport itinerary. If you do not want to walk, check the current Ohmi Railway / Kokoku Bus timetable for a service to Yoshimi and confirm the stop-to-bathhouse walk before setting out; schedules and the final walking leg matter more late in the evening. A taxi from the station is the simpler fallback when weather, luggage or mobility makes the walk inconvenient.

For drivers, parking is available. The facility notes that some navigation systems may not find Hotaru no Yu; entering the neighbouring Yasu Driving School as a destination is its suggested workaround. Look for the large hot-spring sign beside the entrance.

Sauna equipment differs by bathing area

The facility's current notices advertise a wood-fired sauna in the men's outdoor bath area. The women's-side notice is for five Mirable showerheads. Neither notice sets out fixed sauna temperatures, session times or a complete comparison of both bath areas, so anyone making a special trip for a particular feature should confirm what is operating that day.

The general bath guide also lists loyly and steam-and-salt saunas, along with a cold bath, but does not label every item by bathing side in its text. Avoid assuming the equipment list is identical for men and women. If you want a larger spa complex with more clearly described sauna and bathing options, compare it with Kusatsu Yumoto Suisyun; for another Moriyama outing by Lake Biwa and the Pieri shopping complex, see Moriyama Yumoto Suisyun.

Rules to know before you go

Hotaru no Yu does not admit visitors with tattoos, tattoo stickers or body paint. The posted rule does not offer a covering exception, so do not count on a plaster or concealer making entry acceptable. If you need a facility with a different policy, check this Shiga onsen guide for visitors with tattoos before choosing a bath.

Children who have not toilet-trained and older visitors who wear adult nappies may not use the public baths. The facility provides a baby bath for young children. Its published admission table makes children aged two and under free, but that is separate from the bathing restriction. For facilities with bookable family baths, see the Shiga private and family bath guide.

Is Hotaru no Yu a good fit for your trip?

It fits an evening in Moriyama if you are staying near the station, driving through town or want a natural hot spring without heading out to the lakeshore. Bring your own towel to avoid the rental charge, and check the sauna notice if you are visiting the men's side for the wood-fired sauna. Choose somewhere else if lake views, a station shuttle or rock bathing is central to your plan.

For other day-use options around the prefecture, start with the Shiga day-use onsen guide. Further afield, the Junibo Onsen guide, Eigenji Happu no Yu guide and Kutsuki Tenku guide can help if your route takes you into other parts of Shiga.

Sources and verification

- [Hotaru no Yu official site: prices, opening hours and spring data](https://hotarunoyu.jp/guide/guide.html) - [Hotaru no Yu official bathing and facility guide](https://hotarunoyu.jp/establishment/establish.html) - [Hotaru no Yu official bathing rules](https://hotarunoyu.jp/attention/attention.html) - [Hotaru no Yu official access information](https://hotarunoyu.jp/access/access.html) - [Moriyama Tourism Association: Hotaru no Yu](https://moriyamayamamori.jp/spot/spot-321/) - [Ohmi Railway / Kokoku Bus: timetable and service information](https://www.ohmitetudo.co.jp/bus/timetable/index.html) - [Hotaru no Yu official site: current notices](https://hotarunoyu.jp/) - [JPY/HKD market rate on September 30, 2026](https://www.twelvedata.com/markets/630955/forex/jpy-hkd/historical-data) - [JPY/TWD market rate on September 30, 2026](https://hamariweb.com/finance/forex/jpy-to-twd-rate/)

Checked: September 30, 2026