Shirasagi-no-yu in Yuwaku: A Kanazawa Day-Trip Bath
Shirasagi-no-yu is a ¥490 public bath, 45–50 minutes from Kanazawa by bus. Weekend visitors should plan around the standard 6:14pm return from Yuwaku.
Yuwaku is close enough to make a day trip from Kanazawa, but not so close that the bus can be an afterthought. Shirasagi-no-yu costs ¥490 for adults and opens 7am–10pm; for most visitors without a car, the return service matters more than the closing time.
Start with the bus timetable
Hokutetsu’s Route 12 runs between Kanazawa and Yuwaku. Its timetable revised on 5 July 2026 lists the standard last departure from Yuwaku Onsen toward Kanazawa at 9:05pm on weekdays and 6:14pm on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays. The ride from Kanazawa Station takes roughly 45–50 minutes. Check the operator’s live timetable for your date before travelling, as schedules and extra services can change.
That earlier weekend return makes a late-afternoon visit short. On weekdays there is more room for a soak and a stroll, but still allow time to reach the stop. Shirasagi-no-yu is around a three-minute walk from the Yuwaku Onsen bus stop.
Prices, hours and what to bring
| Visitor | Admission |
|---|---|
| Adult, junior-high age and up | ¥490 |
| Primary-school child | ¥130 |
| Infant | ¥50 |
The bath is open 7am–10pm and closes on the third Thursday of each month; additional changes may be announced. Current facility information does not provide a complete, dependable list of towels or toiletries for day visitors. Bring a small towel and your own bathing supplies, or call ahead if you plan to arrive empty-handed.
The spring is classified as a sodium-chloride and sulfate hot spring, weakly alkaline and hypotonic. Current public information does not give a precise source temperature or describe the treatment of each tub. There is no published day-use offer for a private bath or a sauna, so choose Shirasagi-no-yu for a straightforward shared bath rather than a spa-style visit.
A quieter walk, with one current caveat
The public footbath beside the main bath is free and listed as open 9am–9pm, with the same third-Thursday closure. It makes an easy stop before the return bus. Yuwaku’s association currently says Gyokusenko Lake is closed until further notice for water-plant control; no reopening date is posted. Don’t build a lakeside walk into the plan without checking for a new notice.
Shirasagi-no-yu works well when you can give Yuwaku half a day. If you only have an hour or two in Kanazawa, the journey each way eats most of the visit. For a longer outing, add a short wander around the hot-spring district and leave enough time to get back to the bus stop.
Sources
- [Yuwaku Onsen Tourism Association: Shirasagi-no-yu](https://yuwaku.gr.jp/yu/) - [Yuwaku Onsen Tourism Association: Spring quality](https://yuwaku.gr.jp/spa/) - [Yuwaku Onsen Tourism Association: Notices](https://yuwaku.gr.jp/information/) - [Yuwaku Onsen Tourism Association: Gyokusenko Lake closure notice](https://yuwaku.gr.jp/information/13555/) - [Hokutetsu: Route 12 Yuwaku timetable, revised 5 July 2026](https://www.hokutetsu.co.jp/_wp/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Yuwaku_20260705-1.pdf) - [Kanazawa Tourism Association: Shirasagi-no-yu](https://www.kanazawa-kankoukyoukai.or.jp/spot/detail_50100.html)Checked: 27 September 2026. Tags: Kanazawa, Yuwaku Onsen, Shirasagi-no-yu, day-use bath, public transport
