Hiroshima Kenmin no Mori: Day-Use Hot Spring Prices

This is the highland leisure facility Hiroshima Kenmin no Mori, spread across the foot of Mt Hiba in northeastern Hiroshima Prefecture. It is a nature-rich place for camping, trekking, and stargazing, where you can take in highland scenery through all four seasons. There was once a day-use bathing facility in the park center that was cherished by many visitors.

Highlights

The appeal is enjoying the outdoors while sensing the vivid seasonal shifts of the highlands. The surroundings are wrapped in rich nature, including old-growth beech forest, perfect for a stroll or trek. The vast grounds include a campsite and a ski slope, and the area is known as a trailhead for the Mt Hiba range.

Enjoying the Seasons

Spring brings highland flowers, summer the comfort of a cool retreat from the heat, and autumn a blanket of crimson foliage as a highlight. In winter you can enjoy skiing and playing in the snow. Because of the high elevation, it is also known for beautiful night skies, drawing visitors for stargazing.

Access and Basic Information

The facility is in Saijo-cho, Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, reachable by car from the Shobara or Tojo interchanges. As it lies in a mountain highland, take care with road conditions and snowfall. Note that day-use bathing, lodging, and the restaurant in the park center have been suspended for the time being since April 2023. Walking trails, the campsite, and other facilities remain available, but if you are visiting for a bath, be sure to check the latest status in the official information beforehand.

Practical Travel Notes

At this elevation the mornings and evenings are cool even in summer, so bringing an extra layer is reassuring. Since trekking and camping are the main draws, a stay of half a day to a full day is typical. While day-use bathing is suspended, planning around hot springs in nearby areas such as central Shobara or Hiwa lets you still enjoy a soak. In the mountains the sun sets early, and winter brings icy roads and snow, so allow plenty of time and come well equipped. Bringing drinks and food in advance is wise.

A Quick Tip

It is a handy highland base for climbing or trekking on Mt Hiba. The status of the bathing facility can change, so if a hot spring is your goal, always confirm before setting out.

Practical Information for Your Visit

Hiroshima Kenmin no Mori (Hiroshima Prefectural Citizens' Forest)

• Bathing: Day-use bathing in the Park Center was suspended from April 2023 and was discontinued at the end of March 2026. Accommodation and the restaurant have likewise been discontinued.
• Showers: The Park Center has showers that use natural spring water from Mount Hiba.
• Facilities available: Camping area, dog run, shop, light-meal counter, meeting room (up to 80 people, reservation required), trekking courses and a ski area in winter.
• Camping: Located at an altitude of 800 m, with permanent tents (5 of them barrier-free), tent sites you can drive right up to, a cooking area, flush toilets and a campfire ground. Parking at the campsites is limited to one vehicle per site.
• Parking: 400 spaces, free of charge.
• Access (by car): About 40 minutes from the Shobara IC on the Chugoku Expressway, or about 60 minutes from the Miyoshi-Higashi IC on the Chugoku Yamanami Highway.
• Access (by train): About 20 minutes by car from Bingo-Ochiai Station on the JR Geibi Line. There is no route bus from the station to the site, so you will need to arrange a car.
• Winter: This is a high-altitude area with snowfall. The ski area operates in winter, but you need to be prepared for frozen and snow-covered roads.
• Address: 156-14 Yuki, Saijo-cho, Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture
• Inquiries: 0824-84-2020

Oka no Sato La Foret Shobara (a nearby option for day-use bathing)

• Spring quality: The natural hot spring "Shobara Sakura Onsen".
• Water treatment: The source water is heated, circulated and filtered, and chlorine-based disinfectant is added. Some of the baths use plain heated water.
• Baths: 16 kinds in all, including an open-air bath, a large indoor bath, a jacuzzi and a dry sauna.
• Day-use bathing: 11:00-20:00 (also open during Golden Week, the Obon holidays and the New Year period). Closing days are irregular.
• Fees: 900 yen for adults (aged 12 and over, excluding elementary school pupils; bathing tax included), 450 yen for elementary school pupils, free of charge for preschool children.
• Parking: 200 spaces.
• Access: 3 minutes by car from the Shobara IC on the Chugoku Expressway, or about 10 minutes by car from Shobara Station on the JR Geibi Line.
• Address: 5281-1 Shinjo-cho, Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture / Tel. 0824-73-1800

📚 Sources

The discontinuation of the Park Center's accommodation, restaurant and day-use bathing at the end of March 2026 was confirmed from the official page for the Hiroshima Prefectural Citizens' Forest, an outdoor recreation facility of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the policy behind the closure and its reasons were taken from a Chugoku Shimbun report (August 7, 2025). The date on which the suspension began comes from a notice on the official Shobara City website. Details of the facilities currently available, the camping area, the showers and the light-meal counter are based on the facility guide on the official Hiroshima Kenmin no Mori website, and the number of parking spaces and access information on the listings of the Shobara City tourism site "Shobara Kanko Navi". The opening hours, fees, water treatment and parking for Oka no Sato La Foret Shobara were confirmed from the bathing information on the facility's official website and the facility details on Shobara Kanko Navi. Opening conditions and prices are subject to change, so please check official sources before you set out.