Can You Visit Hiroshima’s Honoyu Baths with Tattoos?
Both Ujina Honoyu and Shioya Honoyu Rakurakuen refuse guests with tattoos, tattoo stickers or body paint. Check the written rules before planning a visit.
If you have a tattoo, check the entry rules before choosing between Ujina Honoyu and Shioya Natural Hot Spring Honoyu Rakurakuen. Both facilities’ current guidance says guests with tattoos cannot enter; the rules also name tattoo stickers and body paint. Their natural-spring baths, outdoor pools and saunas do not imply a more permissive tattoo policy.
The two branches are in different parts of Hiroshima, so a refusal at the entrance can cost more than the admission fee. Ujina is the more direct option for plans around central Hiroshima, the station and Ujina Port. Rakurakuen is farther west, making it more practical for visitors staying around Itsukaichi, Hatsukaichi or Miyajimaguchi. Neither is a safe choice for tattooed visitors unless the facility confirms an exception for the date and bathing area you plan to use.
The rule is branch-specific, not a brand-wide guess
Ujina’s visitor guide prohibits entry for people with tattoos, including stickers and paint. Rakurakuen’s guide states the same restriction. Do not assume a cover sticker will solve the issue: stickers are explicitly named in both sets of guidance.
For an exception request, contact the branch you plan to visit and name your date and bathing area, including whether you mean a private option. Ujina and Rakurakuen are separate facilities, so an answer from one does not apply to the other.
What the facilities offer—and what that does not tell you
Ujina’s admission options distinguish between a basic bath ticket and a full hot-spring ticket. The full ticket includes its outdoor baths, sauna and cold plunge; the basic ticket excludes those areas. Rakurakuen has a larger bathing and relaxation complex, including a natural hot-spring outdoor pool, carbonated bath, sauna, cold plunge and a separate heated-stone bathing area.
Those details help compare the visit if you are eligible to enter. They do not answer the tattoo question. A bath may use natural spring water while still applying a strict public-bath entry policy.
Where to look if you need a tattoo-permitted bath
Tattoo access at public baths in Hiroshima remains unconfirmed. Look for a facility with an explicit policy, or ask whether a private or guest-room bath is available. Confirm that the rule covers the bath itself, not only entry to the building; some large facilities sell bathing, sauna and stone-spa access separately.
Hiroshima City’s general public-health guidance about bathing attire and tattoo cover products is not an entry permit for either Honoyu branch. The individual facility’s current visitor rules take precedence for its premises.
Before you set out
Check the chosen branch’s visitor guide and same-day notices, then contact staff if any part of the policy is unclear. If the answer is no, choose another activity before buying transport or building the bath into a tight itinerary. For visitors without tattoos, also check current opening hours, last admission and any temporary closure notice.
Official information
- Ujina Honoyu, visitor guide and admission rules
- Ujina Honoyu, hot-spring facilities
- Shioya Natural Hot Spring Honoyu Rakurakuen, visitor guide and admission rules
- Shioya Natural Hot Spring Honoyu Rakurakuen, baths and facilities
- Hiroshima City, general guidance on bathing attire and tattoos
Tags: Hiroshima onsen, tattoo policy, Ujina Honoyu, Honoyu Rakurakuen, tattoo-friendly onsen, Hiroshima travel
