Kono Onsen

I could see the inn from Onomichi Station. To reach Mukoujima, it’s about five minutes by ferry from the terminal in front of JR Onomichi Station, then another five-minute walk along the canal toward the mainland. The four-story reinforced concrete building is quite old and has no elevator. Patterned glass in the room doors lets hallway light through. The proprietress told me the place originally served business travelers from nearby shipbuilding companies, fitting for a shipbuilding town like Onomichi. After hot springs were discovered, it changed its name from minshuku to its current one. The building feels more like a company dormitory than an inn, but despite its age it isn’t neglected or dirty. The hot spring is open only until 8 PM, with no bath the next morning. It’s heated and circulated, but has no chlorine smell. The salty water warmed me up nicely. We had dinner and breakfast in the second-floor dining room. Dinner was more like a set meal at a restaurant than a typical inn meal. Breakfast was a standard inn breakfast, neither especially local nor lavish, but the staff generously offered more rice. I booked knowing it was an older, reasonably priced hot spring inn, and it doesn’t have the usual charm of one. Still, from my room I could watch the night view of Onomichi and the ferries carrying commuters and students, giving me an unexpected glimpse of everyday life there. The landlady also told me many stories, including about celebrities she met while filming at the now-defunct Fukumoto Ferry Pier. It became one of my most memorable stays (February 2026).

The landlady was friendly, the sea view was beautiful, and I appreciated being allowed to check in early. It was my first visit, and I really liked the hot springs, but the bathing hours were short and there was no morning bath, which was disappointing. I wanted a refrigerator, but managed by buying ice at the nearby Hello's. I was told I could bathe in my room in the morning, but the water was cold and the pressure weak (sob). There is Wi-Fi, though you have to switch it on yourself, which was a bit difficult for an older person like me. It depends on what matters to you, but if you don’t mind the small details, it might be worth a stay.

The view from my room was a panorama of Onomichi city, and from the inn I enjoyed watching the ferry traffic across the Onomichi Strait. The boarding point for the Fukumoto Ferry to Tsuchido is right in front of the inn, on Mukojima Island. I stayed here during a trip to Hiroshima and Ehime, in a six-tatami Japanese-style room with a washroom. The radon hot spring has a strong sodium chloride content, so the water is quite salty and hot, but it felt refreshing. Bathing is only allowed from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, though day visitors can also use it. I had both meals in the dining room overlooking the strait. Dinner included chilled Chinese noodles, a summery dish I tried for the first time this year. It was my first stay here, and I enjoyed chatting with the friendly landlady. I’d stay again if I get the chance.

We stayed on June 10, two adults and two children aged 5 and 3, for 13,000 yen, with the children staying free. It feels more like a bathhouse, though there’s a bath in the room, so we didn’t use the large shared one. The shared baths are open until 8 PM. The room is old and dirty, but fine for sleeping. Fukumoto Ferry is a 10-second walk away and runs until 9 PM, though it will be discontinued in March 2025. Tomihama Ferry runs until 10 PM.