SAUNA WABI-SABI, Hiroshima's First* Kura Sauna, Opens in Yuki Town on April 1, 2026

SAUNA WABI-SABI, a new kura sauna facility, opened its doors in Yuki Town, Saeki Ward, Hiroshima City on April 1, 2026. The facility is housed in a renovated 100-year-old traditional farmhouse and earthen storehouse (kura), and offers a sauna experience unique to this particular location—centered around an ultra-soft natural spring water cold plunge drawn from underground and a large wood-fired sauna stove inside the kura.

A crowdfunding campaign is also currently running on CAMPFIRE.

▶ Project page: https://camp-fire.jp/projects/850154/view

1,500 Years of Hot Spring Culture Meets Sauna

Yuki Town sits about 40 minutes by car from central Hiroshima. The area is home to two celebrated hot springs: Yuki Onsen, discovered 1,500 years ago, and Yunoyama Onsen, historically used as a retreat by the Hiroshima domain lord Asano. It is one of Japan's rare spa communities designated as both a National Health Spa Resort and a National Wellness Hot Spring Resort. The Minochi River, known for ayu sweetfish—often called the "queen of clear rivers"—runs through the valley, and fireflies appear in summer, making this mountain village long cherished as "Hiroshima's Hidden Retreat."

In recent years, however, rural depopulation has diminished the vitality of the hot spring district, leaving historic farmhouses and kura storehouses vacant. SAUNA WABI-SABI was created by renovating one such 100-year-old vacant property, blending the area's long tradition of healing with contemporary sauna culture.

The Name: WABI-SABI

The name "WABI-SABI" is rooted in the Japanese aesthetic of finding beauty in imperfection and the passage of time. The cracked earthen walls and weathered wood textures of the century-old building have been preserved as they are. The sound of crackling firewood, the steam and fragrance of löyly, and the sensation of water on the skin are all part of the experience. The facility aims to be a place where visitors can "reset the present moment" through all five senses.

Three Unique Experiences

① Wood-Fired Kura Sauna

The kura sauna accommodates up to 20 guests and features thick earthen walls and full cypress wood interior, creating a space with high heat and moisture retention. The large wood-burning stove was crafted by artisans at Ken's Metal Works in Nagano Prefecture, and the radiant heat it produces is said to feel gentler and more enveloping than that of a conventional sauna. Guests can enjoy as much löyly as they wish while watching the firewood burn.

② Ultra-Soft Spring Water Cold Plunge

The cold plunge is fed directly with natural groundwater pumped from beneath Yuki Town, with no refrigeration. The water has a hardness of approximately 20 mg/L—ultra-soft water that is gentle on the skin—and maintains a stable temperature of around 15 to 16°C throughout the year. The purity of this water, which is clear enough to raise the ayu sweetfish known as the "queen of clear rivers," is something found only in this place.

③ Outdoor and Indoor Relaxation Spaces

The outdoor relaxation area features a wooden deck. With minimal light pollution, the night sky here is full of stars; the sounds of cattle from a nearby farm and the wind serve as natural background music. Two indoor relaxation spaces are available: one in the traditional farmhouse's veranda and tatami rooms, and another on the second floor of the kura, surrounded by earthen walls and wood. These are quiet, understated spaces designed for a genuinely calm, restorative rest.

Facility Details

* Based on the operator's own research (as of March 2026, referring to kura saunas among sauna facilities in Hiroshima Prefecture)