You’ve spent thirty minutes carefully managing energy, picking the right support cards, and praying to the RNG gods for a rainbow training bond. Then it happens. The screen flashes, the music shifts slightly, and you see that tiny, golden-bordered icon. The Uma Musume onsen ticket. It feels like winning the lottery, mostly because, in terms of drop rates, you basically did.
Most players go dozens, even hundreds of runs without seeing a single one. It’s the white whale of Cygames’ horse girl trainer sim. But getting the ticket is only half the battle. If you mess up the final race or fail to hit the right stats, that ticket might as well be a piece of scrap paper. It’s heartbreaking. I've seen trainers lose their minds over a last-place finish in the URA Finals that flushed a rare hot springs trip down the drain.
Honestly, the "Onsen Travel Ticket" (温泉旅行券) isn't just a cutscene. For many, it’s the unofficial "True Ending" for their favorite girl. Whether you’re training Gold Ship for the tenth time or trying to get Rice Shower through her grueling schedule, the onsen trip is the ultimate reward for a job well done.
The Brutal Reality of the Uma Musume Onsen Ticket Drop Rate
Let’s talk numbers. Or rather, let’s talk about how the numbers are stacked against you.
The ticket is obtained through a random event during the "Senior" year (the third year of training). Specifically, it triggers during the Fukubiki (lottery) event that happens in January. You spin the wheel, and you pray. The "Special Prize" is the ticket.
While Cygames hasn't published the exact percentage, community data aggregation from millions of runs suggests the drop rate for the Uma Musume onsen ticket sits somewhere between 0.5% and 2%. That is incredibly low. You are more likely to pull a 3-star character from a single gacha pull than you are to see this ticket in a standard training run.
Some people think high luck or specific support cards increase the chance. They don't. It is pure, unadulterated RNG. You can have a "Perfect" run with maxed-out stats and still get a tissue box (the consolation prize) at the lottery. Conversely, you could be having a "trash" run where your Uma Musume keeps getting sick, and suddenly the golden ball drops.
Why the Onsen Ending Matters More Than Stats
In the grand scheme of competitive play, the onsen trip doesn't actually give you a massive gameplay advantage. It provides a small stat boost and some recovery, but by the time you get it, the training is almost over.
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So why do people obsess over it?
It’s about the narrative. Every girl in Uma Musume Pretty Derby has a unique hot springs scenario. These are some of the most intimate, well-written moments in the game. They move away from the "sports anime" intensity and focus on the bond between the Trainer and the Uma Musume. For characters like Mejiro McQueen or Silence Suzuka, these scenes provide a layer of vulnerability you don't see on the racetrack.
Also, it’s a status symbol.
When you finish a run with a hot springs ending, your final character card gets a special icon. It’s a permanent mark on that specific trained unit that says, "I got lucky, and I finished the job."
How to Secure the Ending Once You Have the Ticket
Getting the Uma Musume onsen ticket is the hard part, but keeping it is the stressful part. The ticket is conditional. If you lose the final scenario race (like the URA Finals, MURA, or Grand Masters, depending on which scenario you are playing), the trip is canceled.
Imagine. You beat the 1% odds to get the ticket. You’ve babied your Uma Musume for three years. Then, in the final race, she gets blocked in the pack (the dreaded "kakari" state or just bad positioning) and finishes 5th.
The screen fades to black. No onsen. No special CG. Just pain.
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To prevent this, you need a "Safety First" mindset the moment that ticket drops:
- Stop Greeding for Stats: If you have the ticket, stop taking 15% failure rate training sessions. It isn't worth it. A single injury can tank your motivation and stats right before the finals.
- Check Your Skills: Ensure you have enough stamina for the final race distance. If you're running a long-distance girl like Gold Ship, don't skimp on the blue recovery skills.
- The Clock Strategy: Always keep at least one or two "Clocks" (retries) in your inventory. If you lose the final race, use the clock. You get three chances. If you fail all three, the ticket is gone forever.
Common Myths About "Forcing" the Ticket
I’ve seen a lot of misinformation on Reddit and Discord about how to "trigger" the lottery win. Some people swear that clicking the screen at a certain time helps. It doesn't. Others think the "Lucky" (Puchiguru) status affects it. It does not.
The only thing that actually matters is playing the game. Because the lottery happens in every single training run, the only way to "farm" the Uma Musume onsen ticket is to increase your "runs per hour." This is why veteran players often do "speed runs" where they skip all dialogue and just focus on hitting buttons to get to the January event as fast as possible.
There is one exception: the "Aoharu Hai" scenario and later updates sometimes offer items or specific mechanics that can slightly influence events, but even then, the gold ticket remains the pinnacle of RNG.
What Happens During the Onsen Scene?
If you've cleared the finals and have the ticket, the game continues past the usual ending. Instead of the credits rolling immediately after the final concert, a new story beat triggers.
The Trainer and the Uma Musume go to a traditional Japanese inn. The art style often shifts slightly to a more "evening glow" aesthetic. There is a lot of dialogue reflecting on the journey you've taken together. It's quiet. It's peaceful. It's a massive contrast to the screaming fans and thumping Eurobeat of the races.
For many players, this is the moment the "Gacha Game" becomes a "Story Experience." You realize these characters aren't just bundles of stats (Speed, Stamina, Power, Guts, Wisdom); they are characters you've "raised" over an in-game three-year period.
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Practical Steps for Onsen Hunters
If you are specifically hunting for the hot springs endings for your favorite characters, you need a plan. Don't just play aimlessly.
First, choose the fastest scenario. If you're just looking for the ticket, the original URA Finals scenario is generally the quickest to click through. You can finish a run in about 15-20 minutes if you're fast.
Second, use "Auto-Refill" for TP. You're going to burn through a lot of stamina. Don't wait for it to recharge naturally if you're on a mission. Use your jellies.
Third, and this is the most important part: Manage your expectations. You might go a week without seeing the Uma Musume onsen ticket. You might get it twice in one day. That’s the nature of a 1% drop rate. It’s a marathon, not a sprint—which is fitting for a game about horse racing.
When it finally happens, take a screenshot. Save the replay. The odds of seeing it again for that specific character are slim, so enjoy the moment.
To maximize your chances and ensure you don't waste a ticket when it drops, focus on building a "Safe" support deck. Use high-tier SSR cards like Kitasan Black (Speed) or Super Creek (Stamina) that provide reliable gold skills. These skills act as an insurance policy. They make it much harder for the AI to "screw you over" in the final race, protecting your ticket and your sanity.
Once the run is over and the icon is on your Uma Musume's profile, you can finally breathe. You’ve joined the small percentage of players who have seen the "True Ending." Now, you just have to do it for the other 70+ characters in the game. Good luck.