A Famous Spa Town of Kusatsu Hot Spring in Japan

People of Kusatsu in Gunma Prefecture are proud to have one of the most prolific outpourings of hot water of all hot springs in Japan. Spa water gushes up from a number of wells in the town and the combined output for the whole town is about 37,000 liters (9,772 gallons) per minute. The springs produce sulfurous spa waters with high acidity that are said to be effective against neuralgia and skin diseases.

Records show that men in power visited the town to bathe in the hot waters in as early as the 13th century, and that the spa itself was already well-known at that time. Today the town is part of the Joshin'etsu Kogen National Park and is constantly busy with many visitors. People come in the summer to escape the heat, in the fall for the autumn leaves, and in the winter for the skiing.

While Kusatsu is a popular tourist destination, the bountiful spa water is also supplied to the private homes of the town's residents, making use of the resource, and the hot spring waters are also piped under the major roads to melt the settling snow in winter.

[Sourace: web-japan.org]