Kinugawa / Kawaji Onsen Tourist Association – Hot Spring in Tochigi Prefecture

Fine Quality Hot Spring That Are Gentle On The Skin, Surrounded By Majestic Ravine Scenery
Japan is truly the “Great Hot Spring Country”, with hot springs in over 3000 locations, each with distinct qualities and benefits to their water. The color, smell, sensation, and benefits of the water vary widely depending on these qualities. Hot Springs that allow you to enjoy a relaxing soak while taking in the unique scenery and nature of the area are exceptional in soothing both mind and body.

One of Japan’s foremost hot springs, Kinugawa-Kawaji Hot Spring is made up of 2 areas. The waters of both of these hot springs have a tasteless, odorless, low-mineral content quality. The water has a light alkalinity, and is clear, colorless, smooth and pleasant to the touch, as well as gentle on the skin. As the intensity of its sensation is low, it can be enjoyed by anybody from children to elderly people.

Kinugawa Hot Spring
Kinugawa Hot Spring was originally fed by Taki Hot Spring, discovered in the Edo Period on the west bank of the Kinugawa River. Then, as spring water was also gushing up on the east side, Fujiwara Hot Spring was discovered. These two springs were united under the name of Kinugawa Hot Spring soon afterwards, and developed into one of Japan’s great spa resorts. Its popularity amongst people traveling from Tokyo soared when a rail line was established in the 1950s, and today it bustles with large numbers of visitors as “The Parlor of Kanto”. A total of more than 80 hotels and traditional Japanese inns line the banks of the Kinugawa River, consisting mainly in large modern hotels that feature spacious open-air baths overlooking the ravine. The waters of Kinugawa Hot Spring are also famed for their efficacy in healing burns, so much so that since times of old this spring has been referred to as “Kinugawa of Burns”. In addition to these benefits, a soak in this relaxing and fine quality spring water, while admiring the rich natural scenery of the Kinugawa River is highly effective in relieving stress and day-to-day tiredness.

The name “Kinugawa” is somewhat unusual in Japan (the three characters that make up the name mean “demon”, “rage” and “river”). There are various tales regarding the origin of this name – these include a tale that the river was dubbed “the river of the raging demon”, as when its usually gently flowing waters temporarily swell and become rough, they rage violently like a demon in a fury, as well as a tale that the river’s name came from the name of its source, the Kinunuma Marsh.

Kawaji Hot Spring
Kawaji Hot Spring is a spa located around 11km upstream from Kinugawa Hot Spring. It is said that its origin lies in the Edo period, when a spring was discovered gushing up from the riverbed after the waters from a flood caused by a long period of rain had subsided. A cluster of around 10 hotels and traditional Japanese inns line the banks of the Ojikagawa mountain stream, close to the point where it merges with the Kinugawa River. Nestled in this tranquil mountain environment, the riverside open-air baths present the perfect opportunity to enjoy an idyllic rustic hot spring, while admiring the seasonal beauty of the mountain stream scenery. Referred to since times of old as “Kawaji of injuries”, the waters of Kawaji Hot Spring are said to be effective on injuries.

There is a tale regarding the origin of Kawaji, that in times of old, there was a road called “Kawaji” (with characters that are pronounced in the same way as those in the current name, but have the meaning “River Path”) that ran alongside the Ojikagawa Stream, a tributary of the Kinugawa River near Kawaji Hot Spring . This later began to be referred to as “Kawaji”, with the characters that are used today.