Shuzenji Onsen

Shuzenji Onsen is a geothermal spring system in the Tagata District of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, in the central region of Izu Peninsula.

Shuzenji Onsen
The Hot Springs of Shuzen Temple, 1853 woodcut by Utagawa Hiroshige, Part of the series Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces, No. 14 (Tōkaidō group)
LocationIzu Province, Shizuoka, Japan
Coordinates34.971°N 138.929°E / 34.971; 138.929
Elevation308 feet[1]
Tokko-no-yu spring, Shuzenji Onsen

History

The hot springs have been used for over fourteen centuries[2] for their therapeutic properties.[3] Folklore tales describe the discovery and founding of the hot springs by Kobo Daishi (774-835), a Buddhist monk who probed at the rocks in the river with his walking stick (tokko) releasing the hot spring water.[4] The historical town that was built up around the geothermal system was also called Shuzenji, however it has since merged into the city of Izu.

Description

Tokko-no-yu, the best known hot spring in the system, is located between the banks of the Katsura River in the middle of Shuzen town. A small rustic open-air public bath house has been built above the spring containing an ashiyu or foot spa.[2][5] Kawara-no-yu is an additional public foot bath located at the riverside.[6] There are numerous commercial spa hotels and historic ryokan in the area, as well as Hakoyu, the public bathhouse.[7]

Geology

The onsen system is part of the Amagi volcanic mountain range.[8] Japan is located in eastern portion of the Ring of Fire in the Pacific Ocean Basin. In Japan, more than 27,000 hot spring sources exist, many of which, including Shuzenji Onsen. have been developed into a system of onsens.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Shuzenji, Izu-shi, Shizuoka, Japan on the Elevation Map. Topographic Map of Shuzenji, Izu-shi, Shizuoka, Japan". Elevation Map. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  2. "Shuzenji Onsen". Japan Endless Discovery. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  3. Mihaela, Serbulea; Unnikrishnan, Payyappallimana (2012). "Onsen (hot springs) in Japan—Transforming terrain into healing landscapes". Health & Place. 18 (6): 1366–1373. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  4. "Shuzenji Onsen". GaijinPot Travel. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  5. "Dokko no Yu (Shizuoka-ken)". Secret Japan. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  6. "Shuzenji Onsen". 50 Onsens. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  7. "Izu Travel: Shuzen Onsen". Japan Guide. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  8. "Discover the town of Onsens, Shuzenji". Wonderland Japan. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
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