Kawaji-onsen

 village, resort, hot spring, onsen, spa town

www.kinugawa-kawaji.com/ (Japanese official page)
www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/spot/tic/kinugawa-kawaji-on...
www.kinugawa-kawaji.jp/english/

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.

Benefits of the local water: promotes beautiful skin, helps nerve pain, muscle pain, joint pain, stiff shoulders, motor paralysis, stiffness of joints, bruises, sprains, chronic ailments of the digestive organs, hemorrhoids, sensitivity to the cold, period of convalescence, relieves tiredness, promotes good health etc.