Nasu-Shiobara City

Nasu-Shiobara City, located in the north of Tochigi Prefecture is known for its hot springs, such as Shiobara Onsen, which has been in use for over 1,200 years, and Itamuro Onsen, a therapeutic hot spring also with ancient origins.

Shiobara Onsen alone boasts over 150 hot spring sources in Seven different colors. The hot springs also feature Six of the Ten different hot spring qualities discovered in Japan, which is a lot for one area to have! This includes all three “Beauty Spring Qualities”: bicarbonate, sulfate, and sulfur.

Nasu-Shiobara City and nearby Nasu Town are both very famous for there stunning autumn foliage, with breathtaking views through the mountains and valleys.

Unlike the hot spring areas, the Nasunogahara area, at the foothills of the Nasu mountains, had a long history of water shortages. Nasunogahara is an alluvial fan covering a large part of Nasu-Shiobara City, which has a heavy accumulation of sediment and volcanic rock from past volcanic activities. This causes all the water to flow underground far from the surface and the area was said to have ‘not even enough water to scoop by hand’. In 1881, the population was down to only 25 people!

However, in 1885, the construction of the Nasu Canal, a large national project, completely transformed the area. After its completion, aristocrats and noble families of the time built villas and farms, reclaiming the land using Western cultivation methods influenced by their admiration of Western aristocracy.

Today, this area, inheriting its historical legacy, is renowned for dairy farming and produces the most milk in Honshu (Japan’s main island).