The history of Tateshina Shinyu Onsen
Tateshina Shinyu Onsen
Some stories say the hot spring was opened 400 years ago,
while other stories say 1,200 years ago.
It is said that, during the Warring States Period,
Takeda Shingen made use of this hidden hot spring, and in the Taisho and Showa periods, many writers and poets
visited Tateshina Shinyu Onsen to rejuvenate in the hot spring
During WW II, Tateshina Shinyu Onsen was
also used as a place for wounded Imperial Navy personnel to recover.
There also used to be a hot spring pool, where Olympic athletes could practice outside of the summer season.
Shinyu Onsen has a long history, and down through the ages, it has been loved by many people in many different ways.
The following introduces the history of Shinyu Onsen in more detail.
Takeda Shingen’s hidden hot spring
It is said that, during the Warring States Period, Takeda Shingen bathed his battle wounded soldiers in this hot spring to quickly heal their injuries. Records show that the source of the hot spring was discovered by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, meaning that it dates back to the Heian period. Since ancient times, the gurgling hot spring water has been rejuvenating people in body and soul.
There are many legends about Takeda Shingen in the area. It is fun to ponder about history as you tour around to these legendary spots, including a route through the woodlands that he opened for his troops to pass through and the Tateshina Great Waterfall, under which he formulated his battle strategies.
Tateshina of the past
This video shows Tateshina from the early to late Showa period. It is a record of Shinyu Onsen and other local inns. There is no audio.
Video courtesy of Ogawa Photo Studio, Chino City
The development of Shinyu Onsen
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Hot spring bathing with horses
It was often said that a man and his horse were one, and long ago, people used to bring their horse into the hot spring to recover from the fatigue of travel together. After the bath, there would be a feast, and at night, they would get back on their horses and head home.
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Pioneers in the Taisho period
From the Taisho to Showa periods, people constructed many health centers and villas in the area for the clean highland air and rich natural environment. This led to the area becoming known as both a hot spring resort and a highland resort.
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Bus routes and Shinyu Onsen
In the past, Shinyu Onsen was only accessible on horseback. As roads improved, local buses began operating, and became widely used by many people to visit the hot spring.
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Hotel Shinyu and the hot spring pool
It was so popular that traffic would jam up along the Venus Line all the way to Tateshina Lake. During the period soon after the end of WW II, due to the fact that it was one of the few hot spring pools in the country, many swimmers used the area as a training site, including Hironoshin Furuhashi, known as the flying fish of Fujiyama.
Although the hot spring pool no longer exists, the surrounding forest and paths remain as they were at the time, unchanging to this day just like the powerful efficacy of the spring water.
