Gerohatsu Onsen Museum 下呂発温泉博物館

Official explanation

At the Gerohatsu Onsen Museum, visitors learn there is more to hot springs (onsen) than just bathing. The museum has about 400 items on display and covers the culture, history, and science behind hot springs in both Gero and the rest of Japan in a family-friendly, informative manner. It is divided into two sections, and also has a cozy library filled with novels and academic texts.

The first section of the museum covers the history and culture behind the onsen experience, with a particular focus on Gero. Communal bathing in hot springs has been a cultural pastime in Japan for thousands of years; visitors can learn about the country’s many hot springs and the different experiences they offer. Among the items on display here are souvenirs from hot spring towns around Japan and nineteenth-century newspaper lists ranking the country’s best hot springs.

Read the full explanation

The second part of the museum covers the science behind hot springs. Three-dimensional dioramas explain the springs’ natural heat and describe how hot spring towns route the water into the baths. The hands-on games and exhibits are educational and fun for both children and adults.

The museum finishes with a foot bath, “Yakushi no Ashiyu.” This bath has visitors walk through shallow water which starts off hot and cools down toward the end. It allows visitors to experience a hot spring right after learning about them.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.