Getting into hot water Spirit of cooperation keeps town co.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun/Daily Yomiuri)

Getting into hot water Spirit of cooperation keeps town competitive in tourism trade Kinosakicho, a major spa resort in

Hiroyuki Ueba Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer

Yomiuri

KinosakichoC Hyogo

Kinosakicho, a major spa resort in northern Hyogo Prefecture, is asking Waseda University to help draw up a plan for the future design of the town. This month's installment of the Power of Tourism series also focuses on efforts made by the town's younger generation to attract tourists to the historic resort.

Hiroyuki Ueba

Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer

KINOSAKICHO, Hyogo--Regarded as one of the best spa resorts in the country, especially in the Kansai region, Kinosakicho attracts about 1 million tourists a year with its seven sotoyu (public baths) located around the town center.

The resort, which has a hot spring believed to have been discovered in the 7th or 8th century, has attracted many well-known literary figures, such as novelist Naoya Shiga (1883-1971), who wrote "Kinosaki Nite" (At Kinosaki) at the resort.

Not well-known outside the region, however, is that the small but beautiful resort was destroyed in an earthquake about 80 years ago and reconstructed.

The Great Hokutan Earthquake in May 1925 demolished most of the buildings and caused 272 deaths and 198 …