On May 22nd, the Mt. Iwaki Tourist Association announced the business status of "Dake Onsenkyo" on its website.

Opened about 400 years ago, the hot spring village currently has six hot spring inns. At the end of last year, the amount and temperature of the hot spring water dropped, causing some ryokans to close in the winter. According to the Mt. Iwaki Tourism Association, all six hot spring inns in the hot spring village will open in July.

Shinkichi Koyama, chairman of the Mt. Iwaki Tourism Association, said, "There is an image that the hot springs have dried up and are closed, but Dake Onsen continues to operate. The surrounding hot spring villages have also dried up. I've received inquiries from people who say they might be there, so I wanted to reduce the reputational damage even a little."

According to Daisuke Terashima of Jomonjin no Yado, an accommodation facility in Dake Onsen, there are four sources of hot spring water, and each ryokan uses a blend of these sources. “The hottest source out of the four is the hottest source, the amount of hot water and the temperature have decreased. I am worried that the cause of the accident is still unknown, but there is no problem with the other sources,” says Mr. Terashima.

“Jomonjin no Yado” is a facility exclusively for overnight guests, and has not been closed even after the incident occurred at the source. Ms. Terashima said with a smile, "When I told the guests that the hot springs were lukewarm, they said, 'I'm not just here for the hot springs.' show.

According to Mr. Koyama, the hot springs in Dake Onsen also changed in 1950 and 1967, and there is a record of drilling in 1969. “The bluish-white sulfur springs with hot springs unique to Dake Onsen are still alive and well, and each inn operates through trial and error using four sources. I hear that there are people who find the opportunity interesting,” says Koyama.

"The temperature of the hot springs is now over 40 degrees Celsius, which is almost the same as before the disaster. Dake Onsen is recommended even during the hot season, so I would like people to visit."

The Mt. Iwaki Tourism Association will continue to post business conditions on its website.