Yokokawa mineral spring

I love hot springs. Once a year for our winter vacation, our family spends a week in the west most of the Tochigi Prefecture for skiing and enjoying hot springs.

A geologic breccia-zone runs from north to south in the north of Ibaraki Prefecture. Geologists call it "Tanahashi Structure Line". Hot-spring lovers call it " hot springs line ". So Breccia zone with about 10 miles bear lots of hot springs and mineral springs. If you plot hot and mineral springs on the map, You will find these springs line up on the zone.

A mineral spring inn with thatched roof, "Tomoeya Inn"

When I travel by bicycle in Yokokawa community in Satomi village, Ibaraki Prefecture, I found a thatched house. It was an inn called "Tomoe Ya inn" I decided to stopped by at this inn. When I entered the area of the inn, I found an ugly building near the thatched house. It looked like an annex of the inn. I was strongly disappointed with the unmatched two houses.

I know the management of almost all the hotels in isolated places is very severe in Japan. But I believe ugly buildings cannot attract people's interests.
(12/10/2000)