| Shuzenji Onsen | |
|---|---|
 The Hot Springs of Shuzen Temple, 1853 woodcut by Utagawa Hiroshige, Part of the series Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces, No. 14 (Tōkaidō group) | |
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| Location | Izu Province, Shizuoka, Japan |
| Coordinates | 34°58′16″N138°55′44″E / 34.971°N 138.929°E |
| Elevation | 308 feet [1] |
Shuzenji Onsen is a geothermal spring system in the Tagata District of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, in the central region of Izu Peninsula.
The hot springs have been used for over fourteen centuries [2] for their therapeutic properties. [3] Folklore tales describe the discovery and founding of the hot springs by Kobo Daishi (774–835), a Buddhist monk who probed at the rocks in the river with his walking stick (tokko) releasing the hot spring water. [4] The historical town that was built up around the geothermal system was also called Shuzenji, however it has since merged into the city of Izu.
Tokko-no-yu is the best known hot spring in the system; it is located between the banks of the Katsura River in the middle of Shuzen town. A small rustic open-air public bath house has been built above the spring containing an ashiyu or foot spa. [2] [5] Kawara-no-yu is a hot spring in the system that is used as a public foot bath; it is located at the riverside. [6] There are numerous commercial spa hotels and historic ryokan in the area, as well as Hakoyu, the public bathhouse. [7]
The onsen system is part of the Amagi volcanic mountain range. [8] In Japan, more than 27,000 hot spring sources exist, many of which, including Shuzenji Onsen have been developed into onsen towns. [3]