Mikuni Onsen Town - Mikuni Onsen Town

Japanese: 三国温泉郷 - みくにおんせんきょう

This refers to hot springs such as Yujiyuku Onsen, Sarugakyo Onsen, Hoshi Onsen, and Kawafuru Onsen (a gypsum-containing spring with a temperature of 37°C) in Niiharu Village, Tone County, northern Gunma Prefecture. They are scattered along the Mikuni Kaido road along the Akaya River, a tributary of the Tone River. Since the Edo period, they have been used by people traveling along the Mikuni Kaido road, but with the opening of the Shinetsu Main Line in 1893, the number of people using the road dropped sharply and the area fell into decline. In 1931, the Joetsu Line was opened and buses were available from Gokan Station, so the number of people using the road increased again. After World War II, the Mikuni Kaido road was developed into National Route 17, and in 1958, Akatani Lake was created at Aiomata Dam, and in 1959, the Mikuni Tunnel was opened, bringing about a boom in the area.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

群馬県北部，利根郡新治（にいはる）村の湯宿（ゆじゆく）温泉，猿ヶ京温泉，法師温泉，川古（かわふる）温泉(含ボウ硝セッコウ泉，37℃)などの温泉をいう。利根川の支流赤谷（あかや）川に沿う三国街道の沿道に散在する。江戸時代以降，三国街道の往来者に利用されていたが，1893年信越本線の開通で街道利用者が激減し，衰退した。1931年上越線が開通し，後閑（ごかん）駅からバスが通じたため再び利用者がふえた。第2次大戦後，三国街道が国道17号線として整備され，58年には相俣ダムの赤谷湖が誕生し，59年に三国トンネルが開通して活況を呈するようになった。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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