is a

hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...

located in the city of

Semboku, Akita is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 25,857 in 10,584 households, and a population density of 24 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Semboku is located in the mountains ...

in northern Japan.

Water profile

The spring has a flow of 9000 liters/minute and feeds a 3-meter wide stream with a temperature of 98 °C. The water from Tamagawa Hot Spring is extremely acidic, with a pH of about 1.2, making it one of the most acidic hot springs in Japan.

Spring overview

The spring contains

hydrochloric acid Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride. It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungent smell. It is classified as a strong acid Acid strength is the tendency of an acid, symbol ...

as a main component, along with

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide (chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is transpar ...

iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...

, and aluminum-chloride. Due to deposits of radioactive hokutolite near the spring, the water is also slightly radioactive, with a level of 15-20 mSv / year. Hokutolite is composed of a type of

barite Baryte, barite or barytes ( or ) is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate ( Ba S O4). Baryte is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of the element barium. The ''baryte group'' consists of baryte, celestine (strontium sulfate), ...

(barium sulfate), including lead and traces of strontium and calcium, and is about ten times as radioactive as the standard background radiation. Radium also exists in the hot springs water.

History

The springs were discovered by a local '' matagi'' hunter in 1680, but the area was used primarily as a

sulfur Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...

mine and it was not until 1885 that the first lodging was erected. Initially called the Kanoyu Onsen, it was renamed to Tamagawa Onsen by an

Asahi Shimbun is one of the four largest newspapers in Japan. Founded in 1879, it is also one of the oldest newspapers in Japan and Asia, and is considered a newspaper of record for Japan. Its circulation, which was 4.57 million for its morning edition and ...

reporter, who praised its effectiveness against many diseases. Due to the isolation of the site, it could only be reached on horseback with some difficulty until after World War II. Tamagawa Onsen (31837868458)

It was designated a National Health Resort in 1959. The waters from the spring have traditionally been touted as a cure for hypertension, arteriosclerosis, gynecological diseases, neuralgia, skin diseases, asthma, and especially for malignant tumors (cancer). There are two lodging facilities available in the area, Tamagawa Onsen, an inn located near the spring (opens from mid April to December, and closed for winter since 2012 due to the

avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and earth ...

on February 1, 2012, which killed 3 people), and Shin-Tamagawa Onsen, a hotel about a kilometer down from the spring which opens year-round, run by the same owner of Tamagawa Onsen inn. Tamagawa Onsen inn and the spring area are only accessible by a

snowcat A snowcat (short for snow and caterpillar) is an enclosed-cab, truck-sized, fully tracked vehicle designed to move on snow. Major manufacturers are Pisten Bully (Germany), Prinoth (Italy) and Tucker (United States). Snow groomers A snow ...

in December after the road is closed for the traffic by the end of November due to the heavy snowfall in the area.

References

Tourist attractions in Akita Prefecture Hot springs of Japan Landforms of Akita Prefecture Semboku, Akita {{akita-geo-stub