Key Points
- Hinagu Onsen in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto, has sustained severe damage, leaving many traditional inns unable to operate.
- Matsunoyu, a public bathhouse with a 90-year history, suffers from collapsed walls and a complete loss of hot spring water flow.
- The third-generation proprietress describes the heartbreak of turning away local residents who rely on the facility for their daily baths.
- Recovery efforts are hampered by a shortage of skilled carpenters and the ongoing need for a stable water supply.
Full Transcript (English)
Host (Jun Hori): I am currently in Hinagu Onsen in Yatsushiro City. Various hot spring inns here have suffered damage. Some owners are overwhelmed with inquiries from customers, but they cannot operate because the hot water has stopped flowing. I will now go to the site to see the current situation and find out what kind of support is needed.
Host: It’s a difficult situation, isn’t it?
Proprietress: Yes, the bathhouse has been destroyed.
Host: I see. I’m Hori, a journalist from Tokyo. Is it alright if we take a look?
Proprietress: Please, come in. It’s dark because the electricity is off, but look at this… everything over here is completely ruined.
Host: Wow, this is terrible.
Proprietress (on the phone): Hello, this is Matsunoyu. Yes, that’s right. We’ll be closed for a while. The bathhouse is damaged and the hot spring water isn’t coming out. Yes, I’m sorry. We don’t know when we can reopen yet. Thank you for calling.
Host: The damage inside is extensive. The bathhouse is broken, and as she said, the water has stopped. The walls have crumbled, window glass is shattered, and the spring has dried up. I truly hope they can recover.
Host: This is a very difficult situation, ma’am.
Proprietress: I was so surprised. Ten years ago, we all worked so hard to recover, but this time it’s even worse than it was ten years ago. We’re getting so many calls from customers wanting to bathe, but the water has just stopped.
Host: It must be frightening with the constant aftershocks. Was it a big shake?
Proprietress: It was a huge shake. Fortunately, it happened on our regular closing day, so there were no customers in the bath. I’m so relieved that no one was injured.
Host: Looking ahead to the recovery, what do you want people to know? What is needed most right now?
Proprietress: Right now, we need water most of all. And we need carpenters, but they are all so busy right now. We are just waiting for help to arrive.
Host: You are the third-generation owner, correct?
Proprietress: Yes, the third generation.
Host: What makes Hinagu Onsen so special?
Proprietress: The water quality is excellent. It’s been a bit quiet lately, but we were all working hard to revitalize the area. Many local residents don’t have baths at home because this has always been a hot spring town. Without these public baths, they have nowhere to go. That’s why people like the gentleman we saw earlier keep coming by to see if we’re open.
Host: I see. It’s a vital part of the community.
Proprietress: Yes, it’s a treasure to me. It’s my life’s work. I don’t want to give up.
Host: Ten years ago, during the Kumamoto earthquake, I covered Seifuso in Minami-Aso. They were hit by the quake and then a landslide, but the three brothers there refused to give up and they eventually reopened. So please, don’t give up. It will be okay as long as you keep going.
Proprietress: Thank you. People tell me how good it feels to bathe here and how it relieves their stress. It’s a place for the elderly to meet. I want to keep it going for them.
Host: We will do our best to spread the word and support your recovery. This is Momo-chan, right? She was scared too, wasn’t she? We’ll do our best to help you get back on your feet.
Proprietress: Thank you so much. Please do.
