Kawazu Sakura no Sato Shibuya

Kawazu Sakura no Sato Shibuya (河津さくらの里しぶや) is a hot-spring accommodation facility located in Mine Onsen, Kawazu Town, Kamo District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is owned and operated by Shibuya City, Tokyo, as a recreation and health-promotion retreat for its residents. The facility opened in October 2014, making it the second Shibuya City-owned recreation facility outside Tokyo, following the Ninohei Shibuya So in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture. The facility was established when Shibuya City purchased an existing long-established hot-spring hotel for approximately 110 million yen. The property features abundant hot-spring water, a 25-meter hot-spring pool, and surroundings rich in seasonal nature. It has 15 rooms in the main building and 2 rooms in the spa building. While primarily intended for Shibuya residents, it is also available to non-residents when rooms are vacant. The acquisition and operation of the facility became a subject of political debate. At the time of purchase, the building was already aging, and seismic problems were discovered after acquisition. The large communal bath was rebuilt, and a reinforced-concrete east wing was demolished. A city council member raised questions about the necessity and appropriateness of the purchase price. Subsequently, another council member pointed out that the facility had previously been used for adult video filming and filed a lawsuit seeking approximately 935 million yen in total purchase and operating costs from the then-mayor and others. On November 21, 2019, the Tokyo District Court dismissed the claim, finding that the facility's occupancy rate remained above the national average even after the video filming was reported, and that the filming could not be said to have reduced the property's value. The facility continues to operate, offering seasonal cuisine, agricultural experiences for parents and children, and shuttle services. It remains a notable example of a municipal recreation facility operated outside its home prefecture.

Kawazu Sakura no Sato Shibuya opened in October 2014 as a recreation facility owned by Shibuya City, Tokyo. It was established when Shibuya City purchased an existing long-established hot-spring hotel in Mine Onsen, Kawazu Town, Shizuoka Prefecture, for approximately 110 million yen. This made it the second Shibuya City-owned recreation facility outside Tokyo, following Ninohei Shibuya So in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture. The facility was intended to leverage Kawazu's rich seasonal nature and abundant hot-spring water, including a 25-meter hot-spring pool, to provide relaxation and health promotion for Shibuya residents. It has 15 rooms in the main building and 2 rooms in the spa building, and is available to non-residents when rooms are vacant. However, the acquisition was controversial. At the time of purchase, the building was already aging, and seismic problems were discovered after acquisition. The large communal bath was rebuilt, and a reinforced-concrete east wing was demolished. City council members raised questions about the necessity of the purchase and the appropriateness of the price. Subsequently, a council member pointed out that the facility had previously been used for adult video filming and filed a lawsuit seeking approximately 935 million yen in total purchase and operating costs from the then-mayor and others. On November 21, 2019, the Tokyo District Court dismissed the claim. The court found that the facility's occupancy rate remained above the national average even after the video filming was reported, and that the filming could not be said to have reduced the property's value. The facility continues to operate, offering seasonal cuisine, parent-child agricultural experiences, and shuttle services. It remains a notable example of a municipal recreation facility operated outside its home prefecture.

• Kawazu Sakura no Sato Shibuya opens as a Shibuya City recreation facility after purchasing an existing hot-spring hotel for approximately 110 million yen.

• Tokyo District Court dismisses a lawsuit seeking approximately 935 million yen in purchase and operating costs from the then-mayor and others.

A municipal recreation and health-promotion retreat for Shibuya residents, offering hot-spring bathing and nature experiences in Kawazu.

• Hot-spring accommodation

  15 rooms in the main building and 2 rooms in the spa building.

• 25-meter hot-spring pool

  A 25-meter pool using hot-spring water.

• Seasonal special meals

  Seasonal kaiseki-style meals offered to guests.

• Parent-child agricultural experiences

  Rice harvesting and sweet potato digging experiences for overnight guests.

• Acquisition controversy and lawsuit

Read more

1. 1渋谷区立 河津さくらの里しぶや【公式サイト】ic91.com
2. 2河津さくらの里しぶや - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
3. 3Kawazu Sakura no Sato Shibuya - Wikidatawikidata.org