The sister hot spring of Beitou Hot Springs, Tamagawa Onsen in Akita Prefecture, Japan

By Chi Bing-hui, compiled and reported

 

Taiwan and Japan both have thriving hot spring cultures, and Beitou in Taiwan and Tamagawa Onsen in Akita, Japan are home to the only two deposits of Yūshirōite (Beitou Stone) in all of Asia. Recently, the two hot spring destinations officially announced an alliance, marking a new milestone for the hot spring tourism industries in both regions. The governor of Akita Prefecture also came to Taiwan especially to attend the signing ceremony, witnessing this important moment as the two locations became sister hot springs.

During the “Beitou Stone – A Century of Destiny” alliance ceremony between Beitou Hot Springs and Tamagawa Onsen, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-pin stated that Beitou Hot Springs is the birthplace of Taiwan’s hot spring culture. The most famous hot spring mineral crystal in the Beitou area, “Beitou Stone,” was first discovered in 1905 by a Japanese technician named Okada Yōhachirō who was working in Taiwan. As such, Beitou Hot Springs has witnessed over a century of close interaction between Taiwan and Japan.

Attending the event, Akita Governor Keiji Satake said that since the launch of direct chartered flights between Taiwan and Akita in 2004, approximately 12,000 Taiwanese tourists have visited Akita for sightseeing each year. Now, with the formal signing of this alliance, exchanges between the two sides will be further promoted. Governor Satake pointed out that after the 311 earthquake in Japan, the Republic of China (Taiwan) was the first country to donate a substantial amount of relief funds