| Yubatake, meaning "hot water field", is probably | | | | shiga-kogen there is a hot spring called Hoppo |
| the best known part of Kusatsu and is the main | | | | onsen. For example, in Shigakogen there is a hot |
| source of hot spring water. When the water hits | | | | spring called Hoppo Onsen. The "Hoppo" part of |
| the surface it is a seering 65 degrees before it is | | | | the name means "hot spring" in Ainu. |
| cooled down by Yubatake's wooden conduits | | | | 3) Kusai Izumi (means smelly spring), so people |
| before it is distributed to the various ryokans and | | | | called it Kusai Izumi, so the name Kusatsu could |
| public baths. | | | | have originated from this. |
| One of the main attractions at Kusatsu is the | | | | 4) The word 'kusatsu tsumi', which was used as a |
| picturesque, emerald green Shirane san, a crate | | | | memory keyword for a traditional Japanese tanka |
| lake at 2160 meters above sea level. Shirane san | | | | (poem) which referred to illness? The word could |
| last erupted on February 21, 1983 and has a | | | | have originated from this. |
| diameter of 300m, a depth of 30m and a | | | | 5) Kusatsu was originally called 'Kusadu', but this |
| temperature of 18 degrees. | | | | eventually changed to Kusatsu. Perhaps |
| It is unclear as to where the name 'Kusatsu' came | | | | consonants were not pronounced clearly over the |
| from but there are several explanations. The | | | | years. One of the most famouns onsens in the |
| explanations include: 1) that buddhist monks | | | | area is called 'Nishinogawara onsen', the largest |
| named it. In sacred writings 'Daihannyagyou' - | | | | onsen in Kusatsu at 500 square meters. Antoher |
| buddhist scriptures it was written that there were | | | | well known onsen is Otaki no yu, known as the |
| famous hot springs in the south. | | | | 'onsen department' because of the large variety |
| 2) it originated from the Ainu people. In | | | | of onsens. |