Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to consider the path toward modernization taken by hot spring facilities in Gunma Prefecture during the early decades of the twentieth century. In order to track the development, the author analyzed several editions of Onsen Annai (Guidebook to Hot Springs), a reference book compiled by the Imperial Japanese Government Railways. The first edition of the guidebook was published in 1920; it was revised and reissued in 1927, 1931, and 1940. The research produced the following results. As the means of transportation improved, the number of the hot spring facilities in the prefecture listed in Onsen Annai increased. Due to improved connections with Tokyo, the 11 facilities listed for Gunma Prefecture in 1920 increased to 47 by 1940. The descriptions of the hot springs in the guidebook also evolved. Starting with the 1931 edition of Onsen Annai, descriptions included not only the traditional therapeutic benefits of hot springs, but also their recreational offerings; they were described as summer resorts, or ski resorts. The aim of visiting hot springs was shifting from medical purposes to the pursuit of leisure. It was during the pre-war decades that hot spring facilities modernized and transformed from outdoor baths and cheap boarding houses to modern, luxury resorts with interior baths.
