Kinugawa (hot spring)

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Kinugawa (鬼怒川) is a hot spring resort in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. The town is named after the Kinugawa (lit. "angry demon river"), which flows through it.

Located two hours by train from Tokyo, hot springs were first found in the area in the early Meiji period. The area was extensively developed for tourism in the 1970s, but has since experienced severe economic difficulties after a downturn caused by the 1990s recession, exacerbated by troubles at the insolvent Ashikaga Bank (a major local lender).

Within 8-minute walking distance from Kinugawa is the Tobu World Square which boasts 42 exquisitely crafted 1:12 scale model of the most famous, UNESCO-designated World Cultural and Heritage Sites, complete with 140,000 1:12 miniature people.