Hot springs are one of the regional resources in Japan that contribute to sustainable community development, enabling CO2 emission reduction and regional revitalization using heat across diverse temperature ranges for power generation and direct thermal energy use (e.g., for cooking, heating and cooling, and agricultural production). To foster thriving communities that leverage hot spring thermal energy, the relationship between hot spring temperatures and surrounding socio-spatial environments must be understood. This study identifies this relationship in Japan through statistical analysis. The main findings are as follows: The proportion of high-temperature hot springs is (1) generally higher in natural park areas and lower in forest and agricultural areas and (2) higher in areas with low population densities located away from Densely Inhabited District (DID), which record the highest number of lodging facilities. Conversely, the proportion of low-temperature hot springs is higher in areas farther from DIDs, which are characterized by lower population densities and fewer lodging facilities. (3) Regardless of land use zoning, high-temperature hot springs are generally more prevalent in the areas described in (2), where lodging facilities are most concentrated. The findings of our research provide guidelines for the implementation of policy into the multi-stage utilization of hot springs.
WATANABE et al. (Thu,) studied this question.