Running Hot Spring Onsen and Local Co-delivery: A Case Study from Japan

Yukio Kinoshita and Brian Dollery

Asian Social Science, 2026, vol. 22, issue 2, 1

Abstract: Similar to many other developed nations, contemporary Japanese regional and rural local governments face a range of problems including decreasing local populations, rising constraints on income and the associated difficulties in maintaining local community facilities. A growing body of literature has considered the local Japanese co-production policies adopted to meet these challenges. We seek to contribute to this literature by examining the local co-delivery approach developed by Nishiwaga Town, Iwate Prefecture in northern Japan to maintain its local public hot springs onsen. In local Japanese areas, onsen is often an important resource for industry and civil life. Using the Nishiwaga local government area as a case study, we show how it employed innovative local co-delivery involving itself, residents and businesses to preserve most of its onsen. We argue that other regional and rural local governments in Asian countries facing similar circumstances could follow Nishiwaga Town's cost-effective approach to retain its onsen facilities.

Date: 2026
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