Kusatsu Onsen, Sainokawara Park 2017

Client : Kusatsu town, Kitayama & Company
Design : Kojiro Kitayama + K Architect & Associates

Kusatsu Hot Spring is a very popular tourist location. In the last few years the landscape has begun to change as the surrounding infrastructure is upgraded. As part of this, an upgrade in landscape lighting is planned for the hot water fields, Yubatake, and Sainokawara Park. In the first round of construction, the after-hours lighting surrounding the symbolic Kusatsu Hot Water Fields was upgraded. The hot water beds are softly illuminated, coming to form amongst the rising stream to delight visitors.
After completion of Yubatake, Sainokawara Park was restored. Sainokawara Park is a park with a flowing hot spring creek, rising steam, and an outdoor bath. However, the park is not close enough to the town center and seems like a lonely place at night. In order to appreciate the park and its seasonal, natural beauty, light and shadow direct visitors on a short and comfortable walk to the outdoor bath, in this dream-like nightscape.