A Typical Example of Direct Use of Geothermal Energy in a Small Village in Japan

Abstract

Japan is blessed with a lot of thermal springs which are possible sources for direct use of geothermal energy, because their wellhead temperatureis too low to generate elecmc power. In fact. in Japan, in addition to power generation of 269.6 geothermal energy is used directly for various applications at a number of sites. But. embarrassingly, as the Japanese has enjoyed unbelievably the pleasures of bathing, thermal spring water is easily supplied to hotels inns in spas for bathing. The total number of annual guests in spas is 131million, which is larger than the population of Japan of 123 million, although the guests are almost not for balneotherapy. Then, direct use of geothermal energy in Japan is required to coexist with bathing. A typical example of coexistenceof active direct use with bathing is found in Kamitakara, Gifu prefecture, in central Japan. Kamitakara . is located in the northeast part of Gifu prefecture (Fig. 1). The area is 472 and the population is 4800. The eastern part of Kamitakara, known as Oku Hida spa, on a mountainside of Yakedakevolcano has many thermal springs.and the total number of annual guest is 1.2 million.