Kinosaki not only keeps its traditional appearance but also challenges the future. Locals are working together to make Kinosaki more sustainable and an attractive destination with its spirit of "coexistence and co-prosperity."
In May 2025, Kinosaki commemorated its 100th anniversary of the 1925 North Tajima earthquake. In these 100 years, Kinosaki recovered miraculously while its beautiful townscape is well-preserved.
Disaster History - a whole city burnt down
In the late morning on May 23, 1925, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Kinosaki Onsen.
Since Japanese traditional house are wood-built, a fire quickly spread and destroyed Kinosaki and nearby Toyooka completely.
In Kinosaki, not a single building was standing after the disaster and 272 people, 8% of population at that time, were killed.
Rebuilding the town as it has been for centuries
For the purpose of fire prevention, a handful of public buildings including Ichino-Yu Hot Spring, the town hall, and the police station were reconstructed with reinforced concrete.
People in Kinosaki agreed to re-erect their houses and inns as they had been for centuries - wood-built with the heights not exceeding three stories. Even today, we can feel the atmosphere of old an onsen resort before the earthquake.
Coexistence and Co-Prosperity - the Kinosaki Spirit
While people in Kinosaki decided to rebuild their town as they have loved for ages, the landowners agreed to donate a part of their land facing the the main street to make pavements wider for fire prevention easier strolling.
Today's townscape of Kinosaki is an achievement of those who worked together, rebuilding and preserving their beloved town after the disaster. Without the ideas of coexistence and co-prosperity, what people in Kinosaki respect as the core values for their town's future, this advanced town design wouldn't have been possible and the atmosphere of Kinosaki would have been very different now.
Kinosaki in the Future
A new town design will be introduced for the coming 100 years
Like people in Kinosaki 100 years ago decided to rebuild the city as it is today, we are planning to introduce a new town design to make it more even attractive and sustainable. In May 2025, a new bridge over the Maruyama River opened. The bridge is to be led to a bypass, planned to be constructed in the near future to reduce the traffic inside Kinosaki.
Fringe parking outside the town is also planned to reduce cars, and the traffic inside the town will be one-way circular. Pavements will be wider so tourists will be able to stroll safer and easier.
Kinosaki still works together with its "coexistence and co-prosperity" philosophy.
We are looking forward to welcoming you in coming 100 years.
In cooperation with: Toyooka City History Museum