In a study on hot spring resorts in Japan, part II, the author refered to the development and economic function of hot spring resort settlements at Ikaho and Kinugawa spas in northern Kanto. This part III is a report on factors in the formation of hot spring resort settlements from a view point of the socio-economic structure at Ikaho and Kinugawa spas. Especially, he analyzed the internal structure of settlements concerning the hot spring right and landownership and the active attitude of local autonomy and other functional groups.
(1) The hot spring of Ikaho has a special hot spring utilization system, namely, it springs up at Yumoto, 550 m apart from the settlement and is conducted down to the settlement through an Oseki (hot spring conductor) to be divided among hot spring creditors (Fig.l).
Through the Edo era, 14 Oyas were monopolisticly possessed of the hot spring divided from Komaguchi (hot spring entrance) being installed at both sides (Tab. 1). And the cooperative hot spring utilization system was consecutively kept unchanged until the early years of the Meiji era. However, owing to introduction of a modern private property system and external influence, the old custom of the hot spring utilization system was collapsed. Consequently, 3 Oyas out of 14 narrowly retained their position, occupying only 11. 5% of Ikaho hot spring, while newly-risen local financial capitals gained 13.9% and central capitals 62.7% (Tab. 2).
Yoshimasa Ono, vice-president of Japan Railway Company, one of the central capitalists, purchased 1/3 of the right of Ikaho hot spring and attempted to remove the hot spring entrance in order to freely conduct the hot spring with the intention of constructing a new hot spring settlement adjacent to the old one. Against the central capitalist's purpose, the local power group centering around the old Oyas developed an opposition movement on the strength of a time honored hot spring utilization agreement to protect their own hot spring. On account of the opposition movement the Ono's plan failed.
In 1922, the rate of hot spring occupied by 4 old Oyas recovered up to 50.0%, and that of central capital fell to 11.4%. Here it was made clear that the exclusivism of local capitalists against the central capital was strong.
After the World War II, medium and small-sized hotels, having no hot spring rights, were united to get open access to the hot spring which had been under monopolistic possession of a few influential hotels. In consequence, a new hot spring boring was carried out and a new system of hot spring division (Tab. 3) was established, but the hot spring in possession of 21 Kadoyas, the opposition movement leaders, reached only 19.4% of the whole of Ikaho, whereas 4 Oyas continuing from the Edo era retained 38.0%. However, that plan of hot spring division was cancelled because of decrease in quantity of the hot spring. Thus, the monopolistic hot spring utilization system maintained by a few powerful hotels has been continued until today, which resulted in retarding development of the tourist industry. Besides, the 4 Oyas still hold vast area of land (Tab. 4), with complete control of the old hot spring settlement (Fig. 4).
Ikaho Tourist Association, an actually ruling organization at Ikaho hot spring settlement, has practiced various kinds of tourist developments, but its ropeway and skate enterprises were placed under the supervision of Ikaho Town Office in 1967. Since then, the Town authority has positively coped with the development. Moreover, the local government opened the munincipal land to the small hotelowners at the old settlement and constructed the second Ikaho hot spring settlement (Fig. 2).