Kinugawa Kan was once a flagship ryokan of Kinugawa Onsen, built in 1936 as a purpose-designed grand hot spring hotel overlooking the river valley. Expanded into a vast nine-story complex during Japan’s economic boom, it became famous for its maze-like layout and its kappa-themed bath, symbolizing the golden age of domestic onsen tourism and mass group travel.
After the collapse of Japan’s bubble economy in the 1990s, visitor numbers and corporate retreats dropped sharply. Burdened by heavy debt, the hotel went bankrupt in 1999 and was abandoned. High demolition costs, ownership complications, and its location over an active hot spring source have prevented redevelopment or removal.
Today, the structure still stands as one of Japan’s most well-known abandoned sites (haikyo), attracting photographers and urban explorers. It serves as a cautionary landmark of overexpansion in resort tourism and the long-lasting economic impact of the post-bubble downturn on the Kinugawa Onsen region.
