Yunozawa Settlement and the History of Kusatsu
The hot springs of Kusatsu have long been believed to be beneficial for various skin conditions, attracting visitors seeking hot spring treatment for centuries.
During the Meiji period, increasing numbers of people with Hansen’s disease came to Kusatsu for hot spring therapy. On the eastern edge of the hot spring town, a residential community known as the Yunozawa Settlement gradually developed.
The settlement existed for approximately 55 years, beginning in 1887, and at its peak around 800 people lived there. It functioned as what was known as a “free treatment village,” where people with Hansen’s disease could live and receive treatment within the community.
St. Barnabas Hospital
In 1916, an English missionary named Conwall-Lee established St. Barnabas Hospital in Kusatsu.
The hospital combined medical care with hot spring treatment, and people with Hansen’s disease came from different parts of Japan. The Yunozawa community gradually developed its own social and economic life, with residents operating inns, restaurants, pawnshops, and other businesses.
Rather than being simply a place where patients stayed for treatment, Yunozawa developed into a distinctive community with its own everyday life and relationships with the surrounding town.
The Establishment of Kuriu Rakusen-en
As Japan’s policies of segregation became increasingly strict, however, the Yunozawa Settlement was eventually relocated to Takijirihara, approximately three kilometers from the hot spring district.
This led to the establishment of Kuriu Rakusen-en in 1932. It became the second national Hansen’s disease sanatorium established in Japan.
At first, it was a relatively small facility with only 15 beds and a small number of staff. Over time, however, it developed into a larger institution.
The sanatorium was also connected to Kusatsu’s hot spring culture. Hot spring water was brought from the Yubatake, the famous hot spring source in the center of Kusatsu, while the facility also had its own water source.
The grounds were divided into treatment and residential areas, and there were also sections where residents with sufficient financial resources could construct their own homes. These characteristics distinguished Kuriu Rakusen-en in some respects from other sanatoriums.
Highlights of the Kuriu Rakusen-en Historical Museum
The museum opened in 2008 under the name Social Exchange Hall. It was established as a place where residents of the sanatorium and the wider community could interact and learn from one another.
Today, exhibitions introduce the history of the Yunozawa Settlement, the development of Kuriu Rakusen-en, the everyday lives of residents, and artworks created by people who lived there.
History of Kuriu Rakusen-en
A chronological display, dioramas, and original artifacts explain how the sanatorium developed from its establishment to the present day.
Among the exhibits are valuable historical materials connected with the facility’s hot spring system, including wooden pipes once used to bring hot spring water from the Yubatake into the grounds.
History Before the Sanatorium — The Yunozawa Settlement
This section focuses on the history of the Yunozawa free treatment village and its relationship with the surrounding community.
It helps visitors understand that people with Hansen’s disease were not simply isolated individuals, but members of a community who worked, operated businesses, formed relationships, and created their own everyday lives.
Daily Life and Creative Works
Paintings, calligraphy, and records of daily work provide glimpses into the lives of residents.
These materials show how people continued to engage in cultural and creative activities despite the difficult circumstances surrounding life in the sanatorium.
Visitor Information
The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with final admission at 3:30 p.m.
It is closed on Mondays, or on the following day when Monday is a public holiday, as well as during the year-end and New Year holiday period.
Admission is free. Groups of five or more people are required to make an advance reservation.
Visitors should also be aware that it is not possible to walk straight through the grounds. To visit both the Kuriu Rakusen-en Historical Museum and the nearby Jukanbo Museum, visitors need to return to the main entrance and go back out to the national highway before proceeding to the other facility.
Jukanbo Museum — A Place to Reflect on Human Rights
Next to Kuriu Rakusen-en is the Jukanbo Museum, which introduces the history of the facility once known as the Special Hospital Ward, commonly called the “Jukanbo.”
The museum opened in 2014 as a place to learn about the history of Hansen’s disease and human rights.
The Jukanbo existed from 1938 to 1947 as a disciplinary facility within the sanatorium. People could be confined there without a formal judicial trial, and many residents experienced extremely harsh conditions.
The museum uses a full-scale reconstruction model, excavated historical materials, and other exhibits to explain what happened there.
Today, the facility serves as an important place for reflecting on the history of discrimination and prejudice and considering the value of human dignity.
Visiting both museums provides a more comprehensive understanding of the history of Kuriu Rakusen-en and the experiences of the people who lived there.
About Hansen’s Disease
Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy, is a chronic infectious disease. Its infectiousness is relatively low, and effective treatment is available today.
In the past, however, it was widely feared as an incurable disease. Japan maintained policies of segregation for many years, separating people with Hansen’s disease from wider society.
The Leprosy Prevention Law was abolished in 1996, marking an important change in Japan’s legal approach to the disease.
The Kuriu Rakusen-en Historical Museum and Jukanbo Museum play an important role in preserving this history and encouraging visitors to consider how discrimination and prejudice affected people’s lives.
Access
By train, take a bus bound for Kusatsu Onsen from JR Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station. The bus ride to the Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal takes approximately 25 minutes.
From the bus terminal, the museum can be reached by taxi in approximately 7 minutes, or on foot in around 45 minutes.
By car, the journey takes approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes from the Shibukawa-Ikaho Interchange and approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes from the Ueda-Sugadaira Interchange, depending on traffic and road conditions.
A Place to Learn Alongside a Visit to Kusatsu Onsen
A visit to the Kuriu Rakusen-en Historical Museum offers a different perspective on Kusatsu beyond its famous hot springs and beautiful mountain scenery.
After exploring the Yubatake and the streets of the hot spring town, visiting the historical museum and the nearby Jukanbo Museum provides an opportunity to learn about the people and communities whose lives were deeply connected with Kusatsu.
The history preserved here is not only about Hansen’s disease and the former sanatorium. It is also about community, discrimination, human dignity, and the importance of remembering the past.
By taking time to learn about this lesser-known chapter of Kusatsu’s history, visitors can gain a deeper and more complete understanding of the town and the people who have shaped it.