Last weekend we took the JR train all the way to Toyama, and stayed one night in Unazuki Hot Springs Resort. Unazuki is known for its good hot springs, and the gateway to the Kurobe Gorge. We couldn't visit the Kurobe Gorge, because the train line was canceled because of heavy rain last week. However, we were able to enjoy the hot springs there. It's much cooler than Kyoto and Otsu. It was really comfortable. I took a bath in the hot springs four times in day. It felt great.
The next day, we visited the Toyama Prefectural Itai-itai Disease Museum in Toyama city. Actually, there were four big pollution diseases in Japan. Itai-itai disease is one of them. More than 100 years ago, Kamioka Mine started to discharge pollution water including the cadmium into the Jinzugawa river. Many people used water from the Jinzugawa river for drinking, washing, and growing rice. The cadmium was accumulated in high concentrations the body. Finally, the high cadmium made their bones weak and easy to break. We have to learn about these Diseases, and never let them happen again.
