HAA is also committed to community activities.
One such activity is to preserve the onsen culture of Beppu, the birthplace of HAA.
In this issue of the Journal, we will introduce the details of these activities and their background.
Are there more than convenience stores? What are Beppu's "communal bathhouses"?
I saw the title "I became a supporter member of "Sujiyu Onsen".
When I saw the title "I became a supporter member of Sujiyu Onsen", I thought "What is a supporter member? What is "Sujiyu Onsen"?
This time, we would like to introduce you to Beppu's hot springs.
This is a local story about Beppu's hot spring culture, so I will explain it step by step.
Beppu City in Oita Prefecture is famous for its hot springs. Among them, there are more "communal bathhouses" called "local hot springs" (i.e., "jimousen") than there are convenience stores.
The fees for using public bathhouses are very reasonable, ranging from free to 300 yen. Locals go to these bathhouses on a daily basis, and they are an indispensable part of people's lives.
The wave of declining birthrates and an aging population is coming to the communal bathhouses.
These communal bathhouses are maintained and managed by the town's association fees in addition to user fees.
However, in recent years, due to the declining birthrate and aging population, the problem of lack of funds and manpower has become more serious. The "Sujiyu Hot Springs" we will discuss here has a history of unavoidably closing its doors in 2015.
（The "yumetake" in front of the sujiyu is a hot spring cooling device made of bamboo. It is an excellent invention that uses the power of nature to cool high-temperature spring water and bring it to the proper temperature.)
"I want to somehow revive Sujiyu Onsen."
In order to respond to the enthusiasm of its fans, Sujiyu Onsen has begun to expand its "union membership system.
In the first place, the union membership system is a subscriber system that allows unlimited access to the hot springs for one year upon payment of a fixed bathing fee, which is great for hot spring enthusiasts.
However, it was also a very local system, as membership was limited to residents of the area where the public bathhouse was located.
Sujiyu Onsen has expanded its membership to include the entire country. As a result, the number of union members increased significantly, and the company was able to get out of financial difficulties and reopen for business in 2016, a long-sought goal.
To preserve Beppu's hot spring culture, the source of deep breathing, and to connect it to the next generation
The HAA has joined this "membership system" in April 2023.
The membership system has two types: individual members and supporter members.
Individual membership: 2,000 yen per year for unlimited access
Supporter membership: 10,000 yen per year for unlimited access, including company employees and their families
At the entrance to the Sujiyu Hot Springs, the names of all the supporter members are listed. Among them, the HAA's name is also displayed.
The name of HAA is also displayed among them.
The names of HAA supporters are displayed among them.
(HAA members can bathe for free if they bring their own bamboo tag!)
We want to preserve the hot spring culture and pass the baton properly to the next generation. To this end, we at HAA would be happy to play a part, in cooperation with the local community.
HAA will also focus on community activities
We believe that community activities lead to a better environment not only for the people and businesses living there, but also for society as a whole.
In addition to supporting the communal hot springs introduced here, we are also actively engaged in collaborative projects with local businesses.
https://haajapan.com/blogs/journal/haa-qtnet
We will be introducing a few more in the future, so please stay tuned.
Also, if you or your company would like to do something with HAA, please contact us through our contact form.
