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Therapeutic springs (hot springs expected to have therapeutic effects) are classified into simple springs, saline springs, and therapeutic springs containing special components based on the chemical components contained in the hot spring, and each is further subdivided.
Simple springs are those with a dissolved substance amount, excluding gaseous substances, of less than 1000 mg (1 g) per 1 kg of hot spring water, with a spring temperature of 25°C or higher. Among simple springs, those with a pH of 8.5 or higher are called alkaline simple springs. Many alkaline simple springs give a smooth feeling to the skin when bathing, and are sometimes called "beauty baths." The spring quality names such as "simple spring," "weak alkaline simple spring," and "alkaline spring" are often seen, but such spring quality name representations are incorrect.
Saline springs are those with a dissolved substance amount, excluding gaseous substances, of 1000 mg (1 g) or more per 1 kg of hot spring water. The term "saline" here does not refer only to table salt (sodium chloride), but to substances (salts) formed by the combination of anions and cations. Saline springs are further subdivided based on the type of anion contained as the main component (the component with the highest mval value), into chloride springs, bicarbonate springs, and sulfate springs. With the revision of the "Guidelines for Hot Spring Analysis" in 1978, the way of representing spring quality names changed, and in the case of saline springs, what was previously called "salt spring" is now written as "sodium-chloride spring," connecting the cation name and anion name with a hyphen (-). Currently, both old and new spring quality name representations are used, with the old spring quality name representation like salt spring being called the old spring quality name, and the new spring quality name representation connecting ion names with a hyphen being called the new spring quality name.
Chloride springs are saline springs where chloride ions are the main component of anions. There are sodium-chloride springs (old spring quality name: salt spring), calcium-chloride springs, magnesium-chloride springs, etc., but the latter two spring qualities are not well known. Among sodium-chloride springs, those containing 5.5 g/kg or more of sodium ions and 8.5 g/kg or more of chloride ions are specifically called sodium-chloride strong saline springs (old spring quality name: strong salt spring).
Bicarbonate springs are saline springs where bicarbonate ions are the main component of anions. There are sodium-bicarbonate springs (old spring quality name: baking soda spring), calcium-bicarbonate springs, magnesium-bicarbonate springs, etc. Among these, sodium-bicarbonate springs (baking soda springs) are weakly alkaline to alkaline, softening the stratum corneum of the skin and giving a smooth feeling, and are sometimes called "beauty baths."
Sulfate springs are saline springs where sulfate ions are the main component of anions.
Sodium-sulfate springs (old spring quality name: Glauber's salt spring)
Calcium-sulfate springs (old spring quality name: gypsum spring)
Magnesium-sulfate springs (old spring quality name: Epsom salt spring)
Iron (II)-sulfate springs (old spring quality name: green vitriol spring)
Aluminum-sulfate springs (old spring quality name: alum spring), etc.
Because the word "sulfate" or the character "sulfur" meaning sulfur is used in sulfate springs, they are often misunderstood as "stinging water" or "water containing sulfur," but they are not necessarily such characteristic hot springs.
Among therapeutic springs, those with a dissolved substance amount, excluding gaseous substances, of less than 1000 mg (1 g) per 1 kg of hot spring water, but containing five types of substances (special components) such as carbon dioxide, as defined in Table 12 of the definition of therapeutic springs, above the standard value, or saline springs mentioned earlier containing special components above the standard value, are classified as "therapeutic springs containing special components." These are further subdivided as follows.
These are hot springs containing special components above the standard value, with a spring temperature below 25°C.
These are hot springs containing special components above the standard value, with a spring temperature of 25°C or higher.
Among saline springs, those containing 1 mg/kg or more of hydrogen ions are prefixed with "acidic-" to the spring quality name of saline springs. A hyphen (-) must be attached.
In the case of saline springs containing special components other than hydrogen ions above the standard value, the spring quality name of saline springs is prefixed with "containing carbon dioxide-", "containing sulfur-", etc.
When tea leaves or tea are added to the source of a simple iron spring or containing iron spring that has just sprung up, the color of the hot spring may turn black. This is because tannin, a substance contained in catechin in tea, reacts with iron ions to form black tannin iron precipitate. When drinking hot spring water containing a lot of iron to supplement iron, if you drink tea immediately, tannin iron, which is difficult to absorb into the body, is formed, making it difficult to supplement iron, so care is needed. When bathing in hydrogen sulfide-type hot springs of simple sulfur springs or containing sulfur springs, if you bathe with silver rings or necklaces, silver reacts with hydrogen sulfide to become black silver sulfide, and silver products turn black, so care is needed.
A hot spring analysis report is created based on the analysis of the hot spring quality. It shows the components, quantities, and compositions of anions, cations, free components, and trace components per 1 kg of sample (hot spring water) in tables, etc. The spring quality name of the hot spring is determined based on the spring temperature, types of components, quantities, compositions, etc., shown in the analysis report.