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| High- rise condominiums cluster around Kusatsu Station. Once a post- station town, the city is now a suburb with a population of over 110,000. |
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| One of the few aquatic plant parks in Japan. Filled with pleasant fragrances, the greenhouse is a sanctuary for around 65 types of aquatic plants from around the world. |
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| Every April, a ceremony to pray for the progress and safety of the company is held at this small shrine which stands by the entrance of Sumitomo Precision Products’ Shiga Plant. |
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Kusatsu is situated approximately in the center of the Japanese archipelago. It lies on a plain that extends all the way to the southeast of Japan’s largest body of water, Lake Biwa (a biwa is a traditional Japanese lute).
Located at the crossroad of major commercial routes, Kusatsu prospered in the Edo period (1603-1867) as a post- station town. Today, the city is a manufacturing base for various industries. To create new business opportunities involving univer- sities that have relocated to the area, a new project is underway to promote university- industry collaboration in research and development.
The city is an hour’s train ride from Osaka, the largest mercantile city in Japan, and only 20 minutes away from Kyoto, a tourist destination with numerous World Heritage sites. Attracted by the convenient access to major cities, each year an increasing number of people move to Kusatsu, now a well- known suburb of Osaka and Kyoto. High- rise condominiums line the streets near the station, and the shopping malls are bustling with activity.
Along the streets just five- minutes’ walk from the station, however, traditional Japanese houses with their distinctive whitewashed walls and tiled roofs, stone signpost, and inns that catered to the travelers of days gone by can still be found. According to a record dated 1843, over 70 inns, large and small, once lined both sides of the street.
With its old townscape and easy pace of life, Kusatsu still retains traces of the lifestyles of townspeople and travelers gone by. The lush trees, the flowing rivers, the historical sites, and the harmonious blend of both old and new, all contribute to the unique character and ambience that is Kusatsu.
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| Employees at the Sumitomo Precision Products’ Shiga Plant. |
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