Sounding-Type Market Survey on the Effective Utilization of Municipal Hot Spring Facilities

Our city's municipal hot spring facilities consist of three facilities: Ei Chuo Onsen Center and Ei Beppu Onsen Center in Ei Town, and Fureai Center Wakuwaku Kawanabe in Kawanabe Town. They were constructed as facilities for citizens to relax and to promote health and welfare, and have been popular with citizens and people from both inside and outside the prefecture.

However, due to a decrease in users caused by population decline, changes in social conditions, and consideration for coexistence with private facilities in the city, we are in a situation where we are forced to reduce the number of municipal hot spring facilities.

In February 2018, the "Minamikyushu City Hot Spring Facilities Review Committee," composed of representatives of private hot spring operators in the city, repeatedly discussed the future direction and submitted a report recommending "abolition by the time the service life expires" and "consideration in the direction of exploring private transfer."

Furthermore, the Chiran Onsen Center, which closed in March 2024 due to the depletion of its spring source, is difficult to utilize as a hot spring facility in the future, and we are exploring new ways to utilize it in accordance with the surrounding facilities and environment.

In response to this, we will conduct a sounding-type market survey to gather various proposals and opinions from private businesses in order to grasp and organize the marketability and more accessible public offering conditions for the effective utilization of the assets (land and buildings) of the municipal hot spring facilities.

Target Facilities for Survey

- Ei Chuo Onsen Center (2890 Makinochi, Ei-cho, Minamikyushu-shi, Kagoshima)
- Ei Beppu Onsen Center (5991-2 Beppu, Ei-cho, Minamikyushu-shi, Kagoshima)
- Fureai Center Wakuwaku Kawanabe (2890-1 Hirayama, Kawanabe-cho, Minamikyushu-shi, Kagoshima)
- Chiran Onsen Center (17831 Kori, Chiran-cho, Minamikyushu-shi, Kagoshima)

Proposal Content

We are soliciting various proposals and opinions on how to effectively utilize the assets (land and buildings) of the municipal hot spring facilities.

- Whether there is marketability (possibility of private utilization) for the target facilities.
- Under what conditions you would consider utilization.

Example of Utilization Proposal

- A fitness gym operator: Enhance the training room at Ei Chuo Onsen Center, renovate the large hot spring bath into a sauna, and the large hall into an indoor sports ground, and carry out a large-scale renovation to create a fitness-centered facility. Hopes for a 10-year fixed-term land lease, free transfer of the building, and half subsidy for renovation and five years of operating costs.
- An accommodation facility operator: The city dismantles the Chiran Onsen Center, and the operator builds an accommodation facility. Hopes to purchase the land.

Eligibility for Participation in the Sounding-Type Market Survey

Participants shall be corporations or groups of corporations that intend to be the implementing body for the utilization of the target facilities. However, this excludes cases that fall under any of the following:

- Those who are gangsters or gang members as stipulated in the Minamikyushu City Ordinance for the Exclusion of Gangsters (Ordinance No. 28 of September 4, 2012), or who have a socially reprehensible relationship with gangsters or gang members.
- Those who are restricted from participating in general competitive bidding pursuant to the provisions of Article 167-4 of the Local Autonomy Law Enforcement Order (Cabinet Order No. 16 of 1947).

Procedure for the Sounding-Type Market Survey

Overall Schedule

- Publication of Implementation Guidelines: Friday, May 8, 2026
- On-site Briefing/Tour, Acceptance of Questions and Responses, Acceptance of Participation in Sounding-Type Market Survey (Submission of Entry Sheet): From Friday, May 8, 2026 to Friday, August 21, 2026 (as needed)
- Implementation of Sounding-Type Market Survey: From Monday, June 1, 2026 to Friday, September 4, 2026 (as needed)
- Publication of Summary of Results: By the end of September 2026 (planned)

Publication of Implementation Guidelines

We will publish the implementation guidelines, etc. on the city's website, etc., and recruit businesses to participate in the sounding-type market survey.

On-site Briefing/Tour

We will hold an on-site briefing and tour regarding the outline of the facilities and the sounding-type market survey.

Those who wish to participate should apply by email to the Social Welfare Section, Welfare and Health Division, Minamikyushu City, by 5:00 PM on Friday, August 21, 2026, stating their name, affiliated company/department name (or affiliated organization name), and phone number. Please use "Application for On-site Briefing/Tour (Business Name)" as the subject line.

*Even if you do not participate in the on-site briefing and tour, you can still apply to participate in the sounding-type market survey.

Acceptance of Questions and Responses

We will accept questions about the sounding-type market survey at any time, so please contact the Social Welfare Section, Welfare and Health Division, Minamikyushu City by email. Please use "Questions about Sounding (Business Name)" as the subject line.

Question Acceptance Period: From Friday, May 8, 2026 to 5:00 PM on Friday, August 21, 2026

Acceptance of Participation in the Sounding-Type Market Survey

If you wish to participate in the sounding-type market survey, please fill out the attached "Entry Sheet" and use the subject line "Request to Participate in Sounding