Tomata

Tomata lies among the mountains of northern Mimasaka, near the watershed with the Sea of Japan. The hot springs at Okutsu were known to the lords of Tsuyama during the Edo period. Mori Tadamasa, the domain's first lord, is said to have reserved a bath for his own use and locked it against villagers and travellers. This gave it the name Kagiyu, or the locked bath, a reminder of the privileges attached to lordship.