n internist came to Kusatsu for the first time. B�lz was one of the fathers of modern western medical science in Japan and court physician to the emperor. He was convinced of the healing power of the hot springs in Kusatsu, and began scientific research into them with a view to convincing the townspeople of the need to teach the correct application of the hot springs to Japanese medical doctors.
Taish? to Heisei
In 1914, the Kusatsu ski club was founded.
In 1926, the construction of the Kusakaru railway line between Kusatsu and Karuizawa, which had been begun in 1908 was finished.
In 1948, a ski lift was erected on Mount Tengu, near Kusatsu. It was the first ski lift in Japan, with Kusatsu going on to become one of the country's first proper ski resorts.
In 1964, rail services to the town ceased after the closure of the nearby sulfur pit and the ensuing loss of freight traffic, which made operation of the line uneconomic.
In 1992 and 1994, Kenji Ogiwara from Kusatsu won two Olympic gold medals in the Nordic combined team events, as well as three world cup championships (twice individual, once team) in Nordic skiing between 1993 and 1997. His brother Tsugiharu won the world championship with the Japanese team in 1995
