Mt. Haruna

Mt. Haruna

A good place to hike and camp 

Mount Haruna, as it turns out is a great place to do all kinds of things, not just hike and camp. My first trip there was to see the beautiful fall leaves. Subsequent visits introduced me to more of what this mountain and lake have to offer. Hot springs, hiking, boating, horseback riding, go carts, food, Haruna Shrine, amazing winter illuminations... there is something for every season and interest. 

 I really liked Haruna Shrine. It gets really busy on the weekends because it is a supposed "power spot" but the natural beauty of the area is fantastic in any season. They also have a special kind of omikuji that is blank when you buy it, but characters appear when you put it in water. I don't put too much faith in fortune tellers, but it is kinda fun anyway. :)

The winter illuminations are totally worth the icy drive up, but take LOTS of warm clothes! It is so SO cold! 

Mt. Akagi

The long slopes 

Mt. Akagi 

Mt. Akagi is fairly close to Maebashi and as a result has a bit more going on. For our first visit to Akagi, we decided to visit Akagi Shrine, and Doitsu-mura. 

Akagi Shrine was really nice. The trees around the shrine created an atmosphere of calm, and peace with nature. 

Doitsu-mura on the other hand was like so many Japanese attempts to re-create foreign culture... a huge mess. They had New Zealand sheep, Mexican desserts, and a go-cart track... What about this was German again? Oh yeah the sausage. They did have good sausages. My friends (who has been to Germany) said were pretty close to the real thing... But I think its a little unfair to call yourself a "German Village" if only your sausages are German... 

Further trips to Akagi included the Senbon-zakura cherry blossoms, and the Gunma Flower Park. All worth the trip up the long sloped roads.  

 

Senbon Zakura Cherry Blossoms

Gunma Flower Park Winter Lights Event

Maebashi

Maebashi, the capitol of Gunma

the city of raw silk

Being that Maebashi is the capitol city I have been there countless times for work meetings, shopping, and cherry blossoms in the spring. For our photo we decided to go to the Kencho. It's not silk related, but it is very Maebashi. 

 

 

  The Kencho building is I believe the tallest building in Gunma, and it certainly stands out. Once you are out of the mountains, it is the most prominent land mark on the horizon. One of my friends learning Japanese often mistakenly calls it the Kancho (enema), so we now have a running joke that it is "kancho-ing" the sky.

Monument of Tago

The old monument of Tago

telling us of ancient times  

Not gunna lie... this location was a bit... underwhelming. It was an old rock, in a little hut, and you weren't allowed to take photos inside the hut.  There as a group of people there when we went, so we weren't even able to get into the hut to really see it up close. 

The memorial hall/museum near the monument of Tago was interesting though because there was more information and history about the marker stone and related items and events.

Tomioka Silk Mill

The silk mill in Tomioka City

first in Japan  

It's amazing to think something so light weight and strong comes from the cocoon of a worm... 

Many places in Gunma are historically famous for their production of silk. For myself, who has only really ever learned about the process for producing cotton, learning about silk was pretty interesting. If you have a chance, I recommend checking out Tomioka's silk mill. It's a great way to spend a rainy afternoon when outdoor activities aren't as much fun.

Nukisaki Shrine

Dating far back in history

Nukisaki Shrine 

Almost all shrines in Japan are built so that you have to walk "up" to them, ie climb stairs or a hill or something. Nukisaki however is situated so that you have to walk "down" to it. That may not seem very interesting to most people, but it is pretty rare, and for a nerd like myself, an interesting difference. 

 

Mt. Miyogi

Draped in the reds and golds of autumn 

Gorgeous Mt. Miyogi 

Miyogi is a jagged and slightly intimidating mountain. Most people I know who have climbed it said they found it a little unnerving, so my visit to this mountain was pretty laid back. My friends and I visited a shrine near one of the mountains parking areas. 

The shrine had a giant gold statue, of some sort of deity which was interesting but it was really the nature of Miyogi that was most memorable. Beautiful flowers, butterflies, and even some colorful lizards were high points of this trip for me. 

Agatsuma Canyon

Fantastic Agatsuma Canyon 

without a rival in Japan  

The time to visit Agatsuma Canyon is without a doubt fall. The leaves are beautiful, and the weather is still warm, making it enjoyable for a drive or walk. 

The road going through the canyon used to be the road for going to Kusatsu, but with the Yamba Dam building project, they built a bi-pass road. If they ever finish the dam it will considerably change the landscape so if you have a chance to go in the near future please do. 

Kusatsu

The hot springs of Kusatsu

Curative for your ills

 Kusatsu is on the top of my list of favorite places in Gunma, with one qualifier - I HATE driving in town trying to find parking. In true onsen town style the streets are super narrow, and if a shop has parking, its usually cramped and scary to get in and out of. However once the car is parked, I am always glad I made the effort.

For the official Jomo Karuta Tour visit, my friend and I decided to use the bus from Naganohara station, because neither my of us were very familiar with Kusatsu, and it can be pretty busy on the weekends. If you have a car though, I think it is better to drive than take the bus, since bus and train times are limited. 

Kusatsu's onsen water has a high sulfur content, which leaves your skin feeling amazing, but even if you aren't into getting naked with a bunch of strangers there are plenty of other things to do in Kusatsu as well. (skiing, hiking, yummy restaurants, Sainokawara Park, Yumomi performances etc...)

Friend & I with Kusatsu's character, Yumomi-chan

Yubatake at night

Mt Shirane's famous lake

At the base of the Yubatake

Kusatsu Ski Resort

"Onsen Tamago" (eggs soft boiled in hot spring water)

Ikaho Hot Spring

The hot springs of Ikaho 

among the best in Japan 

The first time my friend and I went to Ikaho was in the fall. The colors were absolutely amazing! My favorite fall leaves in Japan are the Japanese maples, and there was no shortage in Ikaho. The famous stone steps were under construction, and we didn't have much time to enjoy the rest of Ikaho so I determined that I would visit again. 

I finally made it back to Ikaho in March of this year for their famous Hinamatsuri display. They bring in children from around Japan to dress up as the different doll characters in a traditional Hinamatsuri display. The kids were so cute! If you ever have a chance to check out Ikaho's Hinamatsuri events, I highly recommend it. It is definitely not something you can see anywhere else. 

While we were waiting for the main event to start during Hinamatsuri, people from Ikaho's tourism board came and spoke about some of Ikaho's special points. One that I found especialy interesting was that onsen manju (which are popular all over Japan) apparently started in Ikaho! Most onsen manju have a brown skin, and apparently that is because they were made in the image of Ikaho's natural onsen water which is brown from minerals. 面白い！ 

Shima Onsen

The hot springs of Shima

Cleanse the body and soul  

  

Shima Onsen, up in the mountains of Nakanojo, is just close enough my apartment that it's easy to visit, but just far enough away that it feels like a little escape. Relaxing in the onsen, playing in the river, or walking around the dam, Shima quickly became on of my favorite places for a little escape. 

Shima River

My favorite photo I have taken in Shima

Kannon

Blessing us from her hill

Kannon, white-garbed Goddess of Mercy

 

Takasaki City's Kannon statue, perched on a hill is quite an impressive spectacle even from a distance. She seems to be inviting you to trek up the hill to see her.

 

However in true Japanese style, the roads to get you to her are a maze, from which you can see the goal but its hard to reach. Thanks to my friends iPhone we were able to find our way.

 

 

The Kannon statue is hollow and you can climb the stair inside for a nice view. The weather wasn't to good the day we went (that seems to be a pattern...) but we were still able to enjoy a nice view of Takasaki City from the view points inside the Kannon. The Kannon also houses a number of statues of other deities, and for this reason some people apparently say she is pregnant. ha ha.

Minakami & Mt. Tanigawa

Attracting skiers and climbers

Minakami & Mt. Tanigawa  

With Minakami Hot Spring, and a plethora of outdoor activities to enjoy throughout the year, it is impossible to fully enjoy Minakami in one day. For the official Jomo Karuta trip my friend and I decided to do a canoe tour which was a total blast. (even if I did get massively sunburned) 

Since the initial trip I have returned many times, with Hodaigi being one of my favorite ski resorts (which I have so far visited) in Gunma.

Gunma-chan Snowman at Hodaigi

Tone River

The Tone

The largest river in the Kanto Region

The Tone river cuts through Gunma, and before trains and cars, was used for shipping and transportation. Gunma may be lacking a sea coast, but with a plethora of rivers including the Tone you are never far too far from water.  The photo was taken from the Kencho observatory in Maebashi. 

Oze

Oze's enchanted wetlands

fields upon fields of flowers 

Well I can DEFINITELY confirm that it is a wet land. (ha ha) My friend and I wanted to go together before she returned home for good, so we ended up going in bad weather. As a result we ended up only walking about 7km round trip. I also ended up with a about an inch of water pooled up in my backpack... :P 

The nature in Oze is vast and quite impressive. One famous plant blooming in Oze is "mizubasho." In English, skunk cabbage. Somehow the name sounds better in Japanese. 

Even though the weather was pretty terrible, and we didn't get to explore as much as we had hoped, it was a great experience.