Gunma Hotels

Gunma Prefecture is a rural area of Japan where you can enjoy natural and cultural attractions as well as excellent food and interesting wares. Most people enjoy hiking and skiing at Mount Kusatsu-Shirane, which features the crater-lake Yugama, famous for its emerald green waters and oddly high acidity. Whilst you may not want to take a dip in Yugama, there are excellent hot springs called onsen by the Japanese in nearby Kusatsu. This town also features the Yubatake, an impressive waterfall that is a main source of hot spring water for the onsen. While you are there, you should pick up some of the Yunohana bath salts and other traditional souvenirs.
A popular gift item in Gunma, specifically in the city Takasaki, is the egg-shaped daruma doll that comes with unpainted eyes. You paint one eye as you make a wish and then paint the other if the wish comes true.Gunma is known for its fantastic cuisine and agricultural products. Udon noodles made from local winter wheat are a favourite from Mizusawa. For a truly unique experience, you can visit two of Japan's amazing Melody Roads in Gunma as well. They are built to play the tune ‘Memories of Summer’ as you drive over them.

When To Go

Gunma has changing seasons with significant temperature changes from summer to winter. A hot, dry wind called kara-kaze blows during the winter, which makes rain less common in these months. In contrast, summers in Gunma are hot and humid and marked with frequent thunderstorms. July through September contain the wettest months with 18-21 cm (7.1-8.3 in) of accumulation. July and August are the hottest months with high temperatures of 29-30°C (84-86°F). Winters can be quite cold with temperatures just below freezing. Autumn is a great time to visit Gunma, as the temperatures are pleasant at 15-20°C (59-68°F) and there is a lot less rain than in the summer. Spring is not quite as warm, but it is also a much drier season with less frequent storms.

• Kara-kaze blows in winter

• Summer highs 29-30°C (84-86°F); winter lows 0 to -1°C (32-30°F)

• Annual rain fall 116 cm (46 in)

Getting There

While trains are the main mode of transportation used in the rest of Japan, rails services are more limited in Gunma. You will have no trouble getting to Gunma by train, but there are few routes for getting around by rail within the prefecture. You can use the Joetsu Shinkansen and the Nagano Shinkansen lines from Tokyo, but the Nagano Shinkansen will end at Takasaki, where you will change over to the Takasaki line. Renting a car is easy and popular in Gunma, where more residents drive than anywhere else in Japan. You can hire a car right outside Takasaki Station and in many other parts of the prefecture. National Route 17 and Kan-Etsu Expressway are both north/south roads through the prefecture, while the Kita-Kanto Expressway runs east.

• Train: Joetsu Shinkansen/Nagano Shinkansen lines from Tokyo

• Car rentals popular and convenient

• Drive: Kan-Etsu, Kita-Kanto Expressways/National Route 17

HotelClub Blog

iPhone App Guide to Asia