By far the best time to really enjoy bathing in hot springs is during the winter, and so, desperate to check out why Japan is so famous for its onsens, I headed to Kusatsu in Gunma prefecture. Kusatsu Onsen is considered one of Japan’s top three hot springs, along with Gero Onsen in Gifu, an..
With a variety of options, dining at the Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 is a real pleasure. In the first floor restaurant, Shirakaba, there is an impressive Japanese/International buffet for breakfast, lunch (weekends only), and dinner. Food item..
Looking for lunch one day while I was visiting Kusatsu, I checked out the various options around Yubatake, "Hot water field", the focus of the town. I found a promising-looking menu on a chalkboard, and followed a little passage to Souan Ca..
The central focus of Kusatsu is Yubatake, 'Hot water field', an open space where volcanic water gushes out of the ground, steaming generously and reeking of sulphur. It's encircled by souvenir shops and restaurants, and one that I went to..
If you are planning to spend a relaxing weekend away from the routine of the metropolis and away from the big cities then Takasaki, in Gunma prefecture about 100 km northeast of Tokyo, is certainly a leading option. The Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki is..
The Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 is a wonderful get-away only two hours from central Tokyo. With the Minakami Kogen Ski Resort on-site, and many other activities year-round, it is a perfect choice for anyone with an active lifestyle. If you decide to sta..
Minakami has become one of Japan's top resort areas for people with an active lifestyle. Located only two hours from central Tokyo, the Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 offers a impressive variety of activities in every season and is the perfect place to..
Akagi Shrine stands on a small peninsula in Lake Onuma in Guma. The intensely red paint of the shrine and the long narrow bridge between the peninsula and the main shore creates a striking contrast to the lake and surrounding mountains. If you visit ..
After visiting Nikkō National Park, we did a two day summer road trip through Gunma Prefecture, visiting Lake Onuma and Akagi Shrine, beautiful Kakumanbuchi, Fudō Falls and Fukiware Falls, Mizusawa Kannon-ji Temple, Haruna Shrine and Mount Haruna. We..
I liked Haruna Shrine in Takasaki, Gunma better than Tōshō-gu. One reason is the fabulous decorative wood carving on the buildings. Dragons cavort among flowers and other beasts under the eaves, crawl up the pillars, and curl around the wooden piling..
