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Gunma

Japan’s premier hot spring kingdom offering majestic mountain adventures and authentic rural escapes

Overview of Gunma

A landlocked prefecture in the Kanto region, Gunma is famous for its many high-quality hot springs and beautiful mountains.

Around 14% of Gunma’s total area is protected land, including portions of the Nikko and Oze National Parks, as well as Joshin’etsu Kogen National Park and Myogi-Arafune-Saku Kogen Quasi-National Park. This abundance of protected wilderness makes it a paradise for hikers, skiers and anyone craving clean mountain air.

The prefecture’s cultural identity was shaped significantly during the Meiji era. The Tomioka Silk Mill, established in 1872, is Japan’s first modern silk factory for processing silkworm cocoons into raw silk. The mill was built as a model factory by the Japanese government with help from French specialists to improve silk quality and introduce Western-style technology. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most historically significant landmark in the prefecture. Beyond silk, Gunma is equally known for its daruma dolls, which are produced primarily in Takasaki, the prefecture’s largest city.

Within the prefecture, there are over 200 onsen that visitors can use. Kusatsu, Ikaho, Shima and Minakami are the four main onsen areas of Gunma. Among them, Kusatsu onsen stands out — boasting Japan’s largest volume of flowing hot spring water, with more than 32,300 liters flowing every minute.

Getting to Gunma

The main gateway to Gunma is Takasaki Station. From Tokyo Station or Ueno Station, catch the Joetsu Shinkansen to Takasaki Station, which takes around 50 minutes. From Takasaki, local trains and buses connect to the rest of the prefecture. The Agatsuma Line runs toward Kusatsu Onsen (get off at Naganohara Kusatsuguchi Station, then take a bus), while the Joshin Dentetsu line connects to Tomioka and the Silk Mill.

Direct buses to Kusatsu are also available from Shinjuku Bus Terminal — take the JR Joshu Yumeguri-go bus to Kusatsu, via Ikaho Onsen. The journey from Shinjuku takes approximately three hours.

Things to do in Gunma