Discover Minakami

Minakami combines hot spring areas spread across the municipality with mountain landscapes and historic sites. If you’re still weighing which focus suits your trip, consider a few specific questions: Which hot spring area interests you, when would you like to hike on Mount Tanigawa, and are you more drawn to hands-on craft experiences or castle history?

Hot Springs and Their Variety

The “18 hot springs of Minakami” is a collective name for numerous independent hot spring areas spread across the municipality. It refers neither to a single bath nor to a uniform water quality. These include simple, alkaline, sulfur-bearing, and sodium-calcium-sulfate springs. Facilities and services vary by area. For planning your trip, choosing a specific hot spring area is therefore more informative than relying on the collective name alone.

Mountain Hiking and Scenery on Mount Tanigawa

The Gunma Border Ridge Trail is an extensive mountain route that runs from Minakami to the village of Tsumagoi. Hiking on Mount Tanigawa is possible from the mountain opening ceremony, which takes place on the first Sunday in July. At this time of year, you can also see delicate alpine flowers there. The Border Ridge Trail is defined by its length and two endpoints; at Mount Tanigawa, the mountain opening ceremony marks the start of the season. Ichinokurazawa on Mount Tanigawa is considered one of Japan’s three great rocky areas. In midsummer, the visible remaining snow makes the scenery especially impressive. These seasonal references highlight different things: the start of mountain hiking is linked to the ceremony in July, while the remaining snow is a feature of midsummer.

Traffic on Ichinokurasawa Road

General vehicles are prohibited year-round on Ichinokurasawa Road, an approximately three-kilometer section of National Route 291 at the foot of Mount Tanigawa. Bicycles, emergency vehicles, and service vehicles are exempt. Electric buses operate there for visitors. As the shuttle runs seasonally, check the timetable before traveling.

Crafts, Food Culture, and History

Takumi-no-Sato comprises more than 20 workshops offering hands-on experiences in traditional crafts such as woodworking and washi paper-making.

The regional brand “Minakami Tamaki” recognizes select products made with local ingredients or distinctive regional materials and closely associated with food culture. Crafts and food culture offer different ways to experience the local culture: Takumi-no-Sato focuses on hands-on experiences with traditional techniques, while Minakami Tamaki recognizes select products with a strong regional character.

The ruins of Nagurumi Castle are the remains of a mountain castle that Masayuki Sanada had built as an advanced base for capturing Numata Castle. The main enclosure and the second defensive enclosure remain in their original form. For historical volunteer guided tours of the ruins, contact the information center.

Discover more destinations: Fujiwara, Numata, Takasaki, Maebashi, Fujioka, Tomioka, Tsunago, Isesaki

For the overview of the wider region: Gunma Prefecture.