Gunma Gunma Prefecture Western Area Guidebook 406 151 A B C D E 62 16 Niigata Shibukawa 335 Mt. Harunasan J 334 o Shibukawa- 336 e Ikaho IC 338 Lake Harunako t s u Nagano S １ h Yagihara １ i Tochigi Haruna-jinja Shrine n 333 Gunma k 102 Dosojin a Annaka City Takasaki City n of Kurabuchi s e 333 Tomioka City n 114 406 Shimonita Town Kurabuchi Ogurinosato Kanra Town Roadside Station 338 Komayose PA 342 Ibaraki Misato Komayose Smart IC 17 333 Nanmoku Village Fujioka City Shibazakura Park Gumma-Soja 17 Ueno Village Kanna Town ay 3 Takasaki w il a Saitama City R n inkanse 102 u Sh Jomo Electri c 114 Western Gunma okurik H Chuo Maebashi Tokyo Chiba Maebashi IC 76 Yamanashi Maebashi 50 50 Shim- Lake Kirizumiko Hachimanzuka ２ Maebashi ２ Sunflower Maze R 波志江 293 yo m Kanagawa Annaka City o スマート IC 17 Aputo no Michi Li Annakaharuna 406 ne 17 Ino 波志江 PA 18 Akima Plum Grove Komagata IC 太田藪塚 IC 316 Lake Usuiko Touge no Yu Robai no Sato Haruna Fruit Road Takasakitonyamachi Maebashi- 伊勢崎 IC Yokokawa SA Gumma-Yawata Kita-Takasaki Karuizawa Usuitouge Tetsudo Minami IC Usui Silk 332 Bunka Mura Reeling Annaka Takasaki IC 太田桐生 IC What is Yokokawa 18 伊勢崎 Cooperative e i n Takasaki Pageant Takasaki Matsuida- L 354 Takasaki Annaka City Office Takasaki Myogi IC u of Starlight 78 Nishi-Matsuida s JCT 39 t City office e - Minami 354 Isobe Onsen i n Hanadaka Takasaki 2 Matsuida h Byakue Myogi-jinja S 18 Flower Hill Dai-kannon Takasaki-Tamamura 128 Shrine Isobeyana Lookout Kuragano Western Gunma like? Mt. Myogisan Sano-no-Watashi Smart IC 2 Mt. Myogisan Isobe 東 291 Panorama Park Myogi Negoya Takasaki-Shoka 2 38 -Daigakumae 武 14 ３ Roadside ３ 315 69 Usui-Karuizawa IC Station 伊 The allure of Western Gunma lies in its diverse J The Three Stelae of Kozuke Kita-Fujioka 勢 o Fujioka 462 境町 s 崎 h （Kozuke Sanpi） Yamana JCT 世良田 354 in Fujioka IC 線 - Shinmachi e Nishi-Yamana 木崎 t s Lake Nyuko Raran Fujioka features, ranging from urban areas- beginning u Maniwa E Nishi-TomiokaJoshu-TomiokaHigashi-Tomioka Roadside Station Tomioka x Joshu-Nanokaichi Joshu-Fukushima 17 p Nukisaki-jinja Tomioka Joshu-NiiyaNishi-Yoshii 142 r Fujioka City Office City e Joshu- City Office Joshin Dentetsu Yoshii 254 利根川 s Shrine 高 with Takasaki City (the gateway of Gunma)- to s Ichinomiya Gunma-Fujioka w Tomioka Konnyaku Park Jyoshin-E xpressway tsu E 崎 361 Arafune Cold Storage a Kanohara Silk Mill Kanra Town Office y Tanofuji Tourist 線 Nanjai Kanra Yoshii IC Strawberry Park mountainous areas with plenty of wildlife. Shimonita IC Tomioka IC Roadside Kanra 407 West Shimonita Onsen PA Fuji no Saku Oka 152 254 “Arafune no Yu” 254 Sendaira Station 17 Make your Own Shimonita 上 Gunma Ogawazeki 越 Konnyaku Dojo Roadside Station Honjo-Kodama 新 Safari Park Samurai Residence and Nakakoji 幹 → 83 Lake Sannako 線 至大宮 → Shimonita Town Shimonita Katsudon Shimonita Town Office Kanra Rakusan-en IC → 至大宮 至熊谷 関 → Shimonita Furusatokan Takayama-sha 越 至上野 自 ４ Sericulture School ４ 38 Kanra Town 動 → Mt. Kurotakisan 車 至東京 CONTENTS Fudoji Temple Tsuchi to Tsukamoto Organic Chiijigaki Soba no Yakata Hi no Sato Park Blueberry Farm 道 The Lucky Town Oasis Nanmoku Sengataki Falls “Nasuan” Roadside Station → 4 Koinobori no Sato Fujioka City Sakurayama 至練馬 Takasaki City Nanmoku Park → Mt.Sakura-yama 至八王子 Colorful Japanese Wisteria and Winter Village Nanmoku Village Office Sakurayama Cherry Blossoms Tourist Mandarin Onishi Summer Orange Orchards Festival Joshu Onishi 6 Fujioka City Roadside 462 A City with World Heritage Sites Lake Kannako 8 City Office Ski Area Tomioka City Kanna Town Office Kanna Carp Streammer Festival Kanna Stream Festival Roadside Station Apple Picking The Flower, Pass, and Railroad Heritage Village ５ Kanna Manyo no Sato ５ Roadside Station Town Mountain 10 Cherry Picking Annaka City Kanna 299 Dinosaur Center 462 Onsen Facility A Village with the Peaceful, Vast Natural Sur- Grape Picking Ueno Village Office Onsen roundings Ueno Campsite Blueberry Picking 12 Ueno Village Roadside Station Ueno Sky Bridge Ryujin-no-taki Falls The Town of Dinosaurs and Carp Streamers Fujido Cave 299 13 Ueno Kanna Town Village Leeks, Konnyaku, and Shimonita Geopark Western Gunma 14 Shimonita Town Chushi-no-taki Falls Optimum Natural Surroundings and ６ ６ Beautiful Mountains and Rivers 15 Nanmoku Village A Castle Town with Ties to the Head of the Oda Clan Guide Map 16 Kanra Town 18 Gourmet Spots in Western Gunma A B C D E Western Gunma ❶ Dosojin Statues of Kurabuchi MAP／B-1 There are 114 Dosojin (guardian deities of travelers) stat- Takasaki ues around Kurabuchi that were built by the villages long ago. They are symbols of their wish for a peaceful life The Lucky Town and a safe journey for travelers. Located on the northern tip of the vast Kanto Plain, Takasaki Takasaki City is one of Gunma’s major cities. City Misato Shibazakura Park MAP／D-1 Byakue Dai-kannon and Cherry Blossoms MAP／D-3 Haruna Fruit Road MAP／C-2,D-2 Many local fruit stalls stand along this road. You can enjoy picking fruit such as Japanese nashi pears. MAP／D-3 The White-Robed Goddess of Mercy statue stands 41.8m tall and weighs The Three Stelae of Kozuke (Kozuke Sanpi) roughly 6,000 tons. It is well known as a place of good luck for singles, as it is These three ancient stone monuments have been nominated said that visitors will be blessed with fortune in finding a suitable partner. In in Japan for UNESCO Memory of the World listing. They are Red, pink and white carpet phlox are planted in a spiral pattern over the hillside. spring, the blossoms of 3,000 cherry trees come into full bloom. one of Japan’s most precious treasures for learning about our This park is designed to resemble a pink hagoromo – a legendary robe of feath- Best season: April ancestors’ lives. ers belonging to an angel. Best season: early April to early May Haruna-jinja Shrine MAP／C-1 This magnificent shrine is one of the most well-known spiritual spots in the Kanto region. The amazing honden (main sanctuary) blends in to the boulders surrounding it. The shrine’s harmony with its natural surroundings is one of its main charms. Haruna Shrine is even more alluring under a veil of snow. Lake Harunako MAP／C-1 Takasaki Pageant of Starlight MAP／D-3 Enjoy everything from fishing to trekking. In summer a fire- Downtown Takasaki sparkles with thousands of tiny lights from late November works display takes place over the lake. Roughly 3,000 fire- to late December. The stunning view from the observation deck on the 21st works light up the night sky. floor of City Hall is a must-see. Hachimanzuka Sunflower Maze MAP／D-2 Hanadaka Flower Hill Lookout MAP／D-3 Lake Harunako This sunflower maze is located near the ancient burial mound called Hachimanzuka Kofun. A beautiful garden planted with field mustard, cosmos and Dosojin Statue Haruna-jinja Shrine Best season: middle to late August other seasonal flowers with a panoramic view of the moun- 33 28 of Kurabuchi Kurabuchi Ogurinosato tains of the Kanto Plain. Roadside Station Misato Shibazakura Park 406 Hachimanzuka Maebashi IC Haruna Fruit Road Sunflower Maze 17 Takasaki Pageant of Starlight Takasaki IC 18 Hanadaka Flower Hill Lookout 354 Takasaki JCT Byakue Dai-kannon 17 Takasaki-Tamamura Smart IC Takasaki City Office 71 The Three Stelae of Kozuke （Kozuke Sanpi） 254 Yoshii IC 4 5 Western Gunma ❷ Fuji no Saku Oka MAP／E-4 This spot is famous for Japanese wisteria. There Fujioka are 250m high wisteria trellis and a sample gar- den with 45 kinds of Japanese wisterias. Enjoy Colorful Japanese Wisteria and Winter Cherry Blossoms various shapes and colors wisterias. Best season : late April to middle May Japanese wisteria flourishes in full bloom in the spring, and Fuyuzakura (winter cherry blossoms) in the winter. This area Fujioka also offers many fascinating events such as a historic sum- City mer festival and a fruit picking excursion. Sakurayama Park MAP／D-4 There are 7,000 Fuyuzakura trees and autumn leaves. The Fuyuzakura is designated as a national place of scenic beauty and a natural treasure. Best season : middle November to middle December Fujioka Festival MAP／E-3 This summer festival is resident’s participation event like the Miyamikoshi-Togyo a tradition of Suwa-jinja Shrine. MAP／D-4,E-4 Lake Sannako Onishi Summer Festival MAP／E-4 This is known as a mecca for catching Japa- This festival is held in middle July. The Shindenza- nese crucian carp in Japan. Anglers from all Takayama-sha Sericulture School (World Heritage Site) MAP／D-4 ka Run in which each team must pull their dashi over Japan gather and Japanese Crucian Carp (parade floats) up a hill and the Yoriai in which It was an educational institution for silk cultivation founded by Chogoro Fishing Tournament is held in September. five dashi meet up and play festive music are full Takayama. He established seion-iku, a method of carefully regulating ven- of excitement. tilation, temperature and humidity. Students from all over Japan studied at this institution. Tsukamoto Organic Blueberry Farm MAP／E-4 From middle July to middle September, visitors can pick safe blueberries Raran Fujioka Fujioka JCT grown organically. Roadside Station Fujioka IC Tanofuji Tourist Strawberry Park 254 Fuji no Saku Oka Sakurayama Tourist Mandarin Orange Orchards MAP／D-4 41 Tsuchi to Hi no Sato Park MAP／D-4 175 Lake Sannako Takayama-sha Sericulture School Four farms are located here.