Gunma has a way of feeling immediately comfortable for a group of women travelling together. The prefecture combines the intimacy of traditional onsen culture — ryokan common rooms, yukata robes, private female baths — with the kind of low-key activities that make for a genuinely relaxed trip: hand-painted daruma dolls, a bowl of udon in a centuries-old building, and an afternoon on a still crater lake. Here is how to build a memorable three-day girls' trip through the heart of the prefecture.
Ikaho Onsen — Golden Bath Experience
Ikaho Onsen’s most famous feature is its mineral-rich iron spring, which turns a distinctive amber-orange on contact with air. The water is said to benefit circulation and skin texture, and soaking in it feels noticeably different from standard hot springs — warmer, silkier, and slightly rusty in colour. Most ryokan in Ikaho channel this spring into their indoor baths, and several offer female-only bathing hours in the evenings.
The Stone Steps and Evening Stroll
The town is built on a slope, with 365 stone steps running through its centre and a scatter of shops, snack stalls, and small cafes on either side. Walking the steps in a yukata after dark — when the lanterns are lit and the chestnut-paste shops are still open — is one of the classic Ikaho experiences. Wear your inn’s yukata with geta sandals; most ryokan will explain the dress code at check-in, and the stroll to Ikaho Shrine at the top of the steps takes about 15 minutes.
Ryokan with meals in Ikaho typically cost ¥18,000–¥30,000 per person per night and include both dinner and a Japanese-style breakfast. Booking a ryokan with a shared female-only outdoor bath gives the best atmosphere for a group trip.
Daruma Painting at Shorinzan Darumaji
The Shorinzan Darumaji Temple in Takasaki is the source of roughly 80 percent of all daruma dolls produced in Japan — the squat, round papier-mache figures associated with wish-making. Visiting the temple and painting your own daruma is one of the more memorable craft activities available anywhere in the Kanto region.
The Ritual
The tradition is to purchase a blank daruma (prices start at a few hundred yen for a small figure, rising to several thousand for larger ones), then paint in one eye while making a wish. The second eye is painted in when the wish is fulfilled. The temple sells pre-painted dolls in the traditional red as well as blank forms ready for customisation. Brushes and paints are available on-site.
The temple grounds are calm and photogenic, with cedar trees and stone lanterns lining the approach. The Shorinzan Daruma Fair, held on 1 and 7 January each year, is Japan’s largest daruma fair and draws enormous crowds; if you visit at that time, book accommodation weeks in advance. For a quieter experience, any weekday visit outside peak season is perfectly relaxed.
Mizusawa Udon Lunch
A few kilometres below Ikaho, the Mizusawa udon restaurant row is a highlight in its own right. About a dozen traditional wooden buildings line both sides of the road, each serving variations of Mizusawa udon — a thick, chewy, semi-transparent style of hand-cut noodle with a history stretching back more than 500 years.
How to Order
Most restaurants offer a set menu displayed with pictures or plastic food models outside. The standard order for a group is a basket (zaru) of cold noodles served with dipping sauces — typically a soy-based broth, a sesame sauce, and a grated yam sauce — plus tempura on the side. Prices run ¥800–¥1,500 for a main serving, with tempura additions of ¥300–¥600. Sharing an extra tempura platter between the group is common and encouraged.
The most popular restaurants can have a wait of 20–30 minutes on weekend afternoons. Arriving at 11 am when restaurants open avoids the longest queues.
Lake Haruna Rowboat and Haruna Shrine
About 30 minutes by car from Ikaho (or accessible by bus from Shibukawa Station), Lake Haruna sits in the caldera of an ancient volcano at around 1,100 metres elevation. The lake is ringed by forested hills, and on clear days the reflection of the surrounding peaks makes for outstanding photographs.
Rowboat Rental
Rowboats are available for rent at the lakeside for approximately ¥1,000 per 30 minutes, with pedal boats also on offer. The lake is small enough to circumnavigate in a leisurely hour, and the combination of cool mountain air and the quiet of the water makes for a thoroughly unhurried afternoon. Rental shops are open April through November; outside those months, the lake may be accessible for walking but boat rental is typically not available.
Haruna Shrine
On the southern shore, Haruna Shrine sits against a dramatic backdrop of volcanic cliffs and towering cedar forest. The approach involves a series of steep stone stairways and torii gates, with the main hall perched on a ledge overlooking the lake. The shrine dates to the 6th century and is considered one of Gunma’s most spiritually significant sites. Allow at least 45 minutes for the full walk from the lakeside to the main hall and back.
Tomioka Old Town Shopping
If your group includes anyone interested in craft goods or local produce, the stretch between Joshu-Tomioka Station and the UNESCO-listed Tomioka Silk Mill (about a 10-minute walk) passes through a well-preserved old merchant district. You will find shops selling silk scarves, handwoven textiles, local pickles, and handmade accessories. It is a more relaxed shopping experience than most tourist-area shopping streets — genuinely local, with smaller crowds.
The silk mill itself is worth at least 90 minutes. English materials are available, and the brick-and-timber architecture photographs very well in the afternoon light.
Suggested 3-Day Girls' Trip Itinerary
Day 1 — Takasaki and Tomioka: Arrive by Shinkansen to Takasaki (50 minutes from Tokyo). Lunch in Takasaki. Train to Tomioka (40 minutes, ¥660) for the silk mill and old town shopping. Return to Takasaki. Shorinzan Darumaji Temple in the late afternoon (a short taxi ride from the station). Dinner and overnight in Takasaki.
Day 2 — Ikaho Onsen and Mizusawa: Morning bus or rental car to Ikaho (from Shibukawa Station, buses run roughly hourly). Lunch at Mizusawa udon row. Afternoon arrival at your chosen Ikaho ryokan; check in, change into yukata, and relax in the baths. Evening stroll up the stone steps to Ikaho Shrine. Dinner at the ryokan.
Day 3 — Lake Haruna and Haruna Shrine: Morning check-out. Drive or bus to Lake Haruna (30 minutes from Ikaho). Rowboat rental on the lake. Walk to Haruna Shrine. Lunch at a lakeside restaurant (grilled corn and local snacks are common in summer). Return to Shibukawa Station for the train back to Takasaki, then Shinkansen to Tokyo.
Practical Tips
Car versus bus: A rental car from Takasaki gives the most flexibility for Day 2 and Day 3, especially for Lake Haruna, which has infrequent bus service. For Day 1 (Tomioka), the train is both simpler and cheaper.
Group ryokan booking: Most Ikaho ryokan have rooms for 2–4 people with in-room dining. Booking the same room or adjoining rooms for a group of four is usually possible if arranged directly with the inn, rather than through a booking platform.
Best seasons: Spring (late March to early May) and autumn (mid-October to mid-November) offer the most pleasant temperatures and the best colours on the hillsides around Ikaho and Lake Haruna. Summer (July to August) is popular but humid at lower elevations; the lake and mountain areas stay noticeably cooler. The Daruma Fair in January is a special experience for those who do not mind cold weather and larger crowds.