Japan rewards couples who venture beyond the well-worn city circuit, and Gunma Prefecture is one of the most genuinely romantic destinations the country offers. Within two to three hours of Tokyo, the mountains here shelter onsen towns that feel genuinely removed from the contemporary world: a 300-year-old inn where steam rises from the river below your window, a volcanic crater lake where the water catches the last of the evening light, a hot spring field that glows amber after dark while lanterns flicker along narrow lanes. Gunma is the kind of place where a honeymoon slows to the right pace naturally, and where the combination of thermal bathing, outstanding cuisine, and mountain scenery creates the conditions for a genuinely restorative beginning to a marriage.

Shima Onsen — Spirited Away Romance

Deep in the Agatsuma valley, roughly 90 minutes by car from Takasaki, Shima Onsen sits at the end of a winding mountain road beside a clear-running river. The town is small and unhurried, and its most famous accommodation, Sekizenkan ryokan, has been receiving guests continuously since 1691, making it the oldest operating ryokan in Japan.

Sekizenkan and the Spirited Away Connection

The main building of Sekizenkan — the Honkan wing with its red lacquer bridge over the river — is widely cited as one of the inspirations behind the Aburaya bathhouse in Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film. Whether or not that connection is literally true, the visual and atmospheric parallels are striking enough to make arrival feel like stepping into something out of the ordinary. The timber-frame buildings, the rushing river below, the sense of age in every corridor and tatami room combine to create an environment unlike anything available in contemporary hotel accommodation.

Private Baths and the Ryokan Experience

Booking a room with a private attached bath (kashikiri onsen or in-room bath) is strongly recommended for honeymooners. The mineral-rich water of Shima Onsen is clear, gentle on the skin, and at a comfortable bathing temperature. An evening alternating between the private bath, the main communal bath (with its beautiful period interior), and a kaiseki dinner in the room or dining hall sets the tone for the rest of the trip. Reservations should be made well in advance, particularly for peak autumn and spring periods. Check Sekizenkan’s official site or Japanese booking platforms for current rates and availability.

Kusatsu by Night

Kusatsu Onsen transforms after dark into one of the most atmospheric onsen towns in Japan. The Yubatake hot spring field — a series of wooden sluice channels through which the 60-degree source water flows and cools before distribution to the town’s baths — is lit from within at night, creating a glow of steam and warm light at the centre of the town that is genuinely beautiful.

Evening Strolls and the Otakinoyu Show

The streets radiating from the Yubatake are lined with ryokan, small restaurants, sake shops, and confectionery stores. An evening walk through the town — ideally after a bath, in yukata and wooden geta — is one of the simple pleasures of a Kusatsu stay. The Otakinoyu bath (¥600 entry) stages the traditional yumomi performance, where long wooden paddles are used to cool the scalding spring water while performers sing old Kusatsu folk songs. The combination of the theatrical ceremony and the quality of the bath itself makes Otakinoyu a worthwhile stop before or after the Yubatake walk.

Late evenings in Kusatsu are genuinely quiet. The tour groups depart before dinner, and the town settles into an unhurried calm that suits couples who are not looking for nightlife but want an atmosphere.

Lake Haruna at Dusk

Lake Haruna occupies the caldera of a dormant volcano at about 1,100 metres above sea level, an hour’s drive south of Kusatsu. The lake is exceptionally still on calm evenings, and the reflection of the surrounding forest and the sky above creates a meditative quality that photographs cannot fully capture.

Rowboat Rental and Clifftop Shrine

Rowboats and pedal boats are available for hourly rental at the lakeside from spring through autumn. An early evening rental — arriving around 16:00 and rowing for an hour as the light softens — is one of the most romantic simple experiences the prefecture offers. The water is cold and clear, and the surrounding hills rise steeply enough to create a sense of enclosure.

Haruna Shrine, one of Gunma’s most significant spiritual sites, is set into the cliff face at the lake’s southern edge. The approach follows a cedar-lined path through increasingly dramatic rock formations, and the shrine buildings themselves occupy positions that seem to grow directly from the stone. A late-afternoon visit before the rowboat, or an early morning visit before other visitors arrive, makes the most of the atmosphere. The shrine is associated with wish-fulfilment and is a meaningful stop for couples beginning a new life together.

Ikaho Golden Bath

Ikaho Onsen, built on a hillside about an hour from Takasaki, offers two distinct spring waters: the famous golden water and a secondary clear spring. The golden water earns its name from its iron content, which oxidises in contact with air and gives the bath and the stone channels leading to it a warm amber-brown hue.

The Water’s Appeal

The iron-rich golden water is said to promote circulation and leave the skin feeling smooth, and the warmth of the colour has an inherently intimate quality when bathing in low evening light. The stone-stepped main street of Ikaho, lined with small shops selling pickles, sake, and local crafts, is worth a slow evening stroll after bathing. The steps ascend to Ikaho Shrine at the top, and the view down the illuminated staircase from the upper reaches after dark is one of the town’s most memorable images.

Romantic Kaiseki Dinners

Gunma’s mountain environment provides an exceptional seasonal larder for kaiseki, the multi-course formal Japanese meal that is the defining culinary experience of any ryokan stay. Spring brings mountain vegetables (sansai) and freshwater fish from the prefecture’s clear rivers. Summer adds ayu sweetfish and cool dishes designed for the heat. Autumn is the peak season, with matsutake mushrooms, Gunma wagyu beef from the Jomo Gyu brand, and vivid seasonal garnishes across every course. Winter meals centre on warming preparations and the deep flavours of preserved and fermented ingredients.

What to Expect

A standard ryokan kaiseki begins with small seasonal appetisers and progresses through sashimi, a clear soup, grilled fish or meat, a simmered dish, and concludes with rice, pickles, and miso soup. The pacing is unhurried, courses arrive at intervals that encourage conversation, and presentation reflects considerable craft. At the better ryokan in Shima Onsen, Kusatsu, and Ikaho, the meal is included in the room rate and can be taken in your room for full privacy. Communicating dietary restrictions at the time of booking is essential — Japanese ryokan kitchens are generally accommodating but need advance notice.

Winter Romance at Kusatsu

Kusatsu in winter is a different experience from the other seasons but arguably the most romantic of all. Snow covers the town from late December through February, and the contrast of white rooftops, frozen lanes, and the ever-present steam from the thermal water creates an atmosphere that is difficult to find anywhere else in Japan.

Private Rotenburo and Sake by the Fire

The outdoor baths (rotenburo) available at many Kusatsu ryokan are at their best in winter, when the gap between cold air temperature and hot water makes every minute in the bath intensely pleasurable. Snow falling on the water, stars visible overhead on clear nights, and the sound of the town’s quietness combine to create something genuinely memorable. Many ryokan provide a shared lounge with an irori hearth or a small fireplace, and sake warmed in the traditional ceramic flask (tokkuri) alongside an evening’s quiet conversation is an uncomplicated but perfect way to spend a winter evening.

The ski resort above the town means that couples with different preferences — one who wants to ski, one who wants to bathe and rest — can find their own ideal day and reunite for the evening meal.

Suggested 3-Night Itinerary

Night 1 — Shima Onsen: Arrive by car in the late afternoon. Check in to Sekizenkan, take the private bath, dinner in-room. Morning walk along the river before departure.

Night 2 — Kusatsu Onsen: Drive to Kusatsu. Afternoon at the Yubatake and Otakinoyu, dinner at the ryokan, evening stroll through the lantern-lit streets. Next morning is free for the ski resort (winter) or mountain walks (other seasons).

Night 3 — Ikaho Onsen (or Lake Haruna base): Drive south to Lake Haruna for an afternoon rowboat and Haruna Shrine visit, then to Ikaho for the golden bath and stone-step evening stroll. Return to Tokyo the following morning from Takasaki by shinkansen.

Practical Tips

  • Private bath booking: Request a kashikiri onsen room or book private bath time when making your reservation. Premium rooms at top ryokan sell out months ahead for autumn and winter weekends.
  • Best seasons: Autumn (October to November) for foliage and cooler temperatures; winter (January to February) for snow and ski resort; spring (April to May) for cherry blossom and fresh mountain air. Summer is busy and humid at lower elevations.
  • Getting there: JR Limited Express from Ueno to Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi, then bus to Kusatsu, is the most convenient public transport option. A rental car from Takasaki offers full flexibility to combine Shima Onsen, Kusatsu, and Haruna in one trip.
  • Announcing your honeymoon: Many ryokan offer small complimentary touches — a decorative arrangement, a dessert course, a written welcome message — when you mention you are on a honeymoon at the time of booking.
  • Packing: Lightweight yukata are provided at all ryokan, but bring slippers and warm socks for winter corridor walks between rooms and communal baths.