10 spots โ sorted by traveller rating
Kusatsu's waters are so hot (92ยฐC at source) they must be cooled by the traditional yumomi method โ large wooden paddles rhythmically churned through the bath to cool without diluting the minerals. Twice-daily performances at the Netsunoyu bathhouse, accompanied by folk songs, demonstrate this 400-year practice as theatrical art before visitors enter the actual bath.
The Tone River gorge above Minakami offers some of Kanto's most accessible white-water rafting, with guided Class III runs through dramatic granite canyon walls just 2 hours from Tokyo. Spring snowmelt creates the most powerful flows (MayโJune), while summer offers warmer water for families. Bungee jumping and canyoning can be combined in the same trip.
Japan's most celebrated hot spring resort โ the iconic Yubatake (hot water field) at the town centre pumps 32,300 litres of acidic water per minute, surrounded by Edo-period bathhouses and lodgings.
One of Japan's top ski resorts with reliable powder snow, 21 courses, and night skiing โ and uniquely, ski-lift access from the hot spring town itself for a ski-and-onsen combination day.
A free daily performance at the Yubatake-side bathhouse โ local attendants perform the traditional 'jikan-yu' hot water stirring ceremony to cool the scalding 95ยฐC spring water, set to folk song.
A remote hot-spring hamlet in a deep mountain gorge said to be the model for the setting of Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away โ its old wooden bathhouses and bridge are hauntingly atmospheric.
A charming Meiji-era hot spring resort built on a steep hillside, with a famous 365-step stone stairway lined with ryokan, souvenir shops, and temples โ one of Japan's most photogenic onsen towns.
Drive through open enclosures where lions, tigers, bears, and elephants roam freely around your car โ one of Japan's best drive-through safari experiences, an hour from Takasaki.
The Agatsuma and Tone river valleys are lined with apple, pear, and plum orchards offering pick-your-own experiences from August through November โ a popular autumn countryside outing.
When Lake Haruna freezes over in January, hundreds of ice fishing tents appear on the surface for smelt fishing โ a beloved Gunma winter tradition open to visitors with equipment rental.
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