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Agatsuma Region / Agatsuma Gun is in the west of Gunma and starts as you enter the mountains after Shibukawa. Towns and villages include: Nakanojo, Takayama, Kuni, Kusatsu, Higashi Agatsuma Town, Azuma, Nakanojo, Tsumagoi and others. As you travel from Nakanojo to Tsumagoi your altitude increases dramatically, and so do the winter weather conditions! The area is beautiful, especially the famous Agatsuma gorge where people visit during leaf color changing season. Life here is a little slower than city life, and getting around normally depends on car or train. In the summer the temprature is a little cooler than Maebashi, and there are plenty of places to enjoy hikes, picnics, bbq's etc! In the winter, travel gets more difficult because of heavy snow and ice. But, there are some great ski/snowboard resorts near Tsumagoi and Kusatsu. Also of note, Kusatsu is one of the most famous onsens (hot springs) in Japan.

Higasgi Agatsuma / Haramachi Town is conveniently located only 1 hours from Takasaki and Maebashi, and only 2 hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen (3 hours by local train, 2 1/2 by local express). It's the central town for shopping in Agatsuma region. Haramachi adjoins Nakanojo town and is not far from Takayama and Azuma. There are many restraunts located on the main street, including ramen shops (Miso Zen is particularly good and cheap), yakiniku (Korean bar-b-q), sushi, Italian, Soba and Udon, and traditional Japanese food too. Also, for those of you who miss western food, there is a KFC. Also on the main strip is Jupiter karaoke, an expensive place, but drinking and singing is such a great past time here! There are some sports grounds by the river available for baseball and soccer. It's also a lovely place for a picnic or bar-b-q! Also, for all you baseball fans, there is a batting practice centre called the Smile Factory. There are about 3 izakayas (Japanese bars), but the search continues... There is a castle Iabitsu-jo that is of modern construction which contains a gymnasium, onsen, and conference centre. The train station here is GummaHaramachi (ぐっまはらまち　群馬原町).

In conclusion, Haramachi is a wonderful small town surrounded by beautiful mountains. It's nicely located at the start of the Agatsuma Region mountains but not far the big towns and citys of Gunma. So, whether you want to enjoy a hike, boatride on Lake Haruna, snowboarding, or if you wish to go shopping, clubbing, and city pursuits in Shibukawa, Takasaki, or Maebashi you are only an hour away from everything. The best of both worlds!

With approximately 1500 people, Ueno is the smallest village in Gunma. It has been referred to as the most famous village in Japan because of a disastrous event. On August 12, 1985, Japan Airlines Flight 123 crashed in the mountains of Ueno, killing 520 people on board. Miraculously, four people survived. It remains the worst single-aircraft disaster in history. Osutaka-yama, the mountain where the accident took place, can be hiked. There are many shrines and a memorial at the top. The hike takes about 90 minutes.

Ueno Village is also known for its beautiful natural setting. There are a plethora of hiking courses ranging from family-oriented to difficult. The Kanna River runs through Ueno and is a popular spot among fishermen. There are a half dozen waterfalls, and a few good swimming holes along the river. A detailed hiking map (in Japanese) can be obtained at the michi no eki along the main road.

The Uenomura Sky Bridge and caves are also a popular place to visit on a beautiful day. The Sky Bridge is a foot bridge spanning between a beautiful valley near the Fujido Caves. The caves are worth checking out, but be sure to bring an extra layer...it can be chilly.

Maebashi is the capital of Gunma. The city stretches out from the southern face of Mt. Akagi. This puts it slightly south-east of the center of the prefecture.

Things in Maebashi:

Gunma Prefectural Offices

Gunma Lifelong Learning Center

General Traffic Center

Prefectural Library

Gunma Flower Park

Ogo Green Flower Ranch - This facility has a Dutch windmill, 22m in height. There are animals such as cattle, sheep, and ponies that are part of a pettin zoo. There are also a roller slide, a barbeque garden, and a bungalow facility. In the spring, about a thousand cherry blossom trees bloom along the waking trails and around the ranch.

Shikishima Park - Shikishima Park has a rose garden with about 2000 roses made up of over 200 varieties. The park also has a pine forest with around 3000 pine trees, a botanical garden, and a large green field.

Akagi Plateau Ranch Kronenberg

Events and Festivals:

All Japan Corporate Marathon Relay Race ()- About 30 teams from all over the country compete in a relay road race that is over 100 kilometers long. As they are the leading runners in Japan, many people go and cheer the racers on from the sidelines. It starts and ends in front of the prefectural office.

Maebashi Hatsuichi Festival (Daruma Market) (前橋初市まつり（だるま市）) - This festival is held every year on the 9th of January. The main reason for this festival is the yearly sale of Daruma dolls. Additionally, the festival has karyu drumming, the Lion Dance, and a parade of traditional Japanese wooden floats.

Maebashi City Marathon - This is a half marathon race that starts from the Green Dome. It's held in late April. Anyone can participate in the race.

Maebashi Tanabata Festival (前橋七夕まつり) - This festival takes place in mid July. The festival lasts four days and is filled with events and contests.

Maebashi Fireworks (前橋花火大会) - The fireworks display in Maebashi is held on the 19th of August. The fireworks are launched along the banks of the Tone River. If you want to brave the crowds, the opposite bank of the river provides a view from directly below the explosions.

Maebashi Festival (前橋まつり) - This festival takes place in mid October. Dancing, parades, and portable shrines and floats can all be found along with your normal festival goodies.

Takayama is a village in the Agatsuma district of Gunma. The village has a population of just over 4000 people. The kanji for Takayama mean tall mountain(s). This is appropriate as the village is just about surrounded by mountains.

Things in Takayama:

Schools- There are two schools in Takayama: Takayama Jr. High School (高山村立高山中学校) and Takayama Elementary School (高山村立高山小学校).

Star Festival (星まつり) - This festival is held every year at the end of February. A giant star is lighted in the evening at the national youth hostel. The star is accompanied by lighted kanji. The kanji change from year to year, so there's always something new to look forward to.

Hiking - As Takayama is encircled by mountains, hiking trails abound. The hiking in Takayama is easy going and can definitely be done as a day trip.

Golf - If you like golf, there are four courses available in Takayama.

Onsens - Takayama has two hotspring facilities: Takayama Onsen Fureai Plaza and Takayama Onsen Ibuki-no-Yu.

Gunma Astronomical Observatory - As the village is home to this observatory, there is an ordinance regarding "light pollution". The village asks for residents' and visitors' cooperation in keeping the sky easy to observe.

Lockheart Castle - Lockheart Castle is an actual Scottish castle that was dissasembled, shipped to Japan, and then pieced back together again. (This was during the "bubble" era.) The castle has shops, stages events, and hosts weddings.

The characters of the city name translate as 'paulownia tree' and 'life.' The name is unusual in that the second character's reading starts with a half sized character (ゅう).

Kiryu is located in the southeast part of Gunma, near the Tochigi border. The city is actually split into two parts. This is the result of when, on June 13, 2005, the villages of Niisato and Kurohone merged into the expanded city of Kiryu. The city of Midori now runs through the middle.

Things in Kiryu:

Caribbean Beach - Caribbean Beach The is an indoor heated water amusement park. The energy used to heat the water park is generated by the anitation center, which is located next to the park. When refuse is burned, the heat generated is funneled off to the park. It is constructed with a tropical island motif. The facility has a pool equipped with a wave maker, a water slide and for serious swimmers, there is an olympic size heated swimming pool.

Kiryugaoka Zoo and Amusement Park - Yes, Kiryu has its own zoo. Be warned, it's a typical Japanese zoo with lots of kind of sad looking animals in concrete barricades. The zoo is owned and operated by the city and entrace is free of charge. There are over a hundred species of animals. The zoo is ope year round.

The amusement park is north of the zoo. It is open from 9:30-4:00 every day except Tuesday. (Days after holidays are also closed.) Admission to the park is free but the rides have cost a little.

Kiryu Motorboat Race Course - This race course is open year round with both day and night racing. The boat race course, located on a man-made lake, is publicly operated and the proceeds from betting go to help support public works projects.

Kiryu Nature Sanctuary

Kiryu Yagibushi Festival - The Yagibushi Festival is held on the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in August each year. The central event is yagibushi dancing. Kiryu's streets are blocked off and yagibushi bands perform in a yagura (elevated stand) around which people dance. The normal fare of Japanese festival foods are available and the tanabata decorations make for a lovely stroll through the streets. (Tanabata actually occurs in July, but it's been combined into the festival.)

Kiryu Ebisuko - Kiryu Ebisuko is held on the 19th and 20th of Novemver at Nishinomiya Shrine. Merchants come to pray for success in business. The streets along the festival route are lined with stalls which are decorated with good luck charms.

Kurohone Summer Festival - This festival is held at the Mizunuma Sports Park on August 15 -16.

Niisato Festival - The Niisato Festival is held at Niisato Sports Ground on August 15.

Minakami is the largest and northernmost town in Gunma.　It's made up of the former towns of Minakami and Tsukiyono and the former village of Niiharu. The town used to use the kanji of 水上, but since the merger in October 2005, has switched to just using the hiragana for the name.

Things in Minakami:

Mt. Tanigawa - 谷川岳(Tanigawa-dake): Mt. Tanigawa is located in the northwestern part of Gumma, on the border with Niigata. The mountain is part of the Joshinetsu Heights National Park. It consists of two "ear ridges", Tomano-mimi and Okino-mimi. And, at 1977 meters, it is also known as the lowest mountain in Honshuu that keeps perpetual snow.

Tanigawa Ropeway: You can take the ropeway up to the top of the mountain for a great view. The base of the ropeway is just past Doai Station. The 1321 meter ride to Tenjin-daira Terminal takes about ten minutes. You can get two way or one way tickets and hike back down if you like. The view is fantastic.

Urami no Taki - 裏見の滝: You can look at this waterfall from a walkway just behind it.

Naramata Dam: This is a large rockfill dam that you can climb to the top of. There is a great view of the lake and surrounding mountains.

Ski Slopes - Minakami is home to a number of ski slopes.
Akazawa - 赤沢
Minakami Houdaigi - 水上宝台樹
Minakami Kogen - 水上高原
Minakami Kogen Fujiwara - 水上高原藤原
Minakami Okutone - 水上奥利根
Norn Minakami - ノルン水上
Oh-ana - 大穴
Tanigawadake Tenjindaira - 谷川岳天神平
White Valley - ホワイトバレー

Nakanojo Town is a central cross roads in Northwestern Gunma. It is bordered by Takayama to the east, Onogami and Agatsuma Town to the south, Niigata Prefeture to the far north, and Kuni to the west. Routes 353 and 145 cross here.

The main draw of Nakanojo is Shima Onsen, located in the north of Town. Nakanojo also has many interesting spots to visit. The history museum near the town office is an old Meiji era school. There is also a place called the Yakuoen, which is a sort of herb amusement park. Lots of really good food (all you can drink/eat beer garden too!).

There are 3 big festivals in Nakanojo. In winter, there is the Tori-oi Matsuri where these large drums are wheeled through town so that everyone can bang on them for good luck. In the summer, August has the Nakanojo Festival, and September has the Ise-machi Festival.

Nakanojo is known mainly due to the fact that it is the home town of ex-prime minister Keizo Obuchi (小渕恵三).

This is the main train station for Nakonojo town.

Twin Plaza is a beautiful double building in Nakanojo-town. It houses both the town's Board of Education as well as a branch of (the only one?) the Agatsuma Library.

The library has both a special study area where you can bring food and drink, as well as traditional study areas in the main library. It also has lots of videos (you can view them at the library only) and CDs (which you can check out for free!).

It also has meeting rooms, practice rooms for dancing and music, and a theater! Every month, they show a different movie, usually Saturday afternoon. It's about 1000 yen to get in, and obviously a great deal for those who live out in this part of Gunma.

Niiharu was another of the many small towns in Northern Gunma. However, back in October of 2005, along with Tsukiyono-machi, it became part of the town of Minakami and, thus, it no longer exists.

There are quite a few onsens including the famous Hooshi onsen, which is very old and also coed.

The scenery along the road leading to Niiharu is fantastic, it makes for a nice drive even if you have no other reason to head to the town.

Things in Niiharu:

Akazawa Ski Slope: A small ski slope, but cheaper than anything in Minakami.

Tainaiji Temple: Known for its wish granting.

Takuminosato (たくみの里): This artisan village is a must see in Niiharu Village. many shops have activities that visitors can partake in. Bicycles are available for rent too.
1.香りの家 House of Aroma
2.人形と石画の家 House of Dolls and Rock Masks
3.七宝焼の家 Cloisonne House
4.竹細工の家 House of Bamboo Craft
5.木工の家 House of Wood Craft
6.おめんの家 House of Masks
7.わら細工の家 House of Rice Straw Crafts
8.陶芸の家 House of Rock Art
9.藍染の家 House of Cloth Dying
10.和紙の家 House of Japanese Paper
11.木織の家 House of Woodcloth
12.須川宿資料館 Sugawa Area Museum
13.くるみの家 House of Walnuts
14.急須の家 Japanese Tea House
15.マッチ絵の家 Matchbox Painting House
16.鈴の家 House of Bells
17.布遊びの家 Cloth Making House
18.ガラスの家 House of Glass
19.漆と染の家 House of Laquer and Dye
20.おしばなの家 House of Pressed Flowers
21.ぬり絵の家 Lacquer Painting House
22.ドライフラワーの家 House of Dried Flowers
23.農産物加工の家 House of Agriculture
24.福寿茶屋 Tea House