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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!