Tone is the northern-most region of Gunma and includes Numata City, Minakami Town, Kawaba Village, Katashina Village, and Showa Village. Some of the higher altitude areas can have cooler summers than other parts of Gunma, and cold but beautiful snowy winters.
Given its mountainous location, most of the region is relatively inaka. However, don’t take that to be a bad thing! Tone is blessed with an abundance of natural attractions such as amazing natural onsen, ski resorts for all skill levels, Oze National Park and hiking trails, making it a prime outdoor recreation destination all year round. Be sure to try some of the outdoor sports up in Minakami, such as bungee jumping, canyoning, rafting, or even paragliding!
Numata is small in comparison to the major city centres, so while it isn’t the best place for shopping, it has a good selection of restaurants and izakaya.
Tone is easily accessible via train and car; give the scenic route a go if you plan on driving! While it takes a little longer than the expressway (toll way), the stretch of Route 17 in Tone runs alongside the Tone River and many of the mountain roads provide breathtaking scenery.