8 Popular Tourist Spots You Should Definitely Visit on Your First Trip to Takasaki

Summer, when the city is full of energy, is especially recommended for sightseeing in Takasaki.
The Takasaki Festival, held every August, is a major summer event that attracts Approx. 900,000 visitors.
Food stalls where you can experience local food culture and traditions line the streets, while large festival floats and mikoshi portable shrines parade through the city.
Fireworks light up the summer night sky, creating fun summer memories unique to Takasaki.
Spring is also a great time to visit, as there are many famous cherry blossom spots.

From Tokyo to Takasaki, it takes Approx. 50 minutes by JR Shinkansen.
From Haneda Airport, it takes Approx. 1 hour 30 minutes by transferring between the monorail, local train lines, and the Shinkansen, while from Narita Airport, it takes Approx. 2 hours 30 minutes via the JR Narita Express and the Shinkansen.
From Osaka, you can reach Takasaki in Approx. 3 hours 40 minutes by Shinkansen via Tokyo Station.

Public transportation in Takasaki is well developed.
By using trains and buses, you can visit the main sightseeing spots with ease.

Mount Haruna, rising in central Gunma Prefecture on the northern side of the Kanto Plain, is one of Gunma’s most representative mountains and is known together with Mount Akagi and Mount Myogi as the Jomo Sanzan.
Surrounding Lake Haruna (1,100 m), which was formed by volcanic activity from Mount Haruna, outer rim mountains rise up, with Mount Kamongatake as the highest peak. Haruna Fuji, the inner rim mountain, is known for its beautiful shape. The Haruna Mountain Ropeway connects the lakeside to the summit area, where you can enjoy sweeping views of the Chichibu Mountains, the Tanigawa Mountain Range, and Mount Akagi.
On the mountain’s southwestern foothills stands Haruna Shrine, said to have been founded in the 6th century. It is believed to bring blessings such as good fortune and success in business, and in recent years has also become popular as a power spot for matchmaking.

A Zen temple of the Obaku school located near the Usui River.
It belongs to the sect that carries on the teachings of Daruma Daishi, the founder of Chinese Zen, and is famous as the birthplace of lucky daruma dolls.
Within the temple grounds are Daruma Hall, packed with daruma dolls of many kinds from past and present, Japan and abroad, as well as Senshintei, where the world-renowned German architect Bruno Taut once lived during his stay at the temple.
Bruno Taut studied Japanese culture at Senshintei and played a major role in introducing it within Japan and overseas, and his memorial monument has also been designated as a historic site of Gunma Prefecture.

A ropeway connecting the shore of Lake Haruna and the summit of Mount Haruna Fuji in Approx. 3 minutes.
It began operating in 1958, and in 1996 became the first in Japan to adopt a two-car connected gondola system with a capacity of 15 passengers.
As it steadily climbs through the rich natural surroundings of Mount Haruna Fuji, you can enjoy an aerial walk while taking in the magnificent scenery spread out before you.

A caldera lake formed by the volcanic activity of Mount Haruna, one of the Jomo Sanzan, it sits at an elevation of 1,048 m, and in winter the entire lake surface freezes over.
It is Takasaki City’s most popular outdoor spot, where you can enjoy beautiful scenery and nature throughout the year. In the refreshing highland air, you can enjoy boating, rental cycling, and auto camping.

A hirayama-style castle built Approx. 500 years ago in the early Sengoku period by the Nagano clan, senior retainers of the Yamanouchi Uesugi clan, the Kanto Kanrei.
Afterward, the Takeda, Oda, Go-Hojo, and Tokugawa clans successively ruled the castle, and during the time of Nagano Narimasa, it became known as an impregnable stronghold that repeatedly repelled attacks by Takeda Shingen.
The current castle ruins date from the time when Ii Naomasa was lord of the castle, and in 1987 they were designated a National Historic Site and selected as one of Japan’s Top 100 Castles.

Takasaki Byakue Dai-Kannon at Jigen-in Temple is a landmark of Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture.
Pure white, majestic, and wearing a calm expression, it has stood watching over the city since it was built in 1936.
It stands 41.8 m tall and weighs Approx. 6,000 tons.
The inside has a nine-story structure housing 20 Buddhist statues.
You can also climb the stairs up to shoulder height.
From the top floor, you can enjoy a sweeping panoramic view over central Takasaki and the distant mountains.

A museum that opened in October 1974 inside Gunma no Mori Park, a vast 260,000-sq.-meter site filled with Approx. 5,000 trees.
It is adjacent to the Gunma Museum of History, making it easy to enjoy visiting multiple museums.
The collection includes Approx. 2,100 works. It covers a wide range, from modern Western art by artists such as Renoir, Monet, and Picasso to modern and contemporary Japanese art, works by artists connected to Gunma Prefecture, and the Tokoan Inoue Collection centered on Japanese and Chinese antiquities.

A sightseeing spot in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, famous for its moss phlox. The best viewing season is usually from around mid-April to late April.
Approx. 260,000 moss phlox plants are planted across a vast 2.9-hectare site, coloring the park vividly with red, white, and pink flowers.
The most eye-catching area is said to have been designed to resemble the “cherry blossom-colored feather robe” left behind by the weaving princess Orihime. It stretches in bands and swirls dramatically, creating a truly impressive sight.

A conveniently located business hotel about a 7-minute walk from Takasaki Station.
It is also close to sightseeing spots such as Takasaki Castle Ruins Park, Takasaki Park, and Takasaki Byakue Dai-Kannon, making it an ideal base for exploring the city.
Its biggest highlight is the large public bath, Haruna no Yu, on the top floor.
It features an artificial hot spring made with Togo® Warmtite, said to resemble a natural hot spring and believed to help with lower back pain and neuralgia.

Located on the 6th through 10th floors of the Takasaki Station building, the gateway to northern Kanto, this hotel offers outstanding access as a base for both business and leisure.
The front desk and lobby are decorated in a calm style, warmly welcoming guests.
The hotel offers 11 types of guest rooms, including economy, standard, deluxe, and special rooms.

Located in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, Hotel Coco Grand Takasaki is an excellent base for sightseeing.
It is directly connected to the deck at the east exit of Takasaki Station and is just a 3-minute walk away, offering exceptional access.
The area around the hotel is well equipped with a variety of facilities, including restaurants where you can enjoy local food, department stores, and museums, helping support a comfortable trip.