Ryokan in Minakami

水上

A town of mountain hot springs on the upper Tone River in northern Gunma, under Mount Tanigawa. The Joetsu Shinkansen reaches Jomo-Kogen from Tokyo in about 70 minutes; buses take 25 minutes on to Minakami Onsen and run to the springs further up the valleys.

Choosing an area in Minakami

Map of the town of Minakami, a dot for each ryokan and rings at Minakami, Takaragawa, Sarugakyo and Hoshi Onsen — © OpenStreetMap

Minakami Onsen 水上温泉
The main town, along the Tone River gorge by Minakami Station.
Takaragawa Onsen 宝川温泉
A riverside spring up the Takaragawa valley, north-east of the town.
Sarugakyo Onsen 猿ヶ京温泉
A hot-spring village above Lake Akaya, on the old road south of the mountains.
Hoshi Onsen 法師温泉
A single-ryokan spring at the end of a mountain road in the west of the town.

Minakami through the year

Spring春
March to May
Rafting on the Tone River starts in April; the water is wildest from April to June, with the snowmelt.
Summer夏
June to August
The rafting season runs through summer and on into November.
Autumn秋
September to November
Mount Tanigawa turns in October, and the Suwakyo and Minakamikyo gorges are busy in the colour season.
Winter冬
December to February
Snow from December to March, and ski areas that are among the closest to Tokyo.

The ryokan

Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku 宝川温泉汪泉閣
A ryokan at the end of the valley road in Minakami, with four large open-air baths along the Takaragawa river. Three are mixed and one is for women, and everyone wears the ryokan's bath wrap in them.
Onsen
YesFree-flowing, open 24 hours
Bath in your room
Some roomsSome East Wing rooms; none open-air
Tattoos
Not stated
See rooms and rates at Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku