Gunma attractions: what should I see and where should I bathe?
Choose Tomioka Silk Mill to see a factory that drew silk from cocoons, or Shorinzan to paint a daruma yourself. Takasaki museums offer history and art exhibitions open on your date. In Kusatsu, walk Yubatake or watch Netsunoyu yumomi. Choose Gozanoyu for indoor baths from two spring sources and a lounge, Otakinoyu for large indoor and open-air baths together, or Sainokawara for spacious outdoor bathing amid the park’s natural surroundings.
Attraction fees, hours and access
Tomioka Silk Mill
富岡製糸場
Tomioka Silk Mill retains brick warehouses and a silk-reeling building from the factory that drew silk from cocoons. The long warehouses and spacious reeling building without interior columns give a sense of the factory’s scale. Take Joshin Electric Railway from Takasaki to Joshu-Tomioka, then walk to the mill. Allow separately for return trains and visiting time.
- FeesIndividual admission costs 1,000 yen for adults, 250 yen for high school and university students with student ID, or 150 yen for elementary and junior high school children. A standard adult guided tour costs another 200 yen.
- HoursOpen 09:00–17:00, last admission 16:30. Closed December 29–31. Individual visitors do not need a reservation.
- AccessLeave the JR ticket gates at Takasaki and go left on the west side for Joshin Electric Railway. Alight at Joshu-Tomioka and walk about 15 minutes. Official guidance gives about 40 minutes for the train journey. Joshu-Tomioka · 上州富岡
- Visiting tipFor a guided tour, check its start time on your visiting day. Bring student ID if claiming a student discount.
Official visitor informationSilk mill accessIndividual visitor reservation informationTomioka Silk Mill: warehouses and silk-reeling building
Takasaki Byakue Daikannon
Byakue Dai-Kannon高崎白衣大観音
A walk to see the statue’s exterior and a visit up the interior stairs are different choices. Arrive before last admission if you want to go inside.
- FeesInterior admission costs 300 yen for high school students and older; 100 yen for junior high school children and younger.
- HoursOpen 09:00–17:00, until 16:30 November–February. No regular closing day.
- AccessAt Takasaki Station west exit stand 8, take Gururin Kannonyama Line route 14 via Kataoka to Byakue-Kannon-mae. Return on route 13 towards Takasaki Station. Adult fare is 200 yen each way; check your date’s timetable and signs on site.
- Visiting tipIf arriving late, see the exterior and move the interior visit to another morning. The interior visit uses stairs.
Takasaki Byakue Daikannon: interior fees and seasonal hoursOfficial Kannonyama mapKannonyama Line route 14: current outward timetableKannonyama walking mapGururin ordinary and 100-yen section fares
Kusatsu Yubatake
Yubatake湯畑
Walk around Yubatake’s hot-spring square and nearby streets. Exploring the square is separate from bathing, which takes place at accommodation or a bathing facility.
- FeesThe Yubatake square is free to explore. Check fees separately for nearby accommodation, performances and baths.
- HoursThe Yubatake square is open to explore 24 hours a day. Check hours separately for nearby accommodation, performances and baths.
- AccessFrom JR Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station, take a JR bus bound for Kusatsu Onsen. Yubatake is about five minutes on foot from the bus terminal. Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi · 長野原草津口
- Visiting tipTake time for walks and meals around Yubatake. For an evening walk, choose nearby streets and check restaurant hours separately from the square’s opening hours.
JR East: Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi, bus terminal and Yubatake accessTourism informationJR Bus route information
Netsunoyu
熱乃湯
In front of Yubatake, watch yumomi, in which wooden paddles stir and cool hot-spring water, and a dance performance. This is separate from bathing or a hands-on yumomi experience.
- FeesAdmission costs 700 yen for adults or 350 yen for elementary school children. Tickets are sold on site from 30 minutes before the performance; no reservations. Payment by cash or PayPay.
- HoursPerformances usually start at 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 15:30, 16:00 and 16:30. Check the calendar for changes or temporary cancellations on your date. Choose a performance to fit your Kusatsu arrival.
- AccessOfficial guidance gives five minutes on foot from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal. Look for the performance venue sign in front of Yubatake.
Performance and ticket-sale conditionsPerformance calendar by dateOfficial access
Gozanoyu
御座之湯
Gozanoyu has baths fed by Yubatake and Bandai spring sources. After bathing, rest in the large lounge at no extra charge. Admission is paid; private rooms cost separately.
- FeesAdmission costs 900 yen for adults or 450 yen for children. Medium paid lockers cost 100 yen. Bring your own towel.
- HoursOpen 07:00–21:00 April–November and 08:00–21:00 December–March; last admission 20:30. Bathers can use the large lounge 09:00–20:00 at no extra charge.
- AccessLook for the facility sign southwest of Yubatake. Use the tourism association map alongside official access guidance.
- FacilitiesWashing areas, shampoo, body wash and hairdryers are available. There are no open-air baths or towel hire. Paid private rooms and yukata hire are optional extras.
Gozanoyu: current fees and loungeGozanoyu: lockers, towels and facilities FAQGozanoyu location and accessGozanoyu baths from two spring sources
Sainokawara Open-Air Bath
西の河原露天風呂
At Sainokawara Open-Air Bath, soak in spacious outdoor baths with views of the park’s natural surroundings. A park walk and paid bath admission are separate. The facility FAQ gives roughly 12 minutes from Yubatake to the bath, while the tourist walking course gives roughly ten minutes to the park entrance. These estimates reach different places.
- FeesAdmission costs 800 yen for adults or 400 yen for children. Towels cost separately. The child rate applies from age three through elementary school.
- HoursOpen 07:00–20:00 April–November and 09:00–20:00 December–March. Last admission 19:30.
- AccessFrom Yubatake, follow Sainokawara Street into the park. Continue through the park following open-air bath signs.
- Visiting tipEnjoy the open-air bath at a leisurely pace the next morning rather than rushing around your arrival bus time. Check maintenance closure notices too.
Open-air bath fees and hoursOpen-air bath: walking, lockers and facilities FAQOfficial walking course to the parkSainokawara’s spacious open-air baths and natural views
Otakinoyu
大滝乃湯
Otakinoyu offers large indoor and open-air baths at one facility. With Kusatsu three-night or four-night course B, you spend a separate day here rather than combining it with other bathing facilities.
- FeesAdult admission costs 1,200 yen; paid coin lockers cost 100 yen. Private rooms, private baths and towels cost separately.
- HoursOpen 09:00–21:00, last admission 20:00.
- AccessFollow signs from Yubatake. Official guidance gives seven to eight minutes on foot; register for bathing at the facility entrance.
Otakinoyu fees and operationOtakinoyu walking access and lockersOtakinoyu access
Kusatsu Nettaiken
草津熱帯圏
See animals in Kusatsu Nettaiken’s tropical dome. With Kusatsu four-night course B, you spend a separate day here between bathing days. Animal-contact events are separate from general admission viewing.
- FeesAdmission costs 1,300 yen for adults, 1,000 yen for high school students, or 800 yen for children aged four and older.
- HoursOpen 08:30–17:00, with no regular closing day. Ask the facility about last admission before visiting.
- AccessOfficial guidance gives about 12 minutes on foot from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal. Follow the tourism map and signs on site to the entrance.
Kusatsu Nettaiken: tourism association fees, hours and walkKusatsu Nettaiken: official facility name and events
Gunma Prefectural Museum of History
群馬県立歴史博物館
At Gunma Prefectural Museum of History, see the special Noh costume exhibition alongside the permanent displays. Recheck admission when exhibitions change.
- FeesAdult admission of 1,000 yen includes the 115th special exhibition, September 18–November 23, 2026, and permanent displays. This differs from the 300-yen permanent-only admission when no special exhibition is held.
- HoursOpen 09:30–17:00, last admission 16:30. Mondays are normally closed; check the official opening calendar and special exhibition dates for your visit.
- AccessFrom Takasaki Station east exit, take Gururin route 9, 10 or 15 to Gunma no Mori. Adult bus fare is 200 yen; the museum is about five minutes on foot from the stop.
- Visiting tipAfter the exhibition, rest in the park before returning to Takasaki. The history museum and modern art museum are separate facilities in the same park.
History museum: 2026 special exhibition and feesHistory museum: 2026 opening calendarHistory museum access and facilities
The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma
群馬県立近代美術館
Take time to see Japanese and Western modern art at the Museum of Modern Art, Gunma. It shares the park with the history museum but has a different building and exhibitions. The collection exhibition below is temporary; check exhibitions and admission for your date.
- FeesOrdinary adult admission to the September 19–November 8, 2026 collection exhibition is 300 yen. Group rates and other special exhibition fees differ; check separately.
- HoursOpen 09:30–17:00, last admission 16:30. This exhibition closes Mondays and September 24 and October 13, but opens Monday September 21 and October 12.
- AccessFrom Takasaki Station east exit, take Gururin route 9, 10 or 15 to Gunma no Mori; adult fare is 200 yen. Follow the park map and modern art museum signs to the correct building.
- Visiting tipOctober park hours are 08:00–17:30. After the exhibition, rest in the park before returning to the Gunma no Mori stop. Check facility last admission, park hours and return buses separately.
Modern art museum: 2026 collection exhibition and feesModern art museum access and return bus timetable
Shorinzan Darumaji
Shorinzan Darumaji Temple少林山達磨寺
Choose Shorinzan Darumaji’s painting experience to see daruma in the temple grounds and paint one yourself.
- FeesOrdinary worship is free. Daruma painting costs 1,500 yen for 12 cm or 2,000 yen for 15 cm. Separate prayers and souvenirs are not included.
- HoursThe daruma hall is open 09:00–17:00. Workshop reception is 10:00–15:30, reserved start times 10:00–15:00, and the workshop closes at 16:00. Snow or typhoons may suspend workshops.
- AccessAt Takasaki Station west exit stand 4, take Gururin Shorinzan Line route 1 to Shorinzan-iriguchi. Official guidance gives about five minutes on foot to the temple, followed by about 200 more steps beyond the main gate to the upper workshop.
- Workshop reservationsIndividuals can participate without a reservation; groups of ten or more must book. The experience takes about 30 minutes, excluding waits. Same-day cancellations and no-shows incur a 50% cancellation fee; late arrivals may lose their place.
Official Gunma tourism: ordinary Shorinzan worshipDaruma workshop reception, prices and reservationsShorinzan facilities, hours and accessOfficial Gunma tourism: west-exit stand 4 and walkShorinzan timetable revised 2025 and west-exit stand 4
Takasaki City Museum of Art
高崎市美術館
At Takasaki City Museum of Art and the Former Inoue Residence, explore art exhibitions and the residence interior and garden. Close to the station, they can suit a final-day visit before departure. Human Figure runs only during the dates below, and residence interior hours differ from the museum’s.
- FeesDuring Human Figure, October 10–December 13, 2026, ordinary adult admission is 300 yen, including the Former Inoue Residence. This is a different ticket from the Museum of Modern Art, Gunma.
- HoursMuseum hours are 10:00–18:00, last admission 17:30. Fridays extend to 20:00, last admission 19:30. Residence interiors open 10:00–11:00 and 14:00–16:00. October–November garden hours are 10:00–18:00, last admission 17:30; in December they end at 17:00, last admission 16:30. October 2026 closures for this exhibition are the 13th, 19th and 26th.
- AccessOfficial guidance gives about three minutes on foot from Takasaki Station west exit.
- Visiting tipFor both museum and residence, consider visiting the residence interior after lunch during its 14:00–16:00 session. Afterwards, take your return train from Takasaki Station.
Takasaki City Museum of Art: Human Figure and feesTakasaki City Museum of Art and Inoue garden: seasonal hours and October 2026 closures recheckedTakasaki City Museum of Art: access and hoursHotel Metropolitan Takasaki: station access to sixth-floor receptionHotel Metropolitan Takasaki: check-in and luggage storage FAQOctober 2026 JR return journey check record
Frequently asked questions
Does Sainokawara Open-Air Bath cost 600 yen?
The facility operator’s information checked October 8, 2026 gives 800 yen for adults. Towels and other bathing facilities cost separately.
Official sources and check dates
- Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki: station access to sixth-floor reception ·
- Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki: check-in and luggage storage FAQ ·
- Kannonyama Line route 14: current outward timetable ·
- Gururin ordinary and 100-yen section fares ·
- Kannonyama walking map ·
- Takasaki Byakue Daikannon: interior fees and seasonal hours ·
- Silk mill access ·
- October 2026 JR return journey check record ·
- Performance calendar by date ·
- Performance and ticket-sale conditions ·
- Open-air bath fees and hours ·
- Open-air bath: walking, lockers and facilities FAQ ·
- Gozanoyu: current fees and lounge ·
- Gozanoyu: lockers, towels and facilities FAQ ·
- Gozanoyu location and access ·
- Official visitor information ·
- Individual visitor reservation information ·
- Official Kannonyama map ·
- Tourism information ·
- JR Bus route information ·
- Official access ·
- Official walking course to the park ·
- Otakinoyu fees and operation ·
- Otakinoyu walking access and lockers ·
- Otakinoyu access ·
- Kusatsu Nettaiken: tourism association fees, hours and walk ·
- Kusatsu Nettaiken: official facility name and events ·
- Shorinzan timetable revised 2025 and west-exit stand 4 ·
- History museum: 2026 special exhibition and fees ·
- History museum access and facilities ·
- Modern art museum: 2026 collection exhibition and fees ·
- Modern art museum access and return bus timetable ·
- Takasaki City Museum of Art: Human Figure and fees ·
- Takasaki City Museum of Art: access and hours ·
- Shorinzan facilities, hours and access ·
- Daruma workshop reception, prices and reservations ·
- History museum: 2026 opening calendar ·
- Official Gunma tourism: ordinary Shorinzan worship ·
- Official Gunma tourism: west-exit stand 4 and walk ·
- JR East: Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi, bus terminal and Yubatake access ·
- Takasaki City Museum of Art and Inoue garden: seasonal hours and October 2026 closures rechecked ·
- Tomioka Silk Mill: warehouses and silk-reeling building ·
- Gozanoyu baths from two spring sources ·
- Sainokawara’s spacious open-air baths and natural views ·