Golden week is one of the longest holidays that you can get if you work in Japan. This starting week of May is quite eventful so Japanese people love to enjoy the whole week with their family and friends. During this time of year, most of the tourist destinations are packed with travelers so mostly we try to avoid visiting famous locations. So, this year when I was surfing the internet for a day trip location, I had two things in my mind: the place has to be less popular and be close to Tokyo. I finally found a place I had never thought of visiting, despite being so close to Tokyo and that is Minakami town in Gunma prefecture. There is no special reason behind this but I think this place has never attracted my attention due to its lack of visibility on social media and very few advertisements. It is truly an urban oasis that is blessed with natural beauty and the more I know about this place, the more I wanted to go.
Minakami is a small hill town in Gunma prefecture, which is also known as the heart of Japan.
How to go: you can easily reach this weekend gateway by Shinkansen. From Tokyo Sta. to Jomo-Kogen Sta. it will take approx 66 mins and from Niigata Sta. to Jomo-Kogen Sta. it will take 61 mins. From there take a local train to reach Minakami Station.
But if you have enough time in your hand then get down at Takasaki Sta. and take SL Gunma Minakami which is one of the best attractions of this prefecture. This old-fashioned steam-locomotive train ride experience is not what you get every day right? .jpg) |
| SL Gunma |
The thrill is different when the train blows whistles through the mountains and dense forest of Gunma and reaches its destination. It is also known as Hogwarts Express because of its similar look and how it crosses the countryside in the same way.
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| Minakami Station |
Arriving at Minakami station our first destination was Norn Minakami which is a ski resort during winter but now it is a Daffodil paradise.
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| Norn Minakami |
Norn Minakami has a free shuttle bus service during the holidays. From the station, we took that bus to reach our destination. During our journey, one thing comes to my mind that it is not necessary to reach any specific location cause everywhere looks so picturesque..jpg) |
| View from the bus |
Before you get here, you have to buy a ticket to enter the park, and it is better to buy a one-way ticket for a chair car too. At first, we climb up by the chair car and then came down after looking around the area. |
| ropeway ride |
The snow-capped mountains in the distance, as well as the fresh leaf forest, all look so beautiful, and this Daffodil Valley adds to its beauty. Almost 1million daffodils with 70 varieties are in bloom with fresh fragrances covering the large landscape. After spending a great time there then we went back to the station. After finishing our lunch we walked around Minakami onsen town.
Since ancient times, Minakami has been blessed by water and locals have cherished it like an irreplaceable treasure. At this water Shangri-la, Canyoning and rafting are two of the most exciting outdoor activities that you can try. This emerald green river flows through the hills, beside that Daffodils and Sakura bloom here and there.
After the exciting activity walking on the promenade surrounded by flowers and trees along the Tone River can be refreshing. During the late springtime, you can enjoy the view of Sakura, and other beautiful flowers around you, and nature grow even greener during this time.
After seeing the clear river water rushing against the rocks, breathing this fresh air, and enjoying all the beautiful scenery here, you might feel a little jealous of the locals, because they are so lucky to get a chance to live here and everyday breathe in such fresh air and keep their body calm.
Compare to other hot spring districts in Japan, this town is not as busy and full of people. Lonely, rustic traditional onsens are among the hills here, which are the ideal places for such a weekend getaway. Some of the notable ones here are Minakami Onsen, Takaragawa Onsen, Hoshi Onsen, Tanigawa Onsen, and Sarugakyo Onsen. The shops here are rich in heritage. They look after the people of Minakami. A lot of locals live their entire life here and these shops have always been here for them.
As we walk around here, we come across an unfamiliar shrine on the mountain top, which is quiet and very pleasant. We saw a lot of double petal cherry blossom flowers blooming around at the Yuhara shrine precinct.
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| Yuhara Shrine |
However, there are many more places to visit such as Suwakyo Gorges, Lake Akaya, Kuroiwa Gorge, Tanigawadake Ropeway, etc.
To take some time out of daily life and keep the mind fresh, one can go on this one-day trip away from the hustle and bustle of the city to the lap of nature.
Anyone who wants to get a glimpse of this place along with this blog can open this vlog too.
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After finishing our lunch we walked around Minakami onsen town. 
After the exciting activity walking on the promenade surrounded by flowers and trees along the Tone River can be refreshing. During the late springtime, you can enjoy the view of Sakura, and other beautiful flowers around you, and nature grow even greener during this time.
Compare to other hot spring districts in Japan, this town is not as busy and full of people. Lonely, rustic traditional onsens are among the hills here, which are the ideal places for such a weekend getaway. Some of the notable ones here are Minakami Onsen, Takaragawa Onsen, Hoshi Onsen, Tanigawa Onsen, and Sarugakyo Onsen. The shops here are rich in heritage. They look after the people of Minakami. A lot of locals live their entire life here and these shops have always been here for them. 
As we walk around here, we come across an unfamiliar shrine on the mountain top, which is quiet and very pleasant. We saw a lot of double petal cherry blossom flowers blooming around at the Yuhara shrine precinct. 
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