A long day pairing Gunma's best-known hot spring town with the high-altitude plateau of Shiga Kogen just over the Nagano border, connected by the mountain road that climbs over the Shibu-Kusatsu (Shirane) pass. It only really works as a day trip in the warmer months when that road is open, and it's a full day of travel rather than a relaxed onsen soak - go for the combination of hot spring culture and alpine scenery, not for extended bathing time.
| Distance | 130km from Takasaki |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 2 hours by bus + train from Takasaki |
| Getting there | JR Agatsuma Line to Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi (90 min), bus to Kusatsu (25 min), then onward seasonal bus via Shibu Pass to Shiga Kogen (40 min, July–October only); or rental car via the Kusatsu Shiga Road |
| Address | Kusatsu Onsen, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma (start); Shiga Kogen, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano (end) |
How to get there
- Train + bus combination (slow but no car needed)
- Rental car (most flexible; 2 hour drive from Takasaki)
Location
Kusatsu Onsen, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma (start); Shiga Kogen, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano (end)
36.6199, 138.5985 View on map
Highlights
- Yubatake - the steaming central hot-spring field in Kusatsu that channels mineral water through wooden troughs and defines the town's centre
- Netsu-no-Yu - the bathhouse near Yubatake where staff perform yumomi, the traditional paddle-stirring of the hot spring water, as a timed demonstration
- Sai-no-Kawara Park - a riverside park above the town with open-air foot baths and small geothermal pools
- Shiga Kogen - a high plateau of marshland and forest that becomes a hiking area in summer and a large connected ski resort in winter
- Shibu-Toge (Shibu Pass) road - the high mountain pass connecting Kusatsu to Shiga Kogen, with roadside views back down over the volcanic terrain