Gunma Prefecture hotels & places to stay

Osenkaku, Takaragawa Onsen is one of the best onsen resorts in Japan. The resort was located in Gunma prefecture. You can access the resort with ease from Tokyo station (shinkansen), in which will take you about 75 minutes from Tokyo station to Jomo-Kogen station, then, a resort shuttle bus will pick you up from there and will take approximatety 40 more minutes to reach the hotel. The free shuttle bus service are available at 09:40 am. (from hotel to Minakami / Jomo-Kogen station and 14:00 pm , 15:00 pm. (from Jomo-Kogen and Minakami station respectively). Outdoor onsen are superb, the mineral water are taken from the river itself, great nature!. The staff speaks good English and they are really helpful. If you want to feel the lifestyle of the traditional Japanese, this hotel is your answer.

The hotel is not exactly consider as cheap, but the location is best. it's just around the first junction from station exit. Best base for being in Takasaki then travel to other nearby city or tourist spot. The room space is bigger than most of the Japanese hotel. Basic facilities are all there. considering it's in Japan, as such a big hotel, it's a pity there is no public bath at all. Similar priced APA do offer this as common service. no other comments for the hotel.

My gf and I decided to walk to the hotel from the bus station to explore more of the beautiful town, which was only about a 10 minute walk. The hotel is situated on top of a hill between the Yubatake (town center) and Sainokawara park/onsen which I think is quite a good location. As soon as we arrived, the staff welcomed us warmly and helped us get checked in emphasizing to us "please make yourself feel at home". Upon entering our room, i was surprised, the Tatami room (halfboard) i booked was larger than expected, 1 living room and 1 bedroom connected to a small indoor porch with two chairs for those guest who would like to read and sip on some tea / and 1 bathroom. The room was very comfortable. At night our kaiseki dinner that came at around 6.30pm was great as well, especially the shabu, felt like a king as the staff served us. For the finale, we went to the hotel's onsen after dressed in our Yukata (already prepared in the closet) the best had to be the one called "Bandai" which had an outdoor onsen. Sitting outside while the snow falls was the perfect ending to my japan trip. Next day the staff prepared our transportation for us to be dropped off at the bus station. Overall, this hotel deserves a 5 star rather than its current 4 star status.

At the best location in Kusatsu right next to Yubatake, Naraya is a well established ryokan of history. Despite the age, facilities are all kept in very good conditions. I appreciate in particular the onsen which feels even better to me than those fee-charging ones around Kusatsu. Dinner was excellent. My room was decorated with a theme, spacious and comfortable. Staff were all very friendly. I recommend Naraya to all wishing to have a nice stay in Kusatsu.

It felt like a family runned ryokan and most of the staff were older people so English was limited. They tried their best to make the guests feel welcomed by communicating in Japanese but the guests could guess from their expression on the message they wished to convey. The ryokan is near to the village centre and everywhere else so very accessible. Lovely and beautiful place!

Pros There is a free shuttle bus to yubatake from 3pm or it takes 8-10 mins by walking. The conceirg staff gave a free umbrella due to the rain when I was leaving after checked out. Staffs carry luggages and take for guests for a hotel tour then to the room. Good drum show at 8.30pm, and give away ¥500 if you volunteer to dance on the stage. Good buffer dinner and breakfast, has many choices and varieties. I would stay here again Cons A bit far from yubatake if walking. But the hotel offers a free shuttle bus every 30 mins.

marvellous, convenient and i especially enjoyed the roof-top dayokujo, the outdoor hot bath. the lemons floating in the water were a nice touch. good location, great free ramen every evening offered to hotel guests as well as free beer and coffee. highly recommended. quiet, safe, clean atmosphere. i never saw any non-japanese guests during my stays. all in all, just a fine hotel located in takasaki, gunma, japan.

Of the four Ryokans I have stayed in in Japan (Nara, Kyoto, Hakone), Micasa in Minakami was both the most memorable and the best value. If you are debating if the trek to this remote town is worth it, it is. I recommend staying for two nights and springing for one f the rooms with a private onsen (especially for couples). In addition to the men’s and women’s onsen (which alternate once each day) There is also a private onsen in the Ryokan that may be reserved in 40 minute blocks. Be sure to get kaiseki dinner and breakfast on your reservation. The small village of Minamaki has a handful quiet shops and restaurants. If you are a fan of craft beer sure to visit Octone brewing. The area of Minakami is known for producing quality sake and it is sold through the town (and available for dinner service at Micasa). Takaragawa Onsen is about 30 min away by bus. You may purchase direct round trip tickets which includes bus fare and entry to the onsen for about ¥2500 per person. Stat here!

Perfectly located a mere 5 minutes walk from Yubatake and right next to a free public onsen, this ryokan is well worth its money. Got to experience a traditional Japanese inn, including a lovely breakfast of grilled salmon. Definitely the best hotel I've stayed at during this trip. The ryokan also provides discount coupons upon arrival which can be used at nearby attractions such as the Yumomi performance, as well as public onsens.

Everything is perfect except a little hicup about shuttle bus service in which I have to pay an extra 6480 yen (but I only agreed to 4000 yen with the manager there). According to their website and the payment conditions shuttle service is already included in the hotel price. I have also asked the front desk of another hotel which I stayed the night before to call to confirm the pick up location. I was told that whenever I have a reservation I can choose any of the pick up points to board the shuttle bus. Upon arrival I was asked by the manager to pay an extra 6480 yen (which is almost 20% of my room fare). The manager was nice but insisted that I have to pay. Eventually I agreed on 4000 yen as I did not want to drag that argument any longer with the manager and destroyed my holiday mode. Hope they can tidy up their web booking to include room rates for WITH and WITHOUT shuttle bus. I really wish other guests will not be trapped into the same situation as mine. Thanks and best wishes

GREAT HOTEL. Clean and comfortable. Close to the center of the city and walkable distance to all great onsens. The rooms were well thought out and the amenities were all there. The AC can be a little hard to figure out at first, but once you get it going all is good. The beds were extremely comfortable and the breakfast was good too. Not much of a selection but enough to keep you full to the next meal.

My family and I stayed here for 2 nights and it was a pleasant stay indeed. Upon arriving, we were greeted just outside of the parking lot and was assisted to an available parking space. The parking space was just in front of the hotel. Upon checking in, friendly staff are always available to attend our needs. I have no problems with the room and was delighted with the availability of self-laundry room - given that I have 2 young children with me and dirty clothes that need constant cleaning, doing laundry at the hotel was a breeze. Location was spot on and it was just close to shop-lots that were just a walking distance away. I have no complaints and only praise while staying here.

As a solo traveller coming to Kusatsu for the first time, Kusatsu Onsen Futabaya was the perfect starting location for exploring the surrounding onsens. The location was very close to the central Yubatake area where most of the onsens were, and with a little bit of walking, you could reach the other onsens perfectly fine. Coming into Kusatsu completely blind, the receptionist who was working at the time was extremely patient and kind, providing some very helpful pamphlets and maps and advice on which onsens to visit, making the experience so much smoother. He also provided some light refreshments which were welcomed after travelling all the way over. In terms of the facilities, the rooms were very clean, cosy, and had everything you needed. The hotel also provided yukata and onsen towels and baskets for you to use, saving you the trouble of having to purchase them. Overall, it was a positive experience and I would definitely come back to Futabaya if I return to Kusatsu!

Kitchen staff at breakfast were great. Check in staff not so great. Checked into smoking room even though had requested no smoking a month before as i was travelling with baby. They didnt believe me until i showed them a booking receipt. No appologies just handed air freshener and told they were full. The room smelt disgusting and i refused to stay in it. After repeatly saying it was dangerous for a child to stay in a smoking room - i was given a room with a broken window. Again no sorry, no discount. Disgusting treatment of a customer staying a week at their hotel.

What can you expect at this price? Guaranteed service excellence at any APA hotel chains. Rooms are small but it is the norm in Japan. Staffs were extremely helpful and attentive to all needs. Free coffee and tea in the early morning is a pro. Just one thing... On one particular day, the housekeeping pretty much didn't do his work nicely. The bed wasn't even made and the toilet wasn't cleaned. Just refilled the toilet amenities and emptied the rubbish bin, nothing else. I thought it was the norm there but it turned out everything was made in order the other day. Guess the staff was too busy that morning or he was in need for something urgent and forgotten to come back for the rest. A pretty quiet zone but everything will be available with 5 minutes walk. Free parking spaces made this hotel much nicer. Overall speaking, much recommended if you are driving to the area and needs a room for the night.

The max stars I can give here is 5 but if I could I would give it more! Great hospitality in this mini ryokan with just a few rooms. Despite that, there are four private onsens to use with is very sufficient, all with the same spring water from Kusatsu onsen square. The breakfast included was spectacular. Would have been great if they did dinner as well. Definitely great value great quality in this hidden gem. Special thanks to Yoshi San for his warm hospitality!

The hotel is very near the yubatake area., within 5 mins walk and a 7-10 min walk to the bus terminal. It's quite old but well-maintained. Their food was amazing! It's served kaiseki style though in their restaurant and not in your room. The staff aren't really well-versed in English but they sure do try to communicate as best they could, all with pleasant "happy to serve" disposition. One down-side is their private onsen in detached from the building itself, though just a 2 min walk away. Would definitely love to come back and stay at Kane Midori.

My stay was very peaceful. I was only there for a night, but the hotel felt slightly off. The hallway ceiling was pretty high, but the door looked oddly short. The whole place looks a bit aged, but it's well maintained and the staff is very friendly and eager to assist. Wifi is present, but it's a very dismal connection, and you're better off leaching off the neighboring hotel's connection (it's a weaker signal, but significantly faster).

The place is nice and quiet. Rooms are quite spacious and clean. The view is nice. What is worth mentioning is that dinner and breakfasts are very nicely served and tasty (Japanese style). Yet, be aware if you are vegetarian of any sort - as most of Japanese hotels, this one also is not familiar with the idea of not eating meat. Onsen (guests can use one in hotel and one in the building in front of the hotel) is quite nice. No shower/bath is available in the room.

with small fee, you can enjoy the outdoor private onsen at top floor for a hour. It is very big and comfortable. You can bring your own beer or sake. Make sure you reserve it earlier, like everyday in the morning. Hotel also provides free onsen for limited number of guest everyday. Same onsen, but it is only half hour usage time. Staff are very nice, but only speak a little English. Sometimes we had communication problems. Hotel provides good breakfast, lunch and dinner. Tastes good and big varieties of foods. Location is the problem. If you don't have a car, you have to take public transportation, which is very slow, and need to climb hill for a while to reach the hotel.

The hotel is tucked away in the back streets and is very quiet. It is only a 10 minute walk from the bus station but when you arrive with luggage take a taxi. It's only ¥730, a set price and makes it easier to find the hotel. We were on the second floor which in our terms is the first floor. Be aware there is no lift and the stairs are steep although wide. For the elderly there is a small seat lift. Our room, 205, was a good size with a tiny entrance, lounge/sleeping area and a step down to a sink and toilet. The rooms are shared bathroom but as stated you do have a sink area (cold water only) and a toilet. We looked out onto a bare area but lift your eyes for a beautiful view of the mountains. You do need to roll out your own beds here. We rolled them up in the morning for more room. The shared bathroom facility is the hot baths but if you are not into that (not sure who wouldn't be) you can go to the private family hot bath and just use the shower/wash facility. The family bath can be used privately and you are given an occupied sign to put on the door which can also be locked. BEWARE this one is VERY hot. If it is too much for you go to the private outdoor bath. No facilities to wash here so just sit on the little stool and bucket water over yourself before getting in. There are also Ladies and Men baths which are communal. You can wash here and in the ladies there is an indoor pool and an outdoor pool. I did feel a little exposed in the outdoor one as one of the houses overlooks it a bit. Not sure if there is an outdoor section in the Male area as my husband didn't use that one. It is an added bonus to be able to use these baths for free. We didn't book breakfast or dinner at the ryokan but it smelt good. Staff were friendly and could understand some English. We were grateful for the lift to the bus station on our departure. The ryokan is within easy walking distance to the Yubatake, restaurants and bus station. We would definitely stay a