Ikaho Onsen
Kanto, Japan · Mountain
A hot spring town built around its famous 365-step stone stairway (one for each day of the year), lined with ryokan, shops and standing hot-spring fountains; at the top, the twin baths Kogane-no-yu (iron-rich golden water) and Shirogane-no-yu (clear water), and nearby, Lake Haruna and Mount Haruna-Fuji with its own shrine.
The essentials
Getting there
Train — JR Agatsuma line from Takasaki to Shibukawa, ~30min, ¥420, + local bus to Ikaho Onsen, ~25min, ¥580, total ¥1,000-1,190 depending on connection. The JR Takasaki-Shibukawa leg is the dominant segment in both distance and time compared with the short final private-bus hop.
Frequently asked questions about Ikaho Onsen
How many days do you need in Ikaho Onsen?
1 day minimum for it to be worth it. There are 20 documented activities in Ikaho Onsen, so it keeps giving with more time.
How do you get to Ikaho Onsen?
Train: JR Agatsuma line from Takasaki to Shibukawa, ~30min, ¥420, + local bus to Ikaho Onsen, ~25min, ¥580, total ¥1,000-1,190 depending on connection. The JR Takasaki-Shibukawa leg is the dominant segment in both distance and time compared with the short final private-bus hop.
Can you visit Ikaho Onsen in a day?
Yes. Ikaho Onsen works well as a day trip, usually from Takasaki, Kusatsu Onsen and Minakami, with no need to change accommodation.
What must you see in Ikaho Onsen?
What is marked as a must-see: Ikaho's stone stairway.
Is Ikaho Onsen expensive?
Spend level mid by Japanese standards. Factor in the per-night tourist tax as well, which varies from city to city.
What to do in Ikaho Onsen: 20 activities
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Ikaho's stone stairway 1.5 h must-see
The 365 stone steps that form the town's backbone, one for each day of the year, lined with ryokan, souvenir shops and free hot-spring foot baths (ashiyu) to soak your feet along the walk.
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Mizusawa udon 1 h
One of the three great udon of Japan, with some 400 years of history; it is eaten along a whole street of old houses devoted to almost nothing else.
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Haruna Shrine 1.5 h
A shrine more than 1,400 years old wedged among enormous rocks at the end of a wooded path, one of the places with the most atmosphere in all of Gunma.
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Ikaho open-air bath 1 h
A public rotenburo at the spring source itself, at the very top of the town, among the trees.
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Kogane-no-yu and Shirogane-no-yu twin baths 1.5 h
Ikaho's two hot springs: Kogane-no-yu ("golden water"), an orange iron-rich colour, and Shirogane-no-yu ("silver water"), clear, both with public bathhouses open to visitors not staying at a ryokan with its own onsen.
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Lake Haruna and Mount Haruna-Fuji 2.5 h
A volcanic crater lake a short distance from Ikaho, with the small Haruna shrine on its shore and the cone of Mount Haruna-Fuji behind it, popular for its autumn views.
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Mizusawa Kannon Temple 1 h
Stop number 16 on the Bando 33 Kannon pilgrimage, with a revolving six-sided pagoda and the udon village at its feet.
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The original onsen manju 0.75 h
The brown filled bun now sold at every onsen in Japan is held to have been born here; on the stairway you can compare one maker against another.
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Hara Museum ARC 1.5 h
Black pavilions by Arata Isozaki out in open country, with contemporary art and a room of Edo-period art; check the season and opening hours before going.
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Ikaho Green Bokujo farm 2.5 h
A farm with animals and a sheepdog show, the classic stop for families coming up to Ikaho.
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Ikaho Matsuri on the stone stairway 2.5 h only 18-20 Sep
From 18 to 20 September the mikoshi are carried down the town's 365 stone steps on shoulders. (The March Hina Matsuri on the same stairway ended in 2021.)
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Ikaho ropeway and forest park 1.5 h
4 minutes by ropeway up to the Miharashi viewpoint, with trails through the prefectural forest park.
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Ikaho Shrine 0.5 h
The shrine crowning the 365 stone steps, the point where the climb ends and the view begins.
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Kajika Bridge and the golden spring 1 h
A red bridge over a wooded stream next to the source of the iron-rich water that gives the town its colour, with a fountain for drinking it and illumination in autumn.
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Shooting stalls in yukata along the stairway 1 h
At dusk the stairway fills with people in yukata playing at the old-style shooting and archery stalls: the Japanese version of an evening stroll.
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Takehisa Yumeji and Tokutomi Roka museums 1.5 h
Ikaho was a refuge for artists and writers: one museum is devoted to the painter Takehisa Yumeji and another to the novelist Tokutomi Roka, who died here.
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The Haruna pass, setting of Initial D 2 h
The bends of Mount Haruna are the real 'Akina' of the racing manga and anime Initial D; they can be driven or cycled from the town.
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Toy, doll and automobile museum 2 h
An enormous toy collection with full-size reconstructed Showa-era streets, a trip back to a Japanese childhood of the 1960s.
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Ceramics glazed with hot spring deposits 1 h
Pieces glazed with the sediment of the spring itself, a golden brown that only comes out with this water.
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Ikaho skating rink 2 h
One of the largest ice rinks in Japan, used for Olympic training and open to the general public as well.
What only happens on specific dates
- Ikaho Matsuri on the stone stairway 18-20 Sep
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