2D1N Itinerary at Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki
Hi everyone, my name Hara from JR East Hotels, and I am a native of Gunma Prefecture. I'd like to introduce Takasaki City (高崎市 Takasaki-shi) in Gunma Prefecture (群馬県 Gunma-ken), and share why it is a great base for users of the JR East Pass (Nagano, Niigata area). It is an ideal pit-stop because Takasaki Station (高崎駅) is at the junction of the Hokuriku Shinkansen and Joetsu Shinkansen, making it very accessible and convenient for travelling!
As Gunma is my hometown, I have three personal recommendations for must-try foods. These are very authentic local food that you will probably not find in other guidebooks or travel websites:
- Katsudon at Eijutei
- Kamameshi at Oginoya
- Torihei Bento at Torihei Takasaki Montres
I’ve also prepared a 2D1N model itinerary that includes these three must-try food items. Let's get started!
Day 1 : City Tour
After arriving at JR Takasaki Station, head to Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki which is connected to the West Exit. You can leave your luggage with the hotel and head over to Eijutei (栄寿亭) for lunch. It is only a 5–10 minutes walk from the hotel, but do note that they only serve lunch until 2pm before closing for the day!
This humble eatery has over 100 years of history, but the taste has never changed—they serve over 300–400 people daily without fail, and many are regular customers ranging from high school students to the elderly in the vicinity. The reason why I recommend Eijutei is not just for its splendid taste, but also the unbeatable price. Their best-selling pork cutlet rice bowl, katsudon (カツ丼), is only ¥400—and those who are extra hungry can go for the jumbo size at just ¥660.
(Image credit: Gunma Prefecture)
After enjoying some delicious katsudon, head over to Dōkutsu-Kannon (洞窟観音) which is a mere 20–minute journey via bus and some walking. At Dōkutsu-Kannon, take an adventure downwards to explore a 400m-deep cave and see the 33 stone statues of Buddha and Kannon, along with thought-provoking images of death and paradise.
After your underground adventure, it’s time to climb high towards Byakue Dai-Kannon (白衣大観音), perhaps better known as the White-robed Guan Yin in Mandarin. Just take a 15-minute walk to reach the base of the peaceful statue, and take your time to climb 40m up until the shoulder of the Byakue Dai-Kannon to enjoy the view.
(Image credit: Gunma Prefecture)
On the way back to the bus stop, take a walk via the sando (参道), which is the main path or approach of the religious site. On this path, you’ll find the famous local snack yaki-manju (焼きまんじゅ) in cafés or restaurants. Yaki-manju is made of flour and sweet-savoury miso paste, and it is the representative local food in Takasaki that you cannot miss.
(Image credit: JR East Hotels)
After an eventful trip, head back to Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki and be warmly welcomed by our staff into your comfortable room, where you can start to wind down for a night of restful sleep. For dinner, try the kamameshi (釜めし) at Oginoya (おぎのや). The kamameshi is a homely dish of clay pot rice complete with 10 ingredients, served with accompanying dishes. Oginoya’s original store is at another location in Gunma, but a restaurant branch was opened in Takasaki Station to serve commuters in the area.
(Image credit: Gunma Prefecture)
Day 2 : Mt. Haruna and Ikaho Onsen
Start your day with our delightful breakfast at Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki, where you can have a variety of Japanese, western, and local Takasaki dishes in a sumptuous buffet.
(Image credit: JR East Hotels)
After a satisfying breakfast at Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki, go down to Takasaki Station and take a 70-minute direct bus to Haruna Shrine (榛名神社 Haruna-jinja). Useful tip: get the Haruna-Ikaho Free Pass which costs ¥1,750. You’ll save a considerable sum because a one-way journey between Takasaki Station to Haruna Shrine already costs ¥1,120. At Haruna Shrine, take your time to climb, explore, and enjoy the scenic view. Here is also your second chance to eat yaki-manju if you missed it yesterday.
(Image credit: Gunma Prefecture)
Give your body a well-deserved rest by heading to the onsen (温泉), or Japanese hot spring. Gunma has four very popular onsen villages, namely Kusatsu Onsen (草津温泉), Ikaho Onsen (伊香保温泉), Minakami Onsen (水上温泉) and Shima Onsen (四万温泉). For this itinerary, I’ll recommend Ikaho Onsen since it is very near to Haruna Shrine. It only takes 40 minutes by bus, and you can use the previously-mentioned Haruna-Ikaho Free Pass!
(Image credit: Gunma Prefecture)
Ikaho Onsen is one of the most historically-rich onsen villages in Japan with over 1,000 years of history. This onsen is famous for its 365-stone steps, the same number of days in a year. Along with these stone steps, you’ll find many restaurants, souvenir shops, and of course, onsen. Ikaho Onsen has two kinds of hot springs, one is called Kogane-no-yu (黄金の湯) which has brown-coloured water—not because of dirt, but because it contains iron. The second kind is called Shirogane-no-yu (白金の湯) which has clear water. Each type has its own unique properties, benefits, and scent.
(Image credit: Gunma Prefecture)
After exploring Ikaho Onsen village, take an hour-long bus ride back to Takasaki Station.
(Image credit: Gunma Prefecture)
If you still have time or are feeling peckish, you may get off at the bus stop at Mizusawa (水澤), which is just a 6–minute ride from Ikaho Onsen. There is a famous udon noodles restaurant here that serves a unique rendition of udon with sesame dipping sauce – it has a distinct sweet-savoury flavour that is very delicious.
(Image credit: Gunma Prefecture)
Before taking the shinkansen or train to continue your journey, you should go to Torihei Takasaki Montres (登利平高崎モントレー) and get a chicken bento. It looks and sounds very simple, but I can personally vouch for its taste. My personal recommendation is to try the Bamboo (竹) menu. Torihei started out as a bento shop, so you can definitely purchase your bento and eat it in the shinkansen. However, you can also choose to dine-in at the restaurant which is located along the row of shops connecting Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki to Takasaki Station. Enjoy your bento either way!
Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki
Address: 222 Yashima-cho, Takasaki-shi, Gunma, Japan
Nearest station: Takasaki Station (高崎駅)
Reservations: Book here
Tel: +81-273-25-3311
Header image credit: JR East Hotels
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