Shibukawa / Ikaho

Top Things to do

• Nagai Shokudo

  Gunma Pref. Shibukawashi Kamishiroi 4477-1

  Billed as reasonable, fast and tasty motsuni dishes, the Nagai Shokudo eatery along National Route 17 in Shibukawa City, Gunma Prefecture. This eatery was originally a stop for long distance truck drivers and bikers. However, due to its recent popularity from nationally televised variety shows, visitors come now from all over Japan. The motsuni dish with chitterling stewed in rich miso-based broth and the Gunma specialty konjac jelly is full of nutrition. The motsuni is also gift packaged and sold at the shop, or in their vending machines.

• Roadside Station Komochi

  3.5

  92 Reviews

  Gunma Pref. Shibukawashi Shiroi 2318-1

  This roadside station is located on National Route 17 (Koizawa Bypass), in Shiroijuku, which prospered as the castle town of Shiroi Castle, approximately 10 minutes from the Kan’etsu Expressway Shibukawa Ikaho Interchange. The restaurant’s Katsudon Rice Bowl, made with tender Joshu pork, and the Akagi Beef Croquettes are recommended. The local produce center’s freshly picked local vegetables, original side dishes and specialty Konjac are also popular. The footbath can also be used free of charge on weekends and national holidays. In the spring, double-flowered cherry trees blossom on the roadside, and the Shiroijuku double-flowered cherry festival brings excitement with its samurai parade and festival stalls.

• Mizusawa Kanzeon

  4.0

  193 Reviews

  Gunma Pref. Shibukawashi Ikahomachimizusawa 214

  The Mizusawa Kanzeon is a Buddhist deity in a temple of the Tendai sect in Mizusawa, Ikaho Town, Shibukawa City. The temple was founded by the order of Empress Suiko and boasts a history of more than 1,300 years. Its principal image is a bronze statue of the eleven-faced Buddha, Juichimen Senju Kanzeon Bosatsu, rarely shown to the public and said to have miraculous powers to assist all those who pray to her. The Mizusawa Temple is the 16th in the Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, a pilgrimage circuit of 33 Buddhist temples in Eastern Japan.

• Ooedo Onsen Monogatari - Ikaho

  Gunma Pref. Shibukawashi Ikahomachikaho 592-1

  This hot spring inn is located three minutes’ walk from the Ikaho Haruna Guchi bus stop. The bus can be taken from Shibukawa Station in Gunma Prefecture. There are two types of hot spring, an outdoor bath which is a golden color and a transparent indoor bath. The spring water is said to be effective against nerve pain and fatigue. 18 works of art by Yumeji Takehisa are displayed in the corridor to the bathing area. Visitors to the hot spring can choose from a selection of courses prepared as part of a buffet-style dinner. There are dishes made with local ingredients including Shimonita leeks, fresh fish dishes and sashimi. There are also a variety of rooms, from brightly lit Japanese-style rooms to calming rooms that have a mixed Japanese-Western design.

• SARA’S Terrace ARRAIYA

  3.5

  12 Reviews

  Gunma Pref. Shibukawashi Ikahomachikaho 20

  This café is located in Shibukawa City, Gunma Prefecture, along the stone steps of Ikaho hot spring. The modern and stylish shop is easy for women to feel comfortable in and enjoy a menu with dishes such as ginger roast Joshu Mugi pork set meals, with the pork a little on the thick side, and Joshu roast beef rice bowl, which are full of ingredients sourced from contracted farms. There are also sweets such as homemade chocolate brownies and anmitsu, as well as a drinks menu with items such as yuzu tea and a very fruity fruit cider.

• Villa of Kingdom of Hawaii

  Gunma Pref. Shibukawashi Ikahomachikaho 32

  This townhouse is located 25 minutes from the Kan’etsu Shibukawa Ikaho Interchange. It was the residence of the resident minister of the then Kingdom of Hawaii and was one of the properties Robert W. Irwin used as a summer villa. It is one of the few buildings in Japan which were once owned by the Kingdom of Hawaii and is now a designated Historical Site. The townhouse is free of charge to enter and exhibits such as a saber (ceremonial sword) on which the Gosan no Kiri family crest is engraved, and the newly established guidance service allow visitors to learn more about the relationship between Hawaii and Ikaho.

• Joshu Local Product Store Joshu Bussankan

  3.5

  17 Reviews

  Gunma Pref. Shibukawashi Shibukawa 3695-2

  "This product store which deals in specialty products is located approximately 20 minutes by the bus heading towards Ikaho Hot Spring from the JR Shibukawa Station. It has a wealth of specialty products and famous confectionery made in Gunma Prefecture. Two varieties—mashed red bean paste, and smooth red bean paste—of Yu no Hana Manju are made and sold here. The Matcha flavor, which has Matcha mixed in is also a very popular limited product. The store also recommends one of Japan's three great udon, ""Mizusawa Udon"", as well as the various local specialty Konjac produced in Gunma Prefecture. The store has a restaurant, for customers to easily stop by."

• Ankodo

  4.5

  2 Reviews

  Gunma Pref. Kitagunmagunyoshiokamachi Kaminoda 3362-4

  This is a restaurant souvenir shop where visitors can enjoy products made with clean water from Mt. Haruna and carefully selected ingredients. It is located 15 minutes from Shibukawa Ikaho Interchange. In addition to the famous Mizusawa Udon noodles, dishes made with a variety of seasonal ingredients can be enjoyed and in the spacious shop, souvenirs are offered as well. The Mizusawa Udon noodles, characterized with slippery yet firm texture, are thickly cut and rated as one of the three most famous udon noodles in Japan. Noodles can be purchased as souvenirs and there are also packs of noodles to stew as well. The Yu-no-hana red bean paste filled buns and local sake are suitable for gifts.

• Akagi Nature Park

  4.5

  35 Reviews

  Gunma Pref. Shibukawashi Akagimachiminamiakagisan 892

  This forest park is located at the western foot of Mt. Akagi between 600 and 700 meters above sea level. Visitors can enjoy the park's gorgeous natural beauty interwoven with Japan's rich, seasonal diversity, including plants in full bloom in spring, lush greenery in summer, spectacular foliage in fall, and the reverberating cries of wild birds in winter. Aiming to achieve harmony between human beings and nature, for more than 30 years the park has worked to create an environment in which plants can grow lush and vibrant and in which insects and animals can live with ease, and today visitors can catch sight of a wide variety of plants and insects living in a state very close to untouched nature. Walking paths are covered with comfortable to walk on bark chips; and benches, chairs, and restrooms made with timber from forest thinning are placed in key locations, making it easy for visitors to take a relaxing walk in the forest and see all kinds of plants and insects.