Japan Romantic Road

A 320-kilometer road that runs between Ueda City in Nagano Prefecture and Nikko City in Tochigi Prefecture via Gunma Prefecture's Kusatsu-machi and Numata City. Winding through the region thought to have Japan's most German-esque scenery, it's the local take on Germany's Romantic Road that runs from Bavaria to the Austrian border. Divided into the Nagano, Gunma, and Tochigi areas it passes through three national parks, a highland region, an area with beautiful volcanic landforms, modern castle towns, and hot springs enclaves. Many Japanese poets have written about the areas along the road, making it one of Japan's most romantic drives, accenting the natural scenery.