Minakami-onsen Hot Spring / Mt. Tanigawa-dake水上温泉・谷川岳

Mt. Tanigawa-dake is covered with a layer of snow all year round. The hot spring villages are used as a base for outdoor sports.

Minakami-onsen Hot Spring, located in the northern part of Gunma, is thought to have been founded in the 16th century. The generic term Minakami-onsen-kyo Hot Spring Village is often used for Yubiso, Tani-gawa, Unose, Takara-gawa, and Yuno-koya hot springs.

The town of Minakami, which includes Minakami-onsen-kyo Hot Spring Village, commands very fine views of Mt. Tanigawa-dake, Mt. Hotaka-san, and Mt. Shibutsu-san. The town has several scenic spots such as Lake Fujiwara-ko, Lake Dogen-ko, and Lake Okutone-ko. It is also known for breathtaking ski resorts such as Tenjin-daira. Adventurous visitors can also enjoy outdoor sports such as rafting.

Located in the northwestern part of Gunma on the border with Niigata, Mt. Tanigawa-dake belongs to Joshin'etsu-kogen Highland National Park. It consists of two peaks, Tomano-mimi and Okino-mimi, and used to be called "Mimi Futatsu," which means "two ears." It is also known as the lowest mountain in Honshu to have perpetual snow. It takes about 10 minutes to cover the 2.3 kilometers between Tanigawa-dake Doai-guchi and Tenjin-daira, 1,321 meters above sea level, by the Tanigawa-dake Ropeway (gondola lift). Visitors can enjoy the scenic grandeur of the Tanigawa Mountain Range from the window of the ropeway.