Lake Nozori-ko Area野反湖エリア
Gumma群馬県
The astounding Lake Nozori-ko situated at 1,514 meters above sea level. Its surrounding region supports a flourishing 300 varieties of alpine plant.
Lake Nozori-ko, to the north of Kuni area in Nakanojo Town, is located in the northwestern part of Gunma; it boasts an alpine man-made lake 1,514 meters above sea level with a circumference of 12 kilometers. Created in the middle of the 20th century, the lake was built in conjunction with a dam for a power station, and is now a source of the Nakatsu-gawa River. With more than 300 kinds of alpine plants around it, the lake welcomes a number of campers every year: It hosts campsites, bungalows, and lodges at its north side that can accommodate as many as 3,000 visitors. The lake is also widely known to anglers as a good fishing spot for rainbow trout and mountain trout.
In the center of Kuni area are three hot springs; Shiriyaki, Hanashiki, and Kyozuka, and three other hot springs to the south; Yunotaira, Otoku, and Kuniakaiwa. As the villagers working in Kusatsu spent their winters there, the place used to be called "Fuyusumi-no-sato," a village to live in during the winter. The conditions at that time can be experienced from the materials exhibited at the Fuyusumi-no-sato Shiryo-kan Museum.
Akaiwa district is designated as an "important preservation district for groups of historic buildings," and still retains buildings from the Edo Period such as silk-raising farmer houses, storehouses and lodges, as well as shrines and temples with nostalgic scenery visible along the streets.
Directions
From Tokyo :
[Rail] 2h 30 min from Ueno to Naganohara-Kusatsu-guchi Station by JR new limited express Kusatsu, and 30 min from the station to Hanashiki-onsen by bus (the service to Lake Nozori-ko is not available in winter).
From Osaka :
[Rail] 2h 30 min from Shin-Osaka to Tokyo Station by JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line, and 7 min from Tokyo to Ueno Station by JR Yamanote Line.
