is a
prefecture
A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...
of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
located in the
Kantō region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa. Slight ...
of
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separ ...
. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,362
km2 (2,456
sq mi
The square mile (abbreviated as sq mi and sometimes as mi2)Rowlett, Russ (September 1, 2004) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved February 22, 2012. is an imperial and US unit of measure for area. One square mile is an are ...
). Gunma Prefecture borders
Niigata Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu of Japan. Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,227,496 (1 July 2019) and is the List of Japanese prefectures by area, fifth-largest prefecture of Japan by geographic area ...
and
Fukushima Prefecture to the north,
Nagano Prefecture
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the ...
to the southwest,
Saitama Prefecture
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (1 January 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 km2 (1,466 sq mi). Saitama Prefecture borders Tochigi Prefecture ...
to the south, and
Tochigi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Tochigi Prefecture has a population of 1,943,886 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,408 km2 (2,474 sq mi). Tochigi Prefecture borders Fukushima Prefecture to the ...
to the east.
Maebashi
is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 335,352 in 151,171 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It ...
is the capital and
Takasaki
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 372,369 in 167,345 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Takasaki is famous as the hometown of th ...
is the largest city of Gunma Prefecture, with other major cities including
Ōta,
Isesaki, and
Kiryū. Gunma Prefecture is one of only eight
landlocked prefectures, located on the northwestern corner of the
Kantō Plain
The is the largest plain in Japan, and is located in the Kantō region of central Honshū. The total area of 17,000 km2 covers more than half of the region extending over Tokyo, Saitama Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, ...
with 14% of its total land being designated as
natural parks.
History
The ancient province of Gunma was a center of horse breeding and trading activities for the newly immigrated continental peoples. The arrival of horses and the remains of horse tackle coincides with the arrival of a large migration from the mainland. From this point forward, the horse became a vital part of Japanese military maneuvers, quickly displacing the older Yayoi tradition of fighting on foot.
When
Mount Haruna
is a dormant stratovolcano in Gunma, eastern Honshū, Japan.
Outline
Mount Haruna started to form more than 300,000 years ago and the last known eruption was 550 AD. The volcano has a summit caldera containing the symmetrical cinder cone of ...
erupted in the late 6th century, Japan was still in the pre-historical phase (prior to the importation of the Chinese writing system during the Nara period). The Gunma Prefectural archaeology unit in 1994 was able to date the eruption through zoological anthropology at the corral sites that were buried in ash.
In the past, Gunma was joined with
Tochigi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Tochigi Prefecture has a population of 1,943,886 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,408 km2 (2,474 sq mi). Tochigi Prefecture borders Fukushima Prefecture to the ...
and called ''
Kenu Province
, also known as Kenu Province, is an old provinces of Japan, old province of Japan prior to the Nara Period.Tsunoda, Ryūsaku ''et al.'' (1951). ''Japan in the Chinese Dynastic Histories: Later Han through Ming dynasties,'' p. 18 n25. Keno was loca ...
''. This was later divided into ''Kami-tsu-ke'' (Upper Kenu, Gunma) and ''Shimo-tsu-ke'' (Lower Kenu, Tochigi). The area is sometimes referred to as Jomo (上毛, ''Jōmō''). For most of Japanese history, Gunma was known as the province of
Kozuke.
In the early period of contact between western nations and Japan, particularly the late Tokugawa, it was referred to by foreigners as the "Joushu States", inside (fudai, or loyalist) Tokugawa retainers and the Tokugawa family symbol is widely seen on public buildings, temples, and shrines.
The
Tenmei eruption
The Tenmei eruption () was a large eruption of Mount Asama that occurred in 1783 (''Tenmei 3''). This eruption was one of the causes of the Tenmei famine. It is estimated that about 1,500–1,624 people were killed in the eruption. The event is ...
of
Mount Asama
is an active complex volcano in central Honshū, the main island of Japan. The volcano is the most active on Honshū. The Japan Meteorological Agency classifies Mount Asama as rank A. It stands above sea level on the border of Gunma and Nagano ...
occurred in 1783, causing enormous damage.
The first modern silk factories were built with Italian and French assistance at Annaka in the 1870s.
In the early Meiji period, in what was locally called the Gunma Incident of 1884, a bloody struggle between the idealistic democratic westernizers and the conservative Prussian-model nationalists took place in Gunma and neighboring Nagano. The modern Japanese army gunned down farmers with new repeating rifles built in Japan. The farmers in Gunma were said to be the first victims of the
Murata rifle.
In the twentieth century, the Japanese aviation pioneer Nakajima Chikushi of Oizumi, Gunma Prefecture, founded the
Nakajima Aircraft Company
The was a prominent Japanese aircraft manufacturer and aviation engine manufacturer throughout World War II. It continues as the car and aircraft manufacturer Subaru.
History
The Nakajima Aircraft company was Japan's first aircraft manufactur ...
. At first, he produced mostly licensed models of foreign designs, but beginning with the all-Japanese
Nakajima 91 fighter plane in 1931, his company became a world leader in aeronautical design and manufacture, with its headquarters at Ota, Gunma Ken. The factory now produces
Subaru
( or ; ) is the automaker, automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate (company), conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the Automotive industry#By manufacturer, twenty-first ...
motorcars and other products under the name of
Subaru
( or ; ) is the automaker, automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate (company), conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the Automotive industry#By manufacturer, twenty-first ...
née Fuji Heavy Industries.
In the 1930s, German architect
Bruno Julius Florian Taut lived and conducted research for a while in Takasaki.
The
Girard incident, which disturbed US-Japanese relations in the 1950s, occurred in Gunma in 1957, at
Soumagahara Base near
Shibukawa
is a city in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 76,098 in 32,439 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Shibukawa is the location of Ikaho Onsen, a popular hot spring resort.
...
.
Four modern prime ministers are from Gunma, namely,
Takeo Fukuda
was a Japanese politician who was Prime Minister of Japan from 1976 to 1978.
Early life and education
Fukuda was born in Gunma, capital of the Gunma Prefecture on 14 January 1905. He hailed from a former samurai family and his father was mayor ...
,
Yasuhiro Nakasone
was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party from 1982 to 1987. He was a member of the House of Representatives for more than 50 years. He was best known for pushing through the ...
,
Keizo Obuchi, and
Yasuo Fukuda
is a former Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2007 to 2008. He was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving in that role from 2000 to 2004 under Prime Ministers Yoshirō M ...
, the son of Takeo.
Geography
One of only eight landlocked prefectures in Japan, Gunma is the northwesternmost prefecture of the Kantō plain. Except for the central and southeast areas, where most of the population is concentrated, it is mostly mountainous. To the north are
Niigata and
Fukushima
may refer to:
Japan
* Fukushima Prefecture, Japanese prefecture
** Fukushima, Fukushima, capital city of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
***Fukushima University, national university in Japan
*** Fukushima Station (Fukushima) in Fukushima, Fukushim ...
prefectures, while to the east lies
Tochigi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Tochigi Prefecture has a population of 1,943,886 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,408 km2 (2,474 sq mi). Tochigi Prefecture borders Fukushima Prefecture to the ...
. To the west lies the
Nagano Prefecture
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the ...
, and the
Saitama Prefecture
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (1 January 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 km2 (1,466 sq mi). Saitama Prefecture borders Tochigi Prefecture ...
is to the south.
Some of the major mountains in Gunma are
Mount Akagi
is a mountain in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.
The broad, low dominantly andesitic stratovolcano rises above the northern end of the Kanto Plain. It contains an elliptical, 3 x 4 km summit caldera with post-caldera lava domes arranged along ...
,
Mount Haruna
is a dormant stratovolcano in Gunma, eastern Honshū, Japan.
Outline
Mount Haruna started to form more than 300,000 years ago and the last known eruption was 550 AD. The volcano has a summit caldera containing the symmetrical cinder cone of ...
,
Mount Myōgi
is one of the major mountains in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Its straddles the border between the municipalities of Annaka, Shimonita and Tomioka. Well known for its rocks weathered into fantastic forms, this famous peak is ranked among Japan's t ...
,
Mount Nikkō-Shirane and
Mount Asama
is an active complex volcano in central Honshū, the main island of Japan. The volcano is the most active on Honshū. The Japan Meteorological Agency classifies Mount Asama as rank A. It stands above sea level on the border of Gunma and Nagano ...
, which is located on the Nagano border. Major rivers include the
Tone River
The is a river in the Kantō region of Japan. It is in length (the second longest in Japan after the Shinano) and has a drainage area of (the largest in Japan). It is nicknamed Bandō Tarō (); ''Bandō'' is an obsolete alias of the Kantō ...
, the
Agatsuma River Agatsuma may refer to:
*, Japanese shamisen player
*Agatsuma District, Gunma, a district in Gunma Prefecture, Japan
* Agatsuma, Gunma, a town in Gunma Prefecture, Japan
* Agatsuma River, a river in Japan
*Agatsuma Entertainment
Agatsuma Entertain ...
, and the
Karasu River.
As of 1 April 2012, 14% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as
Natural Parks, namely
Jōshin'etsu-kōgen,
Nikkō
is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 80,239 in 36,531 households, and a population density of 55 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It is a popular destination for Japanese and ...
, and
Oze Oze may refer to:
People
* Akira Oze (born 1947), Japanese manga artist
* Hiroyuki Oze (1985–2010), Japanese baseball player
* Lajos Őze (1935–1984), Hungarian actor
Places
* Oze, Hautes-Alpes, France
* Oze National Park, Japan
* Oze River, ...
National Parks and
Myōgi-Arafune-Saku Kōgen Quasi-National Park.
Cities
Twelve cities are located in Gunma Prefecture:
*
Annaka
240px, Edo-period Usui Magistrate’s office in Annaka
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 47,911 in 24,749 households, and a population density of 210 persons per km². The total area of the ...
*
Fujioka
*
Isesaki
*
Kiryū
*
Maebashi
is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 335,352 in 151,171 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It ...
(capital)
*
Midori
Midori (みどり, ミドリ, , , ) is the Japanese word for "green" and may refer to:
Places
* Midori, Gunma
* Midori-ku, Chiba
* Midori-ku, Nagoya
* Midori-ku, Sagamihara
* Midori-ku, Saitama
* Midori-ku, Yokohama
People Given name
* M ...
*
Numata
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 46,908 in 20,589 households, and a population density of 110 persons per km². The total area of the city is , making it the largest city in terms of area w ...
*
Ōta
*
Shibukawa
is a city in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 76,098 in 32,439 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Shibukawa is the location of Ikaho Onsen, a popular hot spring resort.
...
*
Takasaki
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 372,369 in 167,345 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Takasaki is famous as the hometown of th ...
*
Tatebayashi
250px, Tsutsujigaoka Koen, or Azalea Park in Tatebayashi
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 75,442 in 33,589 households, and a population density of 1200 people per km². The total area of the ...
*
Tomioka
Towns and villages
These are the towns and villages in each
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
:
*
Agatsuma District
**
Higashiagatsuma
**
Kusatsu
**
Naganohara
**
Nakanojō
**
Takayama
**
Tsumagoi
*
Kanra District
**
Kanra
**
Nanmoku
**
Shimonita
*
Kitagunma District
**
Shintō
Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintoist ...
**
Yoshioka
*
Ōra District
**
Chiyoda
**
Itakura
is a town located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 14,323 in 5717 households and a population density of 340 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Itakura's animal mascot is the catfish. It is ...
**
Meiwa
was a after '' Hōreki'' and before '' An'ei.'' This period spanned the years from June 1764 through November 1772. The reigning empress and emperor were and .
Change of era
* 1764 : The era name became ''Meiwa'' (meaning "Bright Harmony") b ...
**
Ōizumi
**
Ōra
*
Sawa District
**
Tamamura
*
Tano District
**
Kanna
**
Ueno
is a district in Tokyo's Taitō Ward, best known as the home of Ueno Park. Ueno is also home to some of Tokyo's finest cultural sites, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, and the National Museum of Na ...
*
Tone District
**
Katashina
**
Kawaba
**
Minakami
**
Shōwa
Mergers
Climate
![Mt](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Mt.Nakanodake_from_Mt.Shibutsu_01.jpg)
Because Gunma is situated in inland Japan, the difference in temperature in the summer compared to the winter is large, and there is less precipitation. This is because of the
karakkaze ("empty wind"), a strong, dry wind that occurs in the winter when the snow falls on the coasts of Niigata. The wind carrying clouds with snow are obstructed by the
Echigo Mountains
The Echigo Mountains () are a mountain range that straddle Niigata, Fukushima, and Gunma prefectures in Japan.
See also
* Asahi Mountains ( 朝日山地)
* Iide Mountains ( 飯豊山地)
* Mikuni Mountains Mikuni may refer to:
* Mikuni, F ...
, and it also snows there, although the high peaks do not let the wind go past them. For this reason, the wind changes into the ''kara-kaze''.
* Climate in
Maebashi
is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 335,352 in 151,171 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It ...
** Average yearly precipitation: 1,163 mm (approx. 45.8in)
** Average yearly temperature: 14.2 degrees Celsius (approx. 57.6 degrees Fahrenheit)
Economy
Gunma's modern industries include transport equipment and electrical equipment, concentrated around
Maebashi
is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 335,352 in 151,171 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It ...
and the eastern region nearest
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
. More traditional industries include
sericulture
Sericulture, or silk farming, is the cultivation of silkworms to produce silk. Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, ''Bombyx mori'' (the caterpillar of the domestic silkmoth) is the most widely used and intensively studie ...
and
agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
. Gunma's major agricultural products include
cabbage
Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.&nb ...
s and
konnyaku. Gunma produces over 90% of Japan's konnyaku, and two-thirds of the farms in the village of
Tsumagoi are cabbage farms. Also, the city of
Ōta is famous for the car industry, notably the
Subaru
( or ; ) is the automaker, automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate (company), conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the Automotive industry#By manufacturer, twenty-first ...
factory.
Culture
There is a
local dialect
Local may refer to:
Geography and transportation
* Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand
* Local, Missouri, a community in the United States
* Local government, a form of public administration, usually the lowest tier of administra ...
, known in Japanese as '
''gunma-ben''
' or jōshū-ben''
'.
Gunma has a traditional card game called . It features people, places, and things of regional and/or cultural importance.
Famous Foods
In 2007, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries held an event to find the top 100 best local dishes across all of Japan. Three dishes were featured from Gunma; yaki-manju,
okkirikomi, and
konnyaku.
Melody Roads
As of 2018, Gunma is home to eleven of Japan's over thirty
Melody Roads. 2,559 grooves cut into a 175-meter stretch of the road surface in transmit a
tactile
Tactile may refer to:
* Tactile, related to the sense of touch
* Haptics (disambiguation)
* Tactile (device), a text-to-braille translation device
See also
* Tangibility, in law
* Somatosensory system, where sensations are processed
* CD96
CD ...
vibration
Vibration is a mechanical phenomenon whereby oscillations occur about an equilibrium point. The word comes from Latin ''vibrationem'' ("shaking, brandishing"). The oscillations may be periodic function, periodic, such as the motion of a pendulum ...
through the wheels into the
car body.
[Archived a]
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
The roads can be found in Katashina, Minakami, Takayama, Kanna, Ueno, Kusatsu, Tsumagoi, Nakanojo, Takasaki, Midori, and Maebashi. Each is of a differing length and plays a different song. Naganohara also used to be home to a Melody Road playing “Aj, lučka lučka siroka”, though the road in question was paved over in 2013 due to noise complaints.
Songs
* Kusatsu - “Kusatsu-Bushi”
* Takayama - “When You Wish Upon a Star”
* Tsumagoi - “Oh My Darling Clementine”
* Nakanojo - “Always With Me” (Japanese title: いつも何度でも, ''itsumo nando demo'') from
Spirited Away
is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten, Nippon Television Network, Dentsu, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Tohokushinsha Film, and Mitsubishi and distrib ...
when driven at 40 km/h
* Katashina - “
Memories of Summer
Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered, ...
” when driven over at 50 km/h
List of governors of Gunma Prefecture (1947–present)
Education
Universities
* Isesaki
**
Jobu University
is a private university in Isesaki, Gunma, Japan, established in 1968. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1950. The university has a secondary campus in the city of Takasaki, Gunma.
History
* 1968: Jobu University was established (with ...
– Isesaki Campus
**
Tokyo University of Social Welfare – Isesaki Campus
* Maebashi
**
Gunma University
, abbreviated to , is a national university in Japan. The main campus is located in Aramaki-machi, Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture.
History
Gunma University was established in 1949 by integrating the national colleges in Gunma Prefecture: , , ...
**
Maebashi Institute of Technology
is a public university in Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japa ...
* Midori
**
Kiryu University
is a co-educational private university in Midori, Gunma, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by t ...
* Ota
**
Kanto Gakuen University
is a private university in Ōta, Gunma
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 224,358 in 109,541 households, and a population density of 1300 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
...
* Takasaki
**
Takasaki City University of Economics
**
Takasaki University of Commerce
**
Takasaki University of Health and Welfare
**
Gunma Paz College
** Jobu University -Takasaki Campus
* Tamamura
**
Gunma Prefectural Women's University
is a public university in Tamamura, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Established in 1980, it is one of the two public women's universities in Japan, alongside Fukuoka Women's University.
History
The school was established in 1980 in the city of Ma ...
Sports
![Shikishima rikujo 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Shikishima_rikujo_2.JPG)
The sports teams listed below are based in Gunma.
Baseball
*
Gunma Diamond Pegasus
The are a semi-professional baseball team in the Baseball Challenge League of Japan. The team was established as part of the expansion of the league, and began play in the 2008 season. Their home is Gunma Prefecture.
Franchise history
The Di ...
Football (soccer)
*
Thespakusatsu Gunma
is a professional football (soccer) club based in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture in Japan. The club plays in the J2 League, the second division of professional football in Japan.
History
The club was founded in 1995 in Kusatsu, one of the most ...
(
Kusatsu)
*
Tonan Maebashi
Tonan Maebashi is a Japanese football club based in Maebashi city, Gunma Prefecture. They play in the 2nd division of the Kantō Soccer League
, abbreviated as KSL, is a Japanese football league covering the Kantō region, the prefectures o ...
(
Maebashi
is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 335,352 in 151,171 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It ...
)
Rugby
*
Panasonic Wild Knights
Saitama Wild Knights (formerly Panasonic Wild Knights) is a Japanese rugby union team formerly based in Ōta city, Gunma prefecture which plays in the Top League. Inspired by Tony Brown at fly half (though he was not captain), it dominated the l ...
(
Ota)
Basketball
*
Gunma Crane Thunders
The Gunma Crane Thunders are a professional basketball team that compete in the first division of the Japanese B.League. They are based in Ōta, Gunma. It is said that the shape of Gunma Prefecture resembles the shape of a dancing crane. The te ...
Gunma is also famous for its ski resorts in the mountains.
Gunma was the only prefecture in Japan to have all 4 legal types of gambling on races:
horse
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million y ...
,
bicycle,
auto
Auto may refer to:
* An automaton
* An automobile
* An autonomous car
* An automatic transmission
* An auto rickshaw
* Short for automatic
* Auto (art), a form of Portuguese dramatic play
* ''Auto'' (film), 2007 Tamil comedy film
* Auto (play), ...
and
boat
A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats.
Small boats are typically found on inl ...
. This changed with the closing of the last horse race track in Takasaki in 2004.
Tourism
Gunma has many
hot spring resorts and the most famous is
Kusatsu Onsen
is a hot spring resort located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, northwest of Tokyo. It is a popular tourist destination.
There are 13 public baths at Kusatsu Onsen. The small bathhouses that are free for both town residents and tourists are managed ...
. Another draw to the mountainous Gunma is the
ski
A ski is a narrow strip of semi-rigid material worn underfoot to glide over snow. Substantially longer than wide and characteristically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partia ...
resorts.
Other attractions include:
*
Lake Nozori
*
Hara Museum Arc
*
Ikaho Sistina Trick Art Museum
*
Mount Haruna
is a dormant stratovolcano in Gunma, eastern Honshū, Japan.
Outline
Mount Haruna started to form more than 300,000 years ago and the last known eruption was 550 AD. The volcano has a summit caldera containing the symmetrical cinder cone of ...
*
Kusatsu Alpine-Plant Museum
*
Kusatsu Hot-Spring Museum
*
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane
*
Mount Tanigawa
is a mountain on the border of Gunma Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture in Japan. It is one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan.
Routes
The mountain trail leading to the summit of Mount Tanigawa from four directions: north, south, east and w ...
*
Mount Akagi
is a mountain in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.
The broad, low dominantly andesitic stratovolcano rises above the northern end of the Kanto Plain. It contains an elliptical, 3 x 4 km summit caldera with post-caldera lava domes arranged along ...
*
Mount Myōgi
is one of the major mountains in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Its straddles the border between the municipalities of Annaka, Shimonita and Tomioka. Well known for its rocks weathered into fantastic forms, this famous peak is ranked among Japan's t ...
*
The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma
opened in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, in 1974. The collection includes works by Monet, Renoir
Pierre-Auguste Renoir (; 25 February 1841 – 3 December 1919) was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Im ...
*
Konnyaku Park
*
Shorinzan Daruma Temple
Shorinzan Daruma Temple (少林山達磨寺, shōrinzan daruma-ji) is a small temple located in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture. It was built in 1697 by the Obaku (school of Buddhism), Obaku school of Zen Buddhism. Takasaki is known as the birthplace of ...
File:kiryu yagi bushi festival vehicle-free promenade 2.jpg, Kiryū Yagi-bushi Festival, where held on early August on every year.
File:IMG E0946 富岡製糸場.jpg, A Tomioka Silk Mill, a World Herritage cultural property site.
File:達磨寺 - panoramio (1).jpg, A many daruma doll set at Shorinzan Daruma Temple in Takasaki
Transportation
Rail
*
JR East
The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...
**
Joetsu Shinkansen
**
Hokuriku Shinkansen
The is a high-speed Shinkansen railway line jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West), connecting Tokyo with in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The first section, between and in Nagano Pr ...
**
Takasaki Line
The Takasaki Line ( ja, 高崎線, ) is a Japanese railway line which connects Ōmiya Station in Saitama, Saitama Prefecture and Takasaki Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture. It is owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) ...
**
Shinetsu Line
The Shinetsu Main Line ( ja, 信越本線, ) is a railway line, consisting of three geographically separated sections, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan. It was originally one continuous line connecting and via . S ...
(Takasaki-Yokokawa)
**
Joetsu Line
**
Agatsuma Line Agatsuma may refer to:
*, Japanese shamisen player
*Agatsuma District, Gunma, a district in Gunma Prefecture, Japan
*Agatsuma, Gunma, a town in Gunma Prefecture, Japan
*Agatsuma River, a river in Japan
*Agatsuma Entertainment, a Japanese toy/video ...
**
Ryomo Line
**
Hachiko Line (Kuragano-)
*
Tobu Railway
is a Japanese commuter railway and ''keiretsu'' holding company in the Greater Tokyo Area as well as an intercity and regional operator in the Kantō region. Excluding the Japan Railways Group companies, Tobu's rail system is the second longes ...
**
Isesaki Line
The is a Japanese railway line operated by the private railway company Tobu Railway, extending from Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen Station in Saitama to Isesaki Station in Gunma Prefecture. The Isesaki Line can refer to the entire section between Asakus ...
**
Nikko Line (
Itakura Tōyōdai-mae Station)
**
Sano Line
**
Kiryu Line
*
Joshin Electric Railway
Jushin ( fa, جوشين, also Romanized as Jūshīn, Jooshin, and Jowshīn; also known as Dzheshun, Joshīn, Joshun, and Jowshūn) is a village in Jushin Rural District, Kharvana District, Varzaqan County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran
...
(Takasaki-Shimonita)
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Jomo Electric Railway (Chuo Maebashi-Nishi Kiryu)
*
Watarase Keikoku Railway Watarase Keikoku Line
The is a Japanese railway line connecting Kiryū Station in Kiryū, Gunma and Matō Station in Nikkō, Tochigi. This is the only railway line that the third-sector company operates. The company and line are also known as or . The company ...
Roads
Expressways
*
Kan-Etsu Expressway
The is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and managed by East Nippon Expressway Company.
Naming
is the ''kanji'' acronym of and the old comprising modern-day Niigata Prefecture.
Officially, the Kan-Etsu consists of two routes. Bot ...
*
Tōhoku Expressway
The is a south-north national expressway, and the longest expressway in Japan at . Its southern terminus is in Kawaguchi, Saitama in the Greater Tokyo Area, at the Tokyo Gaikan Expressway and Kawaguchi Route near Araijuku Station, and its no ...
*
Jōshin-etsu Expressway
The is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.
Naming
is a kanji acronym consisting of 3 characters, each representing the former names of the prefectures that the route traverses. consist ...
*
Kita-Kantō Expressway
The (lit. North Kantō Expressway) is a 4-laned national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.
Overview
The route connects the capitals of the three northern prefectures in the Kantō region: Maebas ...
(
Takasaki
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 372,369 in 167,345 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Takasaki is famous as the hometown of th ...
-
Hitachinaka
file:Hitachinaka Town Hall2.JPG, 250px, Hitachinaka city hall
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 154,663 in 64,900 households and a population density of 1547 persons per km2 ...
)
National highways
*
National Route 17 (
Nihonbashi of Tokyo-
Saitama-
Kumagaya
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 195,277 in 87,827 households and a population density of 1200 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kumagaya is one of the larges ...
-Takasaki-Shibukawa-
Ojiya-
Nagaoka)
*
National Route 18 (Takasaki-Annaka-
Karuizawa-
Komoro-
Nagano Nagano may refer to:
Places
* Nagano Prefecture, a prefecture in Japan
** Nagano (city), the capital city of the same prefecture
*** Nagano 1998, the 1998 Winter Olympics
*** Nagano Olympic Stadium, a baseball stadium in Nagano
*** Nagano Universi ...
-
Myoko-
Joetsu)
*
National Route 50 (Maebashi-Isesaki-
Oyama-
Yuki-Mito)
*
National Route 120
*
National Route 122
*
National Route 144
*
National Route 145
*
National Route 146
*
National Route 254
*
National Route 291
*
National Route 292
*
National Route 299
*
National Route 353
*
National Route 354
*
National Route 405
*
National Route 406
*
National Route 407
*
National Route 462
Prefectural symbols
The prefectural symbol consists of the first
kanji
are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...
of the word 'Gunma' surrounded by three stylized mountains symbolizing the three important mountains of Gunma Prefecture:
Mount Haruna
is a dormant stratovolcano in Gunma, eastern Honshū, Japan.
Outline
Mount Haruna started to form more than 300,000 years ago and the last known eruption was 550 AD. The volcano has a summit caldera containing the symmetrical cinder cone of ...
,
Mount Akagi
is a mountain in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.
The broad, low dominantly andesitic stratovolcano rises above the northern end of the Kanto Plain. It contains an elliptical, 3 x 4 km summit caldera with post-caldera lava domes arranged along ...
, and
Mount Myōgi
is one of the major mountains in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Its straddles the border between the municipalities of Annaka, Shimonita and Tomioka. Well known for its rocks weathered into fantastic forms, this famous peak is ranked among Japan's t ...
.
For marketing, the Prefectural Government also uses
Gunma-chan, a small
super deformed
Chibi, also known as super deformation, or S.D. is a style of caricature originating in Japan, and common in anime and manga where characters are drawn in an exaggerated way, typically small and chubby with stubby limbs, oversized heads, and m ...
drawing of a horse character wearing a green cap. It is used on promotional posters, banners, and other notable printed materials from the Prefectural Government. Other agencies and companies formally or informally use variations of its likeness and other horse-shaped characters when making signs or notices for work on buildings, roads, and other public notices.
In Popular culture
There are various anime that have based their settings in Gunma, such as:
*
Initial D
*
A Place Further than the Universe
is an anime original television series produced by Madhouse. The series is directed by Atsuko Ishizuka, written by Jukki Hanada and features character designs by Takahiro Yoshimatsu. It aired in Japan between January and March 2018, and wa ...
*
The Flowers of Evil
*
Nichijou
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Keiichi Arawi. The manga began serialization in the December 2006 issue of Kadokawa Shoten's manga magazine '' Shōnen Ace'', and was also serialized in ''Comptiq'' between the March 2007 ...
*
You Don't know Gunma Yet
In the
Pokemon franchise, Kanto Region's
Pewter City, Route 3, and Mt. Moon are thought to be based on places found in Gunma.
See also
*
2022 Japan heatwave
Notes
References
* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005)
''Japan encyclopedia.''Cambridge:
Harvard University Press
Harvard University Press (HUP) is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. After the retirem ...
.
OCLC 58053128*
External links
Gunma Prefecture Official Website
{{Authority control
Kantō region
Prefectures of Japan