Maebashi

Introduction

Maebashi is the capital of Gunma Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. The city is known as the "City of Water, Greenery and Poets" — a name that reflects its pure waters, its rich natural surroundings, and its place as the birthplace of several Japanese contemporary poets, among them Sakutarō Hagiwara.

For a sense of the city's scale, it spreads across a wide area of roughly 311 square kilometres, and its population is spread at a comparatively low density. Maebashi was long the most populous city in Gunma Prefecture, until Takasaki absorbed nearby towns and overtook it.

Before you go

Before you go, be aware that Maebashi's tourist information site is Japanese-only, with only limited English support. If you don't read Japanese, plan to rely on translation tools or other sources for practical details.

Getting there

Maebashi sits on the JR Ryomo Line between Takasaki and Isesaki, and most journeys from Tokyo involve changing at Takasaki. The quickest rail option is the Joetsu Shinkansen to Takasaki followed by the Ryomo Line, which takes around 75 to 90 minutes and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Local trains leave from Ueno in Tokyo and reach Maebashi in about two and a half hours with a transfer at Takasaki; some services continue straight through to Maebashi Station.

If you are arriving by air, buses connect both Narita and Haneda airports with Maebashi Station, though the train is faster from Haneda and requires more transfers. Long-distance buses stop outside the south exit of Maebashi train station and at the Maebashi Bus Terminal a short distance further on. Nippon Chuo Bus runs daytime services from the Tokyo area, calling at the Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku and, on some runs, Ikebukuro and Akihabara. The same operator runs the Tokai Liner from Shizuoka and Nagoya, the overnight Sendai Liner from Sendai, and the overnight Silk Liner from Nara, Kyoto and Osaka.

Getting around

Maebashi's rail network is not comprehensive enough to serve as your sole means of exploring the city, so think of trains mainly as your link to the wider region. Two separate operators serve the city: JR East and the Jōmō Electric Railway, and tickets and passes are not interchangeable between them. JR's Ryōmō Line is the one that matters most for visitors, linking Komagata, Maebashi-Ōshima, Maebashi and Shin-Maebashi within the city and continuing to Takasaki and Isesaki; Maebashi Station is the main rail gateway. The private Jōmō Line runs east from Chūō-Maebashi through a string of suburban stops and is useful for the eastern parts of the city and the Ōgo area. Note that Chūō-Maebashi is a different station from JR's Maebashi Station, so allow time if you are connecting between the two.

For getting around town, your own two feet and a bicycle are the practical choices. The central business district is quite walkable, and the city's wide shared sidewalks and quiet but straight back streets make cycling an excellent way to cover ground between the centre and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Buses do the heavy lifting for the outer districts, and most local routes start and end at Maebashi Station, making it the natural hub for planning a trip — but the network is not always intuitive for a first-time visitor, so check your route before setting out. Several operators run services, including Nihon Chuo Bus, Gunma Chuo Bus, Gunma Bus, Joshin Bus, Joshin Kanko Bus, Nagai Transport, Kanetsu Kotsu and the Airport Bus Gunma service, so pay attention to which operator's bus you are boarding and where you buy your ticket. Bus service is likely to be reasonably frequent along the Maebashi Akagi Line, the Takasaki Annaka Shibukawa Line, the Maebashi Misato Line, and National Routes 17 and 50. Taxis are a sensible fallback for short trips where bus routes do not line up, or for reaching a hotel with luggage; expect to hail one at a rank or arrange one by phone, as app-based ride-hailing is not a mainstream option here.

Where to stay

For something with a bit more of a soak built in, the Bells Inn Maebashi has its own onsen, letting you unwind in hot spring water without leaving your hotel.

Food & drink

What to see and do

Maebashi's sights mix modern civic architecture with deep historical roots. Head to the Gunma Prefecture Governmental Building, a striking structure with two restaurants on its second-highest floor and a mechanized car park. The top floor is enclosed in glass, giving you a 360-degree view over the city that is beautiful by day and awesome at night. For history, visit Kozuke Kokubunji, a park preserving the ruins of the head temple of the former Kozuke Province, or step into the Maebashi City Soja History Museum. The Kashikawa History and Folk Museum displays local archaeological finds, while the small non-profit Nakanosawa Museum of Art offers a quieter cultural stop. Rinkokaku is a guesthouse dating to 1905 with a pleasant garden, and Akagi Shrine on Mount Akagi is dedicated to Akagi Daimyojin, the god of Lake Onuma, with a long scenic bridge over the water and abundant flowers around the lake in summer.

For activities, the Green Dome Maebashi is a beautifully designed domed stadium in Maebashi Park, hosting indoor sports, exhibitions and, most famously, Keirin pari-mutuel bicycle races throughout the year. In spring, drive or stroll the Akagi Nanmen Cherry Blossom Festival, a picturesque road where cherry blossoms bloom among rape blossoms for a mix of pink and yellow, with blue skies on clear days. The road leads into Miyagi Senbonzakura no Mori Park, where you can see cherry blossoms against purple shibazakura.

When to go

Maebashi has a humid subtropical climate, and the seasons shape the trip you get. Winters are dry and sunny: the karakkaze, a dry wind from the north, blows through the city, while snow clouds from the Sea of Japan are blocked by the Echigo Mountain Range. That leaves little rain or snow and plenty of clear days, making winter one of the sunniest times of year here.

Summers are hot because the city sits inland, though on average they are less hot than coastal Tokyo. The heat can still be extreme, so plan around it if you visit in the warmer months.

Three days in Maebashi

Day one: Arrive in Maebashi, the city of water, greenery and poets in Gunma Prefecture, in the Kant region of Japan. If you are coming from Tokyo, the JR Ryomo Line runs from Ueno to Maebashi Station, and the Joetsu Shinkansen to Takasaki connects onward; a Japan Rail Pass covers the shinkansen and JR lines, while local buses from Narita and Haneda are long. From Maebashi Station, the Maebashi Bus Terminal is served by Nippon Chuo Bus. Settle in and walk the city, keeping an eye out for traces of the poet Sakutarō Hagiwara.

• Maebashi Station
• Maebashi Bus Terminal
• Nippon Chuo Bus

Day two: Use Maebashi as your base for the wider region. The JR Ryomo Line links Maebashi with Isesaki and Takasaki, and from Takasaki the Joetsu Shinkansen reaches Tokyo quickly. Long-distance buses such as the Tokai Liner to Shizuoka and Nagoya, the Sendai Liner to Sendai, and the Silk Liner also serve the area. If you prefer to stay in Tokyo first, the Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku is convenient, with Ikebukuro and Akihabara on the same rail network.

• JR Ryomo Line
• Isesaki
• Takasaki
• Joetsu Shinkansen
• Tokai Liner
• Sendai Liner
• Silk Liner

Day three: Spend your last day in Maebashi itself, taking in the water and greenery that give the city its character. Before you leave, check connections back toward Tokyo and beyond, whether by JR Ryomo Line, Joetsu Shinkansen or long-distance bus. English signage and information are available at the main stations, so plan your onward route with ease.

• Maebashi
• Gunma Prefecture
• Kant
• Japan
• Tokyo
• Ueno