Takasaki

Introduction

Takasaki is a city in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, known above all as the hometown of the Daruma doll. The doll is said to represent the Buddhist sage Bodhidharma, and in modern practice it serves as a symbol of good luck.

The city is the largest in Gunma Prefecture, having overtaken Maebashi in 1990.

Before you go

Getting there

Takasaki is well connected to Tokyo by rail. The city is a stop on the Joetsu and Nagano Shinkansen lines, and frequent services leave Tokyo station every 15–30 minutes, with more departures during the evening rush. The trip takes about an hour. Regular trains on the Takasaki Line run from Ueno two to three times per hour and take around two hours, while the Shonan-Shinjuku Line offers hourly departures via Shinjuku. Takasaki Station, at 222 Yashimachō, is also a hub for the JR Takasaki, Hachiko, Ryomo, Joetsu and Shin-etsu lines.

If you are arriving by air, Azalea Limousine Buses run from Narita Airport to Takasaki Station every 1½–2 hours, taking about three hours. By train from Narita, take the Narita Express to Tokyo Station and change to the Joetsu Shinkansen; reservations for both can be made at the airport. From Haneda Airport, limousine buses also serve Takasaki Station, while the faster rail route involves the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa, the Yamanote Line to Tokyo, and then the Shinkansen. Long-distance buses are another option: Nippon Chuo Bus runs daytime services from the Tokyo area, stopping at the Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku and on some runs in Ikebukuro and Akihabara, as well as the Tokai Liner from Shizuoka and Nagoya, the overnight Sendai Liner, and the overnight Silk Liner from Nara, Kyoto and Osaka.

Getting around

Takasaki Station is the anchor of the city's public transport and the point from which most journeys begin. It sits on the Joetsu and Hokuriku (Nagano) Shinkansen lines and is a hub for the JR Takasaki, Hachiko, Ryomo, Joetsu and Shin-etsu lines, operated by JR-East, so it connects you both to long-distance destinations and to the surrounding region. If you're arriving from Tokyo, frequent Shinkansen services run from Tokyo Station, regular trains on the Takasaki Line depart from Ueno, and the Shonan-Shinjuku Line offers hourly departures via Shinjuku. The Japan Rail Pass and JR East Pass cover the relevant JR journeys, and you can make reservations for express and Shinkansen trains at the airport or at the station.

The city centre is easily walkable, which makes it straightforward to cover the central commercial district and the area around the station on foot, but to reach most of the sites outside the centre you'll need a bus, a bicycle or a car. Buses are usually infrequent and there is no English information, so ask the tourist information board at the train station for bus times before you set out. Several operators run services across the city, including Nihon Chuo Bus, Joshin Kanko Bus, Joshin Bus, Gunma Bus, Nagai Unyu, Gunma Chuo Bus, Kanetsu Kotsu, and Takasaki City itself, and routes serve main streets through town such as Kannon-dori, Shibukawa-kaido, the Old Nakasendo, Tamachi-dori and Chuo-dori. There is no metro or tram network; rail and bus are the public transport options available. A bicycle can be a good middle ground for covering more ground than walking while avoiding the wait for infrequent buses, and if you need a taxi, the tourist information board at the train station is a sensible place to ask, or one can be arranged from the station itself.

Where to stay

Food & drink

For a convenient bite while waiting for a train connection, head to the izakaya on the ground level on the left side of the plaza at the West Exit of JR Takasaki station. It is a chain izakaya, but a pleasant place to sample a wide variety of specialty snacks and sake from around Japan. Not much English is spoken, though there are picture menus for both food and sake.

Gunma's famous sweet, yaki-manju, is broiled manju — a Japanese-style bun with sweet soybean sauce. You can buy one at any shop with a long line of customers.

What to see and do

Takasaki's most obvious landmark is Mt. Kannonyama, crowned by an enormous statue you can climb inside for a view over the city. Halfway down the mountain, a cave holds Kannon sculptures carved from the stone, alongside a Japanese garden. Buses run from Takasaki Station but are infrequent, so consider walking up Kannon-dori and tackling the long staircase to the summit instead. West of the city, Shōrinzan Daruma Temple is where daruma dolls originated; the temple itself is pleasant, and the small museum of old daruma dolls beside it is worth a look. Further west, roughly 8km from the station, a cluster of ancient keyhole-shaped tumuli sits alongside an archaeology museum, with one tomb restored to its original appearance complete with haniwa clay figures and pots, and good English information throughout.

To the east, Gunma no Mori is a forested park whose two museum buildings are notable for their architecture: the Gunma Prefectural Museum of Modern Art and the Prefectural Museum of History. Mt. Haruna, a large dormant volcano within the city, is about an hour by bus from the station; its shrine, founded in the sixth century, sits scenically on the mountainside beside a river, and Lake Haruna, a crater lake with tourist facilities, lies a little further up. The walk between the two is long and poorly maintained, and buses come only hourly. Haruna Shrine itself is a "power spot" built into the side of large rocks. Near the base of Mt. Haruna, in the town of Misato, Minowa Castle has little left beyond a well, a few rock walls, earthworks and moats, with signs in Japanese only — better as a forest walk than as a history lesson. If you're a devoted fan of Pocari Sweat and have some Japanese ability, you can tour an Otsuka Pharmaceutical factory about 8km from the station, though reservations must be made well in advance.

When to go

Winters are cold and windy, with the karakkaze winds blowing through the region and occasional snowfall. January is the coldest month, so bring layers and windproof clothing if you travel in midwinter.

Three days in Takasaki

Day one: Arrive at Takasaki Station, the city's main rail hub, which connects to Tokyo via the Joetsu and Nagano Shinkansen, the Takasaki Line from Ueno, and the Shonan-Shinjuku Line from Shinjuku. If you are coming from Narita Airport, the Azalea Limousine Buses run directly to Takasaki, or you can take the Narita Express to Tokyo Station and change to the Joetsu Shinkansen. From Haneda Airport, take the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa, then the Yamanote Line to Tokyo Station for the Shinkansen. Once settled, spend your first afternoon getting your bearings around Takasaki Station and the surrounding streets, and look for the Daruma dolls the city is known for.

Day two: Use Takasaki as your base for exploring Gunma Prefecture. The Ryomo and Shin lines, along with the JR Takasaki network, make it easy to reach nearby spots, and Maebashi is a short ride away if you want to compare the character of a neighbouring city. Back in Takasaki, take time to learn about the Daruma and its connection to the Buddhist figure Bodhidharma, and note that the city is also associated with the former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone.

Day three: Before heading back to Tokyo, make a final loop of the areas around Takasaki Station. If you are returning to Narita Airport, the Azalea Limousine Buses offer a direct option, or you can take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Tokyo Station and transfer to the Narita Express. For Haneda Airport, ride to Shinagawa and pick up the Keikyu Line. Keep an eye out for the Hachiko motif on the local rail network as you travel.