5 Photogenic Scenic Spots in Gunma

Gunma Prefecture, with its mountains, lakes, and hot springs, is a treasure trove of photogenic nature. We won't let anyone say "there aren't many photogenic spots here"! Grab your camera and set out on a journey to find spectacular scenery.

1. Fukiware Falls (Numata City): An Overwhelming Shot at the "Niagara of the East"

Fukiware Falls, which plunges dynamically over a rock face 30 m wide and 7 m high, has an overwhelming impact thanks to the contrast between the spray and the green moss. There is a promenade from which you can look down on the falls from directly beside them, and shooting from a low angle right at the water's surface lets you aim for a powerful shot with depth.

• Best season: Fresh greenery in May to June; autumn foliage in October to November
• Photography tip: The time of day when morning light streams onto the water is recommended. Slowing your shutter speed creates a fantastical expression of the flowing water.
• Access: About 40 minutes by car from the Numata IC on the Kan-Etsu Expressway

2. Lake Haruna (Takasaki City): The Inverted Mount Haruna-Fuji Reflected on the Lake Is Too Beautiful

A quiet crater lake spreading out against the backdrop of Mount Haruna. On calm early mornings, the lake surface becomes like a mirror, and an inverted "Mount Haruna-Fuji" appears. This fantastical shot is also hugely popular on social media. Shoot it together with the swan boats for an even more romantic atmosphere.

• Best season: Early winter mornings (December to February) are also spectacular combined with snowy scenery
• Photography tip: Aim for the dim-light hours right after sunrise, the golden hour
• Access: About 80 minutes by bus from JR Takasaki Station

3. Mount Tanigawa (Minakami Town): Your "Closest to the Sky" Photo on the Sky-High Ridgeline

Hop up to Tenjindaira at an altitude of 1,319 m by ropeway. On days when a sea of clouds spreads out, you can take photos with a floating sensation, as if you were standing on top of the clouds. The contrast between the rocky surface and the blue sky is also breathtakingly beautiful.

• Best season: The sea of clouds appears in the early mornings of September to October. In summer, alpine plants bloom in profusion.
• Photography tip: Put a person in the foreground and make the sky and sea of clouds a large background to boost the photogenic effect
• Access: About 60 minutes by bus plus ropeway from Jomo-Kogen Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen

4. Kusatsu Onsen Yubatake (Kusatsu Town): A Fantastical Hot Spring Scroll of Steam

The Yubatake, the symbol of Kusatsu Onsen, becomes a fantastical, otherworldly scene at night when it is illuminated and the steam is dyed orange. The orderly rows of wooden frames used as devices for collecting yu-no-hana (hot spring mineral deposits) also create a distinctive visual.

• Best season: Good all year round. Winter, with its collaboration of snow and steam, is especially recommended.
• Photography tip: Capture the whole scene with a wide-angle lens during the illumination time after 7 p.m.
• Access: About 25 minutes by bus from JR Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station

5. Evening Scenery Around the Tomioka Silk Mill (Tomioka City): A Luxurious Shot of World Heritage and Sunset

The sight of the World Heritage red-brick architecture lit by the madder-red sky at dusk is simply spectacular. The texture of the bricks and the warm light overlap exquisitely, creating a nostalgic shot like a film photograph.

• Best season: Autumn to winter evenings when the air is clear
• Photography tip: Capturing the entire building in vertical orientation from in front of the main gate emphasizes its height
• Access: About 7 minutes on foot from Joshu-Tomioka Station on the Joshin Electric Railway

The spectacular scenery created by Gunma's nature and culture is full of places that look picture-perfect no matter where you frame them. Be sure to go find your own favorite shot!

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season and time of day: Fukiware Falls is at its best from April to June, when snowmelt swells the water, and during the autumn foliage from late October to early November in an average year. The reflections on Lake Haruna are best in the early morning on a day with little wind. The illumination of the Yubatake at Kusatsu Onsen begins after sunset (sunset is around 19:00 in summer and around 17:00 in winter).
• Opening hours and seasons: The promenade at Fukiware Falls is closed for the winter from mid-December to late March and is also closed at night (even during the closure the falls can be seen from the Rokkakudo hall). The Tomioka Silk Mill is open 9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30) and closed from December 29 to 31. The Tanigawadake Ropeway runs 8:00-17:00 on weekdays and 7:00-17:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, with the last ascent at 16:30.
• Fees: Viewing Fukiware Falls is free of charge (the parking lots charge a fee). The Tomioka Silk Mill costs 1,000 yen for adults, 250 yen for high school and university students (student ID required) and 150 yen for elementary and junior high school students. The Tanigawadake Ropeway costs 3,600 yen for adults and 2,000 yen for elementary school children for a round trip to the Tenjin-toge observation deck.
• Access: Fukiware Falls is about 40 minutes by car from the Numata IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway. For Lake Haruna, take the Gunma Bus bound for Harunako from the west exit of JR Takasaki Station, about 90 minutes. For Tanigawadake, take a bus from Jomo-Kogen Station or Minakami Station to Doaiguchi Station. The Tomioka Silk Mill is about a 15-minute walk from Joshu-Tomioka Station on the Joshin Electric Railway.
• Parking: The area around Fukiware Falls is served mainly by paid parking lots. For the Tomioka Silk Mill, use the parking lot about 10 minutes from the Tomioka IC on the Joshin-etsu Expressway, from which it is a further 10-minute walk to the mill.
• Photography rules: Inside the facilities, observe basic etiquette such as not blocking walkways and not photographing other visitors or worshippers without their permission. Whether tripods and drones may be used differs from place to place, so check each official website or ask the staff on site in advance.
• Safety notes: The promenade at Fukiware Falls has no railings, and fatal accidents from falls have occurred in the past. Never step past the white line. The stretch between Masutobi Falls and Fukiware Falls is narrow and slippery, so wear comfortable walking shoes. On Tanigawadake, going beyond Tenjindaira onto the ridge and the summit calls for proper mountaineering equipment and experience, and the weather on the mountain can change suddenly.

Note: Fees, opening hours and the dates of the winter closure are subject to change. Always check the latest information on the official website of each facility before you visit.

(Sources: official Numata City website, Fukiware Falls page; official Tomioka City tourism website Shirukuru Tomioka and the official Tomioka Silk Mill website; official Tanigawadake Ropeway website; Gunma Bus)