HIKING

Two hiking tours linked by water and verdant flora: Oze and Mount Tanigawa

Gunma is famous for its mountains, which show a different face in every season. They are even featured in a local version of Japan’s traditional karuta card game. Reconnect with nature with all of your senses on one of these hiking tours.

Mount Tanigawa hiking tour (overnight guests only)

Gunma’s mountains have fascinated countless visitors, and are even featured in the prefecture’s local version of the traditional karuta card game. The famous Ichinokurasawa Trail up Mount Tanigawa can be found in the town of Minakami at the source of the Tone River, an official UNESCO Eco Park. Let a private guide and experienced hiker who is intimately familiar with the local environment show you the beauty of the trail.
Minakami is just over an hour from Maebashi and the Shiroiya Hotel by car. In the season after the harsh winter cold, the forest buds with new life. Bask in sunlight filtered through the newly verdant branches of Japanese beeches and wingnut trees, tread through snow-lined corridors, feel the refreshing breeze, and hear the birds singing, the water flowing, and the leaves rustling—and then, finally, behold the great rock face of Ichinokurasawa, still capped with snow, appearing dramatically before you. All this and more awaits you on a private tour of the natural landscapes where the blessings of the Tone River begin. What better way could there be to refresh and recover from everyday stress and fatigue?
Along the way, you will scoop up water from the Tone River and enjoy hand-drip coffee brewed with it. A cup of coffee in clear air amid unspoiled nature is one of the greatest pleasures of hiking and sure to become a treasured memory.

Overview

Tour season Late May to early November
(Let us know your preferred date)
Time required Around 7 hours
Pricing 1–3 people: ¥40,000 for entire group
4+ people: ¥40,000 3-person group fee + ¥12,000 per additional person

Notes:
- Prices include private guide, transport, food, drink, and snacks
- Hearty wappameshi bento made with locally grown ingredients provided for lunch
- Prices are the same for children
Itinerary 8:50 AM Meet at Shiroiya Hotel
9:00 AM Depart Shiroiya Hotel
Travel by car (Kan-Etsu Expressway)
10:20 AM Visit Mount Tanigawa Information Center
10:40 AM Begin hike
11:30 AM Arrive at Machigasawa
12:05 PM Arrive at Ichinokurasawa Deai
Lunch
12:45 PM Depart Ichinokurasawa Deai
1:10 PM Arrive at Yunosawa Spring for coffee time
13:40 PM Begin return hike
15:10 PM Arrive at Mount Tanigawa Information Center
15:15 PM Depart Mount Tanigawa Information Center
Travel by car (Kan-Etsu Expressway)
16:30 PM Arrive back at Shiroiya Hotel
Things to bring Rain gear, warm clothing, shoes for hiking (no sandals), backpack, hat
Payment method Please pay your guide directly in cash on the day of the tour
Reservation deadline One week before requested date
Cancellation policy •1 week before date: 30%
•2 days before date: 50%
•Same day: 100%
Making your reservation Contact us using the CONTACT button below
(Please note that your preferred date may not be available)

Notes
• Itinerary times may vary slightly depending on hiking course
• Tours are held even in inclement weather. However, in case of typhoon or other weather conditions that could pose an actual hazard, tours may be cancelled.
• Tour guide is a member of the Japan Mountain Guides Association.
• The provider of this tour has liability insurance.
• Children must be at least elementary school age to attend.

Preventing the spread of the coronavirus

Shiroiya Hotel is currently implementing measures to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infection: alcohol disinfection, social distancing, and ventilation. In addition to checking the health status of employees, we request the guests wear masks, monitor their temperature, sanitize with alcohol, and check their current health status to ensure their safety and well-being.
Please refrain from visiting if you are unsure of your health status on the day of your stay. We greatly appreciate your understanding.
We kindly ask for your cooperation in wearing a mask during the tea ceremony experience activity, except when eating and drinking.

Oze hiking tour (guests only)

A relaxing day in Japan’s most extensive mountain wetlands

Oze is the largest mountain wetlands area on the island of Honshu, stretching two kilometers from north to south and six from east to west and extending into no less than four prefectures: Gunma, Fukushima, Niigata, and Tochigi. Its many highlights include Mount Shibutsu, Mount Hiuchi, Lake Ozenuma, and the marshland of Ozegahara.
Ozegahara has wooden trails and benches for ease of exploring, making it an ideal introduction to the joys of hiking for novice hikers or smaller children. Surrounded by mountains 2,000 meters high or more, the sprawling marshland has been called a treasure chest of high-altitude flora. It blooms with a wild profusion of flowers, including many rare species, that changes from season to season from early spring to the first winter snows of November.
Come and see this sweeping landscape for yourself. Listen to the birds sing, feel the crisp air on your face, and enjoy a leisurely hike through the beauty of the land. You’re sure to find a side of Oze that makes you smile.

Overview

Tour season From mid-July to the end of October
Time required Around 8 to 10 hours
Pricing 1–3 people: ¥40,000 for entire group
4+ people: ¥40,000 3-person group fee + ¥12,000 per additional person

Notes:
- Prices include private guide, transport, food, drink, and snacks
- Hearty chicken and maitake bento made with locally grown ingredients provided for lunch
- Prices are the same for children
Itinerary 7:50 AM Meet at Shiroiya Hotel
8:00 AM Depart Shiroiya Hotel
Travel by car (Kan-Etsu Expressway)
Travel by taxi from Oze Tokura parking lot (¥1,000/person)
10:00 AM Arrive at Hatomachi Pass
10:10 AM Begin hike, departing from Hatomachi Pass
11:10 AM Arrive at Yamanohana Campground
Lunch
11:50 AM Depart Yamanohana Campground
12:00 AM—3:00 PM Walking in Ozegahara
3:00 PM Arrive at Yamanohana Campground
4:00 PM Arrive at Hatomachi Pass
Oze Tokura parking lot taxi, due to restrictions on unauthorized vehicles (¥1,000/person)
Travel by car (Kan-Etsu Expressway)
6:00 PM Arrive at Shiroiya Hotel
Things to bring Rain gear, warm clothing, shoes for hiking (no sandals), backpack, hat
Payment method Please pay your guide directly in cash on the day of the tour
Reservation deadline One week before requested date
Cancellation policy • 1 week before date: 30%
• 2 days before date: 50%
• Same day: 100%
Making your reservation Contact us using the CONTACT button below
(Please note that your preferred date may not be available)

Notes
• Itinerary times may vary slightly depending on hiking course
• Tours are held even in inclement weather. However, in case of typhoon or other weather conditions that could pose an actual hazard, tours may be cancelled.
• Tour guide is a member of the Japan Mountain Guides Association.
• The provider of this tour has liability insurance.
• Children must be at least elementary school age to attend.

Preventing the spread of the coronavirus

Shiroiya Hotel is currently implementing measures to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infection: alcohol disinfection, social distancing, and ventilation. In addition to checking the health status of employees, we request the guests wear masks, monitor their temperature, sanitize with alcohol, and check their current health status to ensure their safety and well-being.
Please refrain from visiting if you are unsure of your health status on the day of your stay. We greatly appreciate your understanding.
We kindly ask for your cooperation in wearing a mask during the tea ceremony experience activity, except when eating and drinking.

GUIDE
TSUNEHISA
TESHIMA

Splitboard guide/mountain climbing guide
Born 1979, raised in Saitama Prefecture

Tsunehisa Teshima guides people on mountain voyages, chiefly in the Gunma area, showcasing the diversity of Japan’s high-altitude environments through outdoor activities that reveal the rich beauty of nature in each of the four seasons along with history and culture.

Japan Mountain Guides Association: Mountain Climbing Guide Stage II / Ski Guide Stage II
Japan Avalanche Network: Avalanche Operation Level 2, Professional Member
Member of Minakami Mountain Guide Association and Minakami Mountain Guide Association

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