Ikaho Onsen 伊香保温泉

Autumn season in Japan is famous for amazing views of the autumn foliage. The once green and luscious leaves of summer are now disguised with bright yellow or deep red tones. Be it trees on the roadside or covering the entire mountain, this fleeting beauty of fall is truly breathtaking.

So where are some good places to enjoy this season of red leaves?

Just around 2 hours away from Tokyo by car, you can escape to the nearby prefecture of Gunma to one of the famous onsen spots, Shibukawa Ikaho Onsen.

From Tokyo, you can take the Kanetsu Expressway, get off at Shibukawa-Ikano IC and in about 11km more you’ll reach the Ikaho Onsen Stone Steps.

It’s a charming onsen town with a long flight of stairs (about 365 steps!) which takes you up to the Ikaho Shrine. Along the stone paths are full of lively shops, restaurants, and ryokans. Of course, you’ll also pass by footbaths and public baths as you climb up the steps. The arrangement of this stone path is pretty smart because you can enjoy the beautiful scenery as you explore and climb higher.

If you can, it’s a wonderful opportunity to wear a yukata and fully immerse yourself in the onsen town culture. You can explore the little shops and even show off your skills at the game booths for a bit of fun.

As the sun quietly retires for the night, the streetlamps and lights set up everywhere illuminates the entire stone path. The string of lights creates an even more romantic atmosphere, with all the red and yellow foliage around. The air does become cooler so don’t forget to bundle up.

If you still have a bit of energy left, now is the time to finish climbing the stairs, walk all the way up past the shrine and towards the Kajika Bridge. It will only take you less than 10 mins from the stone steps. There is an annual light up in the bridge to showcase the exquisite colors of the autumn red maple (Momiji) leaves. Although everyone wants to take the best photos of the foliage, don’t forget to appreciate it with your own eyes and just enjoy the moment. Daytime foliage is spectacular, but night illuminations take it to a whole different level. It would be best to cross the bridge and slowly walk across the curtain of leaves and experience this dreamy kind of autumn.

If you still have a bit of energy left, now is the time to finish climbing the stairs, walk all the way up past the shrine and towards the Kajika Bridge. It will only take you less than 10 mins from the stone steps. There is an annual light up in the bridge to showcase the exquisite colors of the autumn red maple (Momiji) leaves. Although everyone wants to take the best photos of the foliage, don’t forget to appreciate it with your own eyes and just enjoy the moment. Daytime foliage is spectacular, but night illuminations take it to a whole different level. It would be best to cross the bridge and slowly walk across the curtain of leaves and experience this dreamy kind of autumn.