I recently drove to Gunma prefecture to visit a famous onsen town, the Shibukasa Ikaho Onsen. And with my search for a parking spot, I mistakenly took the mountain road and to my surprise, arrived in Mt. Haruna. I enjoyed the place a lot so I will now pretend this was originally part of my plan. (^^)
If you drive past through Ikaho Onsen delving deeper into the mountain, you will be greeted by the beautiful Mt. Haruna and the nearby lake Haruna. Try to plan your trip carefully according to the autumn foliage forecast, if you want to be happily surrounded by your preferred shade of red leaves. The foliage on the top of the mountain turns red earlier so you can have a relaxing drive with the autumn leaves around late October to early November.
The drive to Mt. Haruna passes through this very interesting Melody Road. There are only a few of these Melody roads around so I was caught by surprise when I suddenly heard the tune while driving. So where does the sound come from? There are distinct features on the asphalt road surface that produces vibrations as cars drive by and with varying tones depending on the depth. This fun idea was applied to the road to specifically play melodic tunes as you drive over it. When passing by, turn down your car music and keep the windows shut to guess what song it is.
Just 10 km of mountain roads starting from the Ikaho Onsen steps, you’ll arrive at the ropeway base to get you quickly to the top of Mt. Haruna at 1409m. If you are on the energetic side and would like to take your time getting to know the mountain, you can hike up the trail. It should take you around an hour to reach the observation deck. There is a pavilion at the station summit if you wish for some shade while enjoying the scenic views of the surrounding mountains and the nearby lake Haruna. On a clear day, you can even see Mt. Fuji on the horizon. Explore the summit a bit more and you’ll come to find a small shrine (HarunaFujisan Shrine) at the mountain peak. You need to climb a few steps more to enter the Torii gate and climb up to the main shrine. It’s evident that mountains are sacred places in Japan and should always be respected.
Beside the mountain at an elevation of 1100m, you have the beautiful Lake Haruna. It’s a quiet area and a wonderful place to relax. There are a few local restaurants and cafés around the lake when you’re hungry. If you’re into fishing, there are boat rentals available for a fee. You can also have fun on the lake by either hopping on the sightseeing boat rides or pedal away in those Swan boats. I visited the place during autumn season, so it was such a pleasure to walk around the lake with stunning red foliage all over the mountains.
I wish I brought my bicycle with me to be able to cycle around the area because the autumn landscape was such a treat for the eyes. But of course, a walk is still enjoyable, nonetheless.
