Minakami, Gunma

Minakami みなかみ町
—  Town  —
Flag
Location of Minakami in Gunma Prefecture
Minakami
Coordinates: 36°41′N 139°0′E
Country	Japan
Region	Kanto
Prefecture	Gunma Prefecture
Government
• Mayor	Masayoshi Kishi
Area
• Total	780.91 km2 (301.51 sq mi)
Population (January, 2006)
• Total	23,189
• Density	29/km2 (80/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Phone number	0278-62-2111
Address	Minakami-shi, Gokan 318 379-1393
Website	Town of Minakami

Minakami

The Minakami JR Station

Minakami (みなかみ町, Minakami-machi) is a town located in Tone District, Gunma, Japan. It is the largest and northernmost town in the prefecture.

The town was created on October 1, 2005, when the old Minakami merged with the town of Tsukiyono, and the village of Niiharu, all from Tone District.

As of 2006, the town has an estimated population of 23,189 and a density of 29 persons per km². The total area is 780.91 km².

Geography

• Mountains: Mount Mikuni, Mount Sennokura, Mount Ōmine, Tanikawadake, Asahidake, Hiragatake
• Rivers: Tone River, Akatani River
• Lakes: Lake Okutone, Lake Naramata, Lake Fujiwara, Lake Dogen
• Dams: Yagisawa Dam, Naramata Dam, Fujiwara Dam, Aimata Dam, Sudagai Dam

Surrounding municipalities

• Gunma Prefecture
  • Numata
  • Kawaba
  • Katashina
• Niigata Prefecture
  • Uonuma
  • Minamiuonuma
  • Yuzawa

Education

Elementary schools

• Komemaki Elementary School
• Momono Elementary School
• Tsukiyono Kita Elementary School
• Minakami Elementary School
• Kochi Elementary School
• Fujiwara Elementary School
• Aramaki Elementary School
• Sukawa Elementary School
• Sarugakkyo Elementary School

Junior High Schools

• Tsukiyono Jr. High School
• Minakami Jr. High School
• Fujiwara Jr. High School
• Niiharu Junior High School

High schools

• Tone Commercial High School

Attractions

Onsen (Hot Springs)

Minakami has traditionally been an Onsen (hot spring) resort town with 8 major onsen sources and over 40 different bathing facilities to choose from. Minakami Onsen Information

Ski Fields

Minakami has a good reputation for good snow conditions. There are 9 ski areas:

• Minakami Houdaigi
• Minakami Kogen
• Minakami Kogen Fujiwara
• Oana
• Tanigawadake Tenjindaira
• Norn Minakami
• Tanigawa Onsen White Valley
• Kanosawa Ski Area
• Akazawa Ski Area

Outdoor

There are many different outdoor pursuits available in Minakami and over the past 10 years it has become a very popular destination for outdoor adventure seekers. Some of the outdoor activities that are available:

• Whitewater rafting (grade 2- 4)
• Canyoning
• Bungy Jumping
• Mountainbiking
• Paragliding
• Rock climbing
• Hiking
• Canoeing
• Kayaking
• Snowshoe
• Backcountry ski & snowboarding
• Caving

External links

• Minakami official website (Japanese)
• Minakami Website for tourists (English)
• Canyons - Minakami outdoor adventure tour operator (English)(Japanese)
• Bungy Japan - Minakami bungy jump operator (English)(Japanese)