Fruits Park Tokikan

Even if you know that fresh fruits taste great, it is hard to get a chance to enjoy truly fresh fruits. At Tokikan, fruits can’t get fresher; you pick your own fruits and eat them on the spot all year around! Various types of fruits are available, including strawberries, blueberries, Japanese peaches and apples. Regardless of the fruit, there are various strains of them for you to taste the difference. For example, there are 3 different types of strawberries, and it is a surprise to know that they taste so distinct from each other!

Pop the sweet and juicy fresh strawberries in your mouth!

● Prices: 1000-1500 yen for all-you-can-eat strawberry picking for 30 minutes (prices vary with season through January to mid-June)
● 9:00-17:00 (April to October), 9:00-16:00 (November to March)
● TEL: 0278-68-2800
● http://takuminosato.or.jp/ tori/top/top.html
● Access from Jomo-Kogen: 15 minutes on Kanetstu Kotsu bus to Imajuku and 15 minutes walk from there, or 10 minutes by car.

Outdoor Sports

High peaks and lush stream of Minakami make it a mecca for outdoor sports. The ski season opens late December and lasts until early May, where you can also enjoy backcountry skiing and snow shoeing in the beautiful powder snow. From spring to autumn, you can thrill yourself in canyoning, white water rafting, rock climbing as well as bungee jumping. If you just want to enjoy the magnificent view, you can ride on the cable car that stitches through the beautiful mountains. Hope you are not afraid of heights!

1 You can enjoy skiing until early May
2 snowmelt makes spring the best season for rafting.

● Tenjindaira Ski Resort Prices: 3500 yen for adult day pass including cable car rides
● 8:00 – 17:00 (7:00 – 17:00 on weekends)
● TEL: 0278-72-3575
● http://www.tanigawadake-rw.com/
● Access from Jomo-Kogen: 50 minutes by bus to Tanigawadake Ropeway.
● Canyons: Founded by an Australian outdoor sports expert, Mike Harris, Canyons offers a variety of tours throughout the year both in English and Japanese. For details, please refer to their website: http://canyons.jp/

Yukata Water Bottle

Looking for a cool and authentic souvenir? Ryokan Tanigawa offers these awesome water bottles wearing “Ryokan Tanigawa” yukatas. The water inside is from Minakami as well! 150 yen each.

Dam Durry

Shaped like 3 existing dams around Minakami, you can enjoy dam curry at 11 restaurants around Minakami, all shaped the same but serving each restaurant’s unique curry. The ones in the photo are from Ryokan Tanigawa, priced at 800 to 900 yen.

Takumi no Sato

Takumi no Sato, literally meaning craftsmen’s village, is located in the beautiful countryside with traditional houses scattered amongst scenic rice fields. There are over 20 houses where you can get a hands-on experience of making local crafts and foods; from soba noodles to painting masks, pottery to weaving. After you experience the soba making workshop, you’ll never see the finely and evenly cut soba noodles the same way again! These workshops are extremely enjoyable, but the best thing is to hang out with energetic local craft masters, who are all absolutely incredible! Come experience their genuine hospitality!

1 Painting the mask 2 cutting soba noodles is difficult! 3 you can enjoy your own soba after the workshop.

● Prices: 2000 yen for soba making (2 portions) and 1000 yen per mask and up for mask painting.
● Most workshops are in early afternoon
● Closed days vary by the workshop.
● TEL: 0278-64-2211
● http://takuminosato.or.jp/ index.html
● Access from Jomo-Kogen: 1 hour by Kanetsu Kotsu bus to Takumi no Sato or 15 minutes by car.

Hot Springs

Minakami boasts 19 sources of hot springs across the region, from the largest outdoor bath in Takaragawa Onsen to rustic Houshi Onsen loved by famous cultural figures. In the biggest part of the Minakami region, Minakami Onsen, are free foot baths (ashi-yu) and hand baths for everyone to sit and relax in. Scenic mountains that surround the region add much more to the simple bathing experience; another great way to enjoy Minakami’s natural seasonal beauty.

1 One of the country’s largest outdoor baths is in Takaragawa Onsen 2 Enjoy free foot baths around town.

Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku
● P Prices: 500 yen for day use
● TEL: 0278-75-2611
● http://www.takaragawa.com/ english.html
● Access from Jomo-Kogen: 25 minutes by Municipal bus to Minakami Eki and 35 minutes by JR Joetsu line to Takaragawa Onsen

Houshi Onsen Chojukan
● Rooms: 16,800 yen/ person- (comes with 2 meals)
● TEL: 0278-66-0005
● www.houshi-onsen.jp/ index.html
● Access from Jomo Kogen: 30 minutes by Municipal bus to Sarugakyo and 20 minutes by town bus for Houshi Onsen.