Tanigawa, Yagisawa Dam, and Minakami Onsen, sightseeing events such as Tanigawa-dake Mountain Festival, Yassa Festival, and Mozaemon Jizoson Bon Festival, and local gourmet foods such as konjac, local sake, and konjac cuisine are available in the Minakami area.
Minakami is the northernmost town in Gunma Prefecture and is surrounded by magnificent nature such as Mt. Tanigawa-dake Tenjin-daira Ski Resort, Minakami Kogen Ski Resort, Okutone Snow Park, and many other ski resorts.
Tanigawa-dake Tenjin-daira Ski Resort offers good snow quality due to its high elevation, and winter sports can be enjoyed for a long period of time from December to May. Okutone Snow Park is conveniently located 10 km from the Minakami Interchange on the Kanetsu Expressway and is visited by many skiers and snowboarders, from beginners to seasoned veterans. It is open until midnight on Fridays, Saturdays, and days before national holidays, which is another reason for its popularity.
Around Lake Akaya is Sarugakyo Onsen, where many resort hotels and inns are located. This sulfate chloride spring is effective for high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and rheumatic diseases.
Okutone is also home to Okutone Winery, modeled after a boutique winery in California. The winery is located in the middle of vineyards and offers not only wine tasting, but also home-style cooking using local ingredients on a wooden deck terrace.
There is also the Okutone Suigen no Mori forest with its thick beech trees, which will surely heal you with negative ions.
There are various activities on the water, such as rafting and paragliding, and experienced staff are on hand to help beginners. Also, the Tanigawa-dake ropeway connecting Tsuchiaiguchi to Tenjin-daira offers spectacular scenery. The Michi no Eki Suikikikan has an aquarium, climbing facilities, and soba noodle making experience.
At the foot of Mt. Tanigawa, the alkaline simple hot springs of Minakami Onsenkyo offer spectacular views of the mountains, and there are an abundance of day-trip hot springs where visitors can casually stop by. Around Minakami Onsenkyo, there are many handmade buckwheat noodle restaurants that use fresh spring water, so you can taste the aromatic buckwheat noodles.
The soba restaurants in Minakami Onsenkyo are highly regarded throughout Japan and have been introduced in various media such as gourmet magazines and information programs. There are also kamameshi (rice cooked in a pot) and café restaurants, which are crowded with many tourists.