Gunma Prefecture

Gunma Prefecture (群馬県) is a Japanese prefecture located in the Kanto region of Honshu. The capital of Gunma Prefecture is Maebashi.

History

During the Edo Period, Gunma was known as Kenu Province and consisted also of Tochigi Prefecture. The two were divided into upper and lower halves when the population grew and today is sometimes referred to as Jomo. The area of Genmu itself was known for a long time as well as Kozuke.

The first silk factories after trade began with Europe in the 1870s, was built in Annaka. Additionally, the Gunma Incident of 1884 occurred here with Meiji Japanese Army troops gunning down armed farmers.

In the early 20th century, Nakajima Chikushi, from Oizumi, founded Nakajima Aircraft, a company that became world leader in aviation in the 1930s and has since gone on to produce Subaru cars and industrial products, employing a large number of Gunma residents.

Region

Gunma is one of only eight completely landlocked prefectures in the country and is located in the northwestern corner of Kanto. The majority of the prefecture is mountainous with the population centered in the central and southeast areas. Surrounding Gunma Prefecture are Niigata Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, and Saitama Prefecture.

Known for its mountains, the notable mountains in the prefecture include Mount Haruna, Mount Akagi, Mount Myogi, Mount Asama, and Mount Nikko-Shirane. Additionally, the rivers of Tone, Agatsuma, and Karasu are located here.

Cities

Cities located in the Gunma Prefecture region include:

• Annaka
• Fujioka
• Midori
• Tomioka
• Maebashi
• Tatebayashi
• Kiryu
• Takasaki
• Isesaki
• Shibukawa
• Ota
• Numata

Districts and Towns

Located in the heart of Gunma, there are multiple districts and towns, including:

• Agatsuma District – Higashiagatsuma, Kuni, Kusatsu, Naganohara, Nakanajo, Takayama, Tsumagoi
• Kanra District – Kanra, Nanmoku, Shimonita
• Kitagunma District – Shinto, Yoshioka
• Ora District – Chiyoda, Itakura, Meiwa, Oizumi, Ora
• Sawa District – Tamamura
• Seta District – Fujimi
• Tano District – Kanna, Ueno, Yoshii
• Tone District – Katashina, Kawaba, Minakami, Showa

Sources of Income

The Prefecture of Gunma is known for its transportation equipment and electrical goods industries with a great deal of industry occurring in Maebashi. Agriculture is equally important with cabbage and konjac production. The Subaru factory located in Ota is a major source of income and jobs for the region.

Attractions

Attractions located in Gunma include their numerous hot spring resorts as well as a collection of ski resorts, mountains, and outdoor attractions. The most famous tourist spots include:

• Hara Museum Arc
• Mount Haruna
• Kusatsu Hot Spring Museum
• Mount Kusatsu-Shirane
• Mount Akagi
• Lake Nozori
• Ikaho Sistina Trick Art Museum
• Kusatsu Alpine-Plant Museum
• Mount Tanigawa

External Links

• Official Homepage, Gunma Prefecture (English)