Gunma Prefecture
Encyclopedia
is a prefecture
of Japan
located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region
on Honshu
island. Its capital is Maebashi.
man were found at Iwajuku
, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.
Japan was without horses until around the fifth century CE. The ancient province of Gunma was a center of the horsebreeding and trading activities for the newly immigrated continental peoples. The arrival of horses and the remains of horse-tackle coincides with the arrival of a large migration from the mainland. From this point forward, the horse became a vital part of Japanese military maneuvers, quickly displacing the older Yayoi tradition of fighting on foot.
When Mount Haruna
erupted in the late 6th century, Japan was still in the pre-historical phase (prior to the importation of the Chinese writing system during the Nara period). The Gunma Prefectural archaeology unit in 1994 was able to date the eruption through zoological anthropology at the corral sites that were buried in ash.
In the past, Gunma was joined with Tochigi Prefecture
and called Kenu Province. This was later divided into Kami-tsu-ke (Upper Kenu, Gunma) and Shimo-tsu-ke (Lower Kenu, Tochigi). The area is sometimes referred to as Jomo (上毛, Jōmō). For most of Japanese history, Gunma was known as the province of Kozuke
.
In the early period of contact between western nations and Japan, particularly the late Tokugawa, it was referred to by foreigners as the "Joushu States", inside (fudai, or loyalist) Tokugawa retainers and the Tokugawa family symbol is widely seen at public buildings, temples and shrines.
The first modern silk factories were built with Italian and French assistance at Annaka in the 1870s.
In the early Meiji period, in what was locally called the Gunma Incident of 1884, a bloody struggle between the idealistic democratic westernizers and the conservative Prussian-model nationalists took place in Gunma and neighboring Nagano. The modern Japanese army gunned down farmers with new repeating rifles built in Japan. The farmers in Gunma were said to be the first victims of the Murata rifle.
In the twentieth century, the Japanese aviation pioneer Nakajima Chikushi of Oizumi, Gunma Prefecture, founded the Nakajima Aircraft Company
. At first, he produced mostly licensed models of foreign designs, but beginning with the all-Japanese Nakajima 91 fighter plane in 1931, his company became a world leader in aeronautical design and manufacture, with its headquarters at Ota, Gunma Ken. The factory now produces Subaru
motorcars and other products under the name of Fuji Heavy Industries
.
In the 1930s, German architect Bruno Julius Florian Taut
(May 4, 1880, Königsberg, Germany - December 24, 1938, Istanbul) lived and conducted research for a while in Takasaki, Gunma Ken.
The Girard Incident
, which disturbed US-Japanese relations in the 1950s, occurred in Gunma in 1957, at Soumagahara Base near Shibukawa.
Four modern prime ministers are from Gunma, namely, Takeo Fukuda
, Yasuhiro Nakasone
, Keizo Obuchi
, and Yasuo Fukuda
, the son of Takeo.
and Fukushima
prefectures, while to the east lies Tochigi
. To the west lies Nagano prefecture
, and Saitama
is to the south.
Some of the major mountains in Gunma are Mount Akagi
, Mount Haruna
, Mount Myōgi
, Mount Nikkō-Shirane
and Mount Asama
, which is located on the Nagano border. The first three are known as the "Three Mountains of Jōmō", and are also featured in racing scenes of the anime and manga Initial D
. Major rivers include the Tone River
, the Agatsuma River
, and the Karasu River
.
:
and the eastern region nearest Tokyo
. More traditional industries include sericulture
and agriculture
. Gunma's major agricultural products include cabbages and konjac
s. Gunma produces 90% of Japan's konjacs, and two-thirds of the farms in the village of Tsumagoi
are cabbage farms. Also, the city of Ōta
is famous for car industry, notably the Subaru
factory.
, one of the most famous Japanese manga writers, well-known for "Touch" and "H2",was born in Gunma.
The hometown of Takumi Fujiwara, protagonist of anime
and manga
series Initial D
is in Gunma.
Gunma is home to two of Japan's four Melody Roads, which is made from grooves cut into the ground, which when driven over causes a tactile vibration
and audible rumbling transmitted through the wheels into the car body. It consist of 2,559 grooves cut into a 175 meter stretch of existing roadway. When driven over at 50 km/h it produce the tune of "Memories of Summer".
Gunma is also famous for its ski resorts in the mountains, which attract many tourists.
. Another draw to the mountainous Gunma is the ski
resorts.
Other attractions include:
of the word 'Gunma' surrounded by three stylized mountains symbolizing the three important mountains of Gunma Prefecture: Mount Haruna
, Mt. Akagi, and Mt. Myogi
.
For Marketing, The Prefectural Government also uses Yuma-chan, a small super deformed
drawing of a horse character wearing green cap. He is used on promotional posters, banners and other notable printed matierals from the Prefectural Government. Other agencies and companies formally or informally use variations of his likeness and other horse shaped characters when making signs or notices for work on buildings, roads, and other public notices.
Prefectures of Japan
The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
on Honshu
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
island. Its capital is Maebashi.
History
The remains of a PaleolithicPaleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
man were found at Iwajuku
Iwajuku
The site of a major archeological discovery, Iwajuku provided evidence of habitation of Japan by humans before the 10th millennium BC. To date, these are the oldest records of human dwellings from Japan's past...
, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.
Japan was without horses until around the fifth century CE. The ancient province of Gunma was a center of the horsebreeding and trading activities for the newly immigrated continental peoples. The arrival of horses and the remains of horse-tackle coincides with the arrival of a large migration from the mainland. From this point forward, the horse became a vital part of Japanese military maneuvers, quickly displacing the older Yayoi tradition of fighting on foot.
When Mount Haruna
Mount Haruna
is a dormant stratovolcano in Gunma, eastern Honshū, Japan.- Outline :Mount Haruna has many peaks and the tallest one, Mount Kamonga is 1,449 m high. It appeared about 300,000 years ago and the last known eruption was c. 550. The volcano has a summit caldera containing the symmetrical cone of...
erupted in the late 6th century, Japan was still in the pre-historical phase (prior to the importation of the Chinese writing system during the Nara period). The Gunma Prefectural archaeology unit in 1994 was able to date the eruption through zoological anthropology at the corral sites that were buried in ash.
In the past, Gunma was joined with Tochigi Prefecture
Tochigi Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...
and called Kenu Province. This was later divided into Kami-tsu-ke (Upper Kenu, Gunma) and Shimo-tsu-ke (Lower Kenu, Tochigi). The area is sometimes referred to as Jomo (上毛, Jōmō). For most of Japanese history, Gunma was known as the province of Kozuke
Kozuke Province
was an old province located in the Tōsandō of Japan, which today comprises Gunma Prefecture. It is nicknamed as or .The ancient provincial capital was near modern Maebashi. During the Sengoku period, Kōzuke was controlled variously by Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, the late Hōjō clan, and...
.
In the early period of contact between western nations and Japan, particularly the late Tokugawa, it was referred to by foreigners as the "Joushu States", inside (fudai, or loyalist) Tokugawa retainers and the Tokugawa family symbol is widely seen at public buildings, temples and shrines.
The first modern silk factories were built with Italian and French assistance at Annaka in the 1870s.
In the early Meiji period, in what was locally called the Gunma Incident of 1884, a bloody struggle between the idealistic democratic westernizers and the conservative Prussian-model nationalists took place in Gunma and neighboring Nagano. The modern Japanese army gunned down farmers with new repeating rifles built in Japan. The farmers in Gunma were said to be the first victims of the Murata rifle.
In the twentieth century, the Japanese aviation pioneer Nakajima Chikushi of Oizumi, Gunma Prefecture, founded the Nakajima Aircraft Company
Nakajima Aircraft Company
The Nakajima Aircraft Company was a prominent Japanese aircraft manufacturer throughout World War II.-History:...
. At first, he produced mostly licensed models of foreign designs, but beginning with the all-Japanese Nakajima 91 fighter plane in 1931, his company became a world leader in aeronautical design and manufacture, with its headquarters at Ota, Gunma Ken. The factory now produces Subaru
Subaru
; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
motorcars and other products under the name of Fuji Heavy Industries
Fuji Heavy Industries
, or FHI, is a Japanese transportation conglomerate most known for being the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles. It traces its roots to the Nakajima Aircraft Company, a leading supplier of airplanes to the Japanese government during World War II...
.
In the 1930s, German architect Bruno Julius Florian Taut
Bruno Taut
Bruno Julius Florian Taut , was a prolific German architect, urban planner and author active during the Weimar period....
(May 4, 1880, Königsberg, Germany - December 24, 1938, Istanbul) lived and conducted research for a while in Takasaki, Gunma Ken.
The Girard Incident
Girard Incident
In the of 1957, a Japanese housewife named Naka Sakai was shot and killed by an American soldier, William S. Girard.On January 30, 1957, the 46-year-old Sakai was collecting scrap metal on a U.S. Army shooting range in Soumagahara, Gunma Prefecture, Japan...
, which disturbed US-Japanese relations in the 1950s, occurred in Gunma in 1957, at Soumagahara Base near Shibukawa.
Four modern prime ministers are from Gunma, namely, Takeo Fukuda
Takeo Fukuda
was a Japanese politician and the 42d Prime Minister of Japan from December 24, 1976 to December 7, 1978.He was born in Gunma Prefecture and attended Tokyo Imperial University. Before and during World War II, he served as a bureaucrat in the Finance Ministry and as Chief Cabinet Secretary...
, Yasuhiro Nakasone
Yasuhiro Nakasone
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from November 27, 1982 to November 6, 1987. A contemporary of Brian Mulroney, Ronald Reagan, Helmut Kohl, François Mitterrand, Margaret Thatcher, and Mikhail Gorbachev, he is best known for pushing through the privatization of...
, Keizo Obuchi
Keizo Obuchi
was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives for twelve terms, and ultimately as the 84th Prime Minister of Japan from July 30, 1998 to April 5, 2000. His political career ended when he suffered a serious and ultimately fatal stroke....
, and Yasuo Fukuda
Yasuo Fukuda
was the 91st Prime Minister of Japan, serving from 2007 to 2008. He was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving for three and a half years under Prime Ministers Yoshirō Mori and Junichiro Koizumi....
, the son of Takeo.
Geography
One of only eight landlocked prefectures in Japan, Gunma is the northwestern-most prefecture of the Kantō plain. Except for the central and southeast areas, where most of the population is concentrated, it is mostly mountainous. To the north are NiigataNiigata Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...
and Fukushima
Fukushima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
prefectures, while to the east lies Tochigi
Tochigi Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...
. To the west lies Nagano prefecture
Nagano Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Nagano.- History :Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano...
, and Saitama
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
is to the south.
Some of the major mountains in Gunma are Mount Akagi
Mount Akagi
is a mountain in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The broad, low dominantly andesitic stratovolcano rises above the northern end of the Kanto Plain. It contains an elliptical, 3 x 4 km summit caldera with post-caldera lava domes arranged along a NW-SE line. Lake Ono is located at the NE end of the...
, Mount Haruna
Mount Haruna
is a dormant stratovolcano in Gunma, eastern Honshū, Japan.- Outline :Mount Haruna has many peaks and the tallest one, Mount Kamonga is 1,449 m high. It appeared about 300,000 years ago and the last known eruption was c. 550. The volcano has a summit caldera containing the symmetrical cone of...
, Mount Myōgi
Mount Myogi
is one of the major mountains in the Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Well known for its rocks weathered into fantastic forms, this famous peak is ranked among Japan's three most noted places of rugged beauty...
, Mount Nikkō-Shirane
Mount Nikko-Shirane
is a shield volcano in the Nikkō National Park in central Honshū, the main island of Japan. It stands at 2,578m high, and is one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan.It should not be confused with Mount Kusatsu-Shirane elsewhere in Gunma Prefecture.- References :...
and Mount Asama
Mount Asama
is an active complex volcano in central Honshū, the main island of Japan. The volcano is the most active on Honshū. The Japan Meteorological Agency classifies Mount Asama as rank A. It stands above sea level on the border of Gunma and Nagano prefectures...
, which is located on the Nagano border. The first three are known as the "Three Mountains of Jōmō", and are also featured in racing scenes of the anime and manga Initial D
Initial D
is a manga by Shuichi Shigeno which has been serialized in Kodansha's Young Magazine since 1995. It has been adapted into a long-running anime series by OB Planning, Studio Comet, Studio Gallop, Pastel, and A.C.G.T, and a live action film by Avex and Media Asia...
. Major rivers include the Tone River
Tone River
The is a river in the Kantō region of Japan. It is in length and has a drainage area of...
, the Agatsuma River
Agatsuma River
The is a river in the Kantō region of Japan. It is 76.22 km in length and has a drainage area of 1,366 km². Located entirely within Gunma Prefecture, it is one of the prefecture's major rivers. It is also a major tributary of the Tone River.- Geography :...
, and the Karasu River
Karasu River (Gunma)
The is a river located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. It is a branch of the Tone River and the government of Japan classifies it as a Class 1 river. It generally flows in a south-easterly direction.- River communities :...
.
Cities
Twelve cities are located in Gunma Prefecture:- AnnakaAnnaka, Gunmais a city located in Gunma, Japan.As of March 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 63,584, with a household number of 23,575 and the density of 230.09 persons per km²...
- FujiokaFujioka, Gunmais a city in Gunma, Japan. The city's name means, "Wisteria Hill" in English, and is composed of the two kanji characters for "wisteria" and "Hill" ....
- IsesakiIsesaki, Gunmais a city located in Gunma, Japan. The current population is 211,021, with 80,638 households. A small city located near the geographic center of Japan's main island of Honshū, Isesaki is the fourth largest city in Gunma Prefecture and it is one of the growing cities within Gunma Prefecture...
- KiryūKiryu, Gunmais a city in Gunma, Japan, near the cities of Ōta and Ashikaga. Incorporated on March 1, 1921, Kiryū is considered both a city and part of the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area, although it is still widely thought of as a rural area...
- MaebashiMaebashi, Gunmais the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1892, by the samurai Makuba Kawai.On December 5, 2004 the town of Ōgo, and the villages of Kasukawa and Miyagi, all from Seta District, were merged into Maebashi....
(capital) - MidoriMidori, Gunmais a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The name "Midori-shi", literally means "Greenery City".The city was founded on March 27, 2006 from the merger of the town of Ōmama, from Yamada District, the town of Kasakake, from Nitta District, and the village of Azuma, from Seta District.As of this...
- NumataNumata, Gunmais a city in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. It is in northern Gunma, bordered by Mt. Akagi and Mt. Hotaka. The kanji for Numata approximately mean "boggy field."...
- ŌtaOta, Gunmais a city 50 miles northwest of Tokyo, in eastern Gunma prefecture, Japan. This city is located between the Tone and Watarase rivers. As a result, the new city reached a total population of 219,789, making it the third most populous city in Gunma....
- ShibukawaShibukawa, Gunmais a city located in the extreme northwest of the Kantō Plain, in the center of landlocked Gunma, Japan. Encompassing the juncture of the Tone River and Agatsuma River, it is about 120km from Tokyo...
- TakasakiTakasaki, Gunmais a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1900.Takasaki is a regional transportation hub because its train station is the junction of several rail lines as well as a Shinkansen stop....
- TatebayashiTatebayashi, Gunmais a city located in Gunma, Japan.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 79,755, with a household number of 34,413, and the density of 1,307.89 persons per km²...
- TomiokaTomioka, Gunmais a city located in Gunma, Japan.As of April 1, 2011, the city had an estimated population of 52,677 . The total area is 122.90 km²....
Towns and villages
Towns and villages in each districtDistricts of Japan
The was most recently used as an administrative unit in Japan between 1878 and 1921 and is roughly equivalent to the county of the United States, ranking at the level below prefecture and above city, town or village. As of 2008, cities belong directly to prefectures and are independent from...
:
|
Shinto, Gunma is a village located in Kitagunma District, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the village has an estimated population of 14,302 and a density of 511.88 persons per km²... Yoshioka, Gunma is a town located in Kitagunma District, Gunma, Japan.As of July 1, 2009, the town has an estimated population of 19,161 people and a density of 934.68 persons per km².There are 6,409 households in Yoshioka within a total area of 20.50 km².-Geography:Located in central Gunma, it sits on the...
Chiyoda, Gunma is a town located in Ōra District, Gunma, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 11,640 and a density of 534.93 persons per km²... Itakura, Gunma is a town located in Ōra District, Gunma, Japan. The town lies in the southeastern extremity of Gunma, and is bordered on the north by Tochigi, the east by Ibaraki, and the south by Saitama... Meiwa, Gunma is a town located in Ōra District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007. the town has an estimated population of 11,291 and a density of 574.02 persons per km²... Oizumi, Gunma is a town located in Ōra District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the town had an estimated population of 41,098 and a density of 2292.14 persons per km²...
Tamamura, Gunma is a town located in Sawa District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the town has an estimated population of 38,015 and a density of 1,470.03 persons per km²... |
Kanna, Gunma is a town located in Tano District, Gunma, Japan.As of 2007, the town has an estimated population of 2,828 and a density of 22.20 persons per km²... Ueno, Gunma is a village located in Tano District, Gunma, Japan.As of 2003, the village had an estimated population of 2,152 and a density of 11.83 persons per km²...
Katashina, Gunma is a village located in Tone District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the village has an estimated population of 5,255 and a density of 13.41 persons per km². The total area is 392.01 km².-Geography:... Kawaba, Gunma is a village located in Tone District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the village has an estimated population of 4,124 and a density of 48.35 persons per km². The total area is 85.29 km².-Geography:... Minakami, Gunma 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.... Showa, Gunma is a village located in Tone District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the village had an estimated population of 7,774 and a density of 121.15 persons per km². The total area is 64.17 km².-Geography:... |
Climate
Because Gunma is situated in inland Japan, the difference in temperature in the summer compared to the winter is large, and there is less precipitation. This is because of the kara-kaze ("empty wind"), a strong, dry wind which occurs in the winter when the snow falls on the coasts of Niigata. The wind carrying clouds with snow are obstructed by the Echigo Mountain Range, and it also snows there, although the high peaks do not let the wind go past them. For this reason, the wind changes into the kara-kaze.- Climate in Maebashi
- Average yearly precipitation: 1,163 mm
- Average yearly temperature: 14.2 degrees Celsius
Economy
Gunma's modern industries include transport equipment and electrical equipment, concentrated around MaebashiMaebashi, Gunma
is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1892, by the samurai Makuba Kawai.On December 5, 2004 the town of Ōgo, and the villages of Kasukawa and Miyagi, all from Seta District, were merged into Maebashi....
and the eastern region nearest Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. More traditional industries include sericulture
Sericulture
Sericulture, or silk farming, is the rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk.Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, Bombyx mori is the most widely used and intensively studied. According to Confucian texts, the discovery of silk production by B...
and agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. Gunma's major agricultural products include cabbages and konjac
Konjac
Konjac , also known as konjak, konjaku, konnyaku potato, devil's tongue, voodoo lily, snake palm, or elephant yam , is a plant of the genus Amorphophallus...
s. Gunma produces 90% of Japan's konjacs, and two-thirds of the farms in the village of Tsumagoi
Tsumagoi, Gunma
is a village located in Agatsuma District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the village has an estimated population of 10,743 and a density of 31.19 persons per km². The total area is 337.51 km².-Geography:...
are cabbage farms. Also, the city of Ōta
Ota, Gunma
is a city 50 miles northwest of Tokyo, in eastern Gunma prefecture, Japan. This city is located between the Tone and Watarase rivers. As a result, the new city reached a total population of 219,789, making it the third most populous city in Gunma....
is famous for car industry, notably the Subaru
Subaru
; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
factory.
Culture
Gunma has a traditional card game called Jomo Karuta (上毛かるた). Both children and old people can enjoy this card game. Mitsuru AdachiMitsuru Adachi
is a Japanese manga artist. After graduating from Gunma Prefectural Maebashi Commercial High School in 1969, Adachi worked as an assistant for Isami Ishii. He made his manga debut in 1970 with Kieta Bakuon, based on a manga originally created by Satoru Ozawa...
, one of the most famous Japanese manga writers, well-known for "Touch" and "H2",was born in Gunma.
The hometown of Takumi Fujiwara, protagonist of anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series Initial D
Initial D
is a manga by Shuichi Shigeno which has been serialized in Kodansha's Young Magazine since 1995. It has been adapted into a long-running anime series by OB Planning, Studio Comet, Studio Gallop, Pastel, and A.C.G.T, and a live action film by Avex and Media Asia...
is in Gunma.
Gunma is home to two of Japan's four Melody Roads, which is made from grooves cut into the ground, which when driven over causes a tactile vibration
Oscillation
Oscillation is the repetitive variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value or between two or more different states. Familiar examples include a swinging pendulum and AC power. The term vibration is sometimes used more narrowly to mean a mechanical oscillation but sometimes...
and audible rumbling transmitted through the wheels into the car body. It consist of 2,559 grooves cut into a 175 meter stretch of existing roadway. When driven over at 50 km/h it produce the tune of "Memories of Summer".
Universities
- Isesaki
- Jobu UniversityJobu Universityis a private university in Isesaki, Gunma, Japan, established in 1968. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1950.-External links:*...
- Isesaki Campus - Tokyo University of Social Welfare - Isesaki Campus
- Jobu University
- Maebashi
- Gunma UniversityGunma University, abbreviated to , is a national university in Japan. The main campus is located in Aramaki-machi, Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture.- History :Gunma University was established in 1949 by integrating the national colleges in Gunma Prefecture: , , and ....
- Maebashi Institute of TechnologyMaebashi Institute of Technologythumb|Maebashi Institute of Technology is a public university at Maebashi, Gunma, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1952 and was chartered as a university in 1997.-External links:*...
- Gunma University
- Midori
- Kiryu University
- Ota
- Kanto Gakuen UniversityKanto Gakuen Universityis a private university in Ota, Gunma, Japan, established in 1976. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1881.-External links:*...
- Kanto Gakuen University
- Takasaki
- Takasaki City University of EconomicsTakasaki City University of Economicsis a municipal university in Japan. It is located in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture.- History :After World War II, the national colleges in Gunma Prefecture were merged to constitute Gunma University...
- Takasaki University of CommerceTakasaki University of Commerceis a private university in Takasaki, Gunma, Japan, established in 2001. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1906.-External links:*...
- Takasaki University of Health and WelfareTakasaki University of Health and Welfareis a private university in Takasaki, Gunma, Japan, established in 2001. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1936.-External links:*...
- University of Creation; Art, Music & Social WorkUniversity of Creation; Art, Music & Social WorkThe , sometimes called Souzou Gakuen University is a private university in Takasaki, Gunma, Japan, established in 2004. The president of the school is Daitetsu Koike.-Nakayama campus:Houses the Creative Arts Department....
- Jobu University -Takasaki Campus
- Takasaki City University of Economics
- Tamamura
- Gunma Prefectural Women's University
Football (soccer)
- Thespa KusatsuThespa Kusatsuis a professional football club based in Gunma Prefecture in Japan. The club plays in J. League Division 2. J. League Division 2 is the second professional football league in Japan....
(KusatsuKusatsu, Gunmais a small town in Agatsuma District in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Kusatsu is situated about 1,200 meters above sea level. The active volcano Kusatsu-Shirane and the inactive Mount Tengu and Mount Motoshirane are located west of Kusatsu.-Climate:Due to the altitude Kusatsu's annual average...
) - Arte TakasakiArte Takasakiare a football club based in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. They play in the Japan Football League. Their team colours are black and red.Arte means art in Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.-History:...
(TakasakiTakasaki, Gunmais a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1900.Takasaki is a regional transportation hub because its train station is the junction of several rail lines as well as a Shinkansen stop....
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Rugby
- Sanyo Wild KnightsSanyo Wild KnightsPanasonic Wild Knights is a Japanese rugby union team based in Ōta city, Gunma prefecture which plays in the Top League. Inspired by Tony Brown at fly half , it dominated the league in the fifth season and was the first team to be unbeaten throughout a Top League season.All-Japan Champions:...
(OtaOta, Gunmais a city 50 miles northwest of Tokyo, in eastern Gunma prefecture, Japan. This city is located between the Tone and Watarase rivers. As a result, the new city reached a total population of 219,789, making it the third most populous city in Gunma....
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Gunma is also famous for its ski resorts in the mountains, which attract many tourists.
Tourism
Many places in Gunma are famous for their hot spring resortsOnsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
. Another draw to the mountainous Gunma is the ski
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
resorts.
Other attractions include:
- Lake Nozori
- Hara Museum Arc
- Ikaho Sistina Trick Art Museum
- Mount HarunaMount Harunais a dormant stratovolcano in Gunma, eastern Honshū, Japan.- Outline :Mount Haruna has many peaks and the tallest one, Mount Kamonga is 1,449 m high. It appeared about 300,000 years ago and the last known eruption was c. 550. The volcano has a summit caldera containing the symmetrical cone of...
- Kusatsu Alpine-Plant Museum
- Kusatsu Hot-Spring Museum
- Mount Kusatsu-ShiraneMount Kusatsu-Shiraneis a 2160 meter active volcano in Kusatsu, Gunma, Japan. It is called Kusatsu Shirane to differentiate it from the Mount Nikkō-Shirane on the other side of Gunma Prefecture. The summit of Kusatsu-Shirane volcano, located immediately north of Asama volcano, consists of a series of overlapping...
- Mount TanigawaMount Tanigawais a 1977m mountain on the border of Gunma Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture in Japan.It is one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan.To date, since its initial exploration and route-finding in the early 1930s, a total of 781 people have died on Tanigawadake. is a 1977m mountain on the border of...
- Mount AkagiMount Akagiis a mountain in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The broad, low dominantly andesitic stratovolcano rises above the northern end of the Kanto Plain. It contains an elliptical, 3 x 4 km summit caldera with post-caldera lava domes arranged along a NW-SE line. Lake Ono is located at the NE end of the...
Railroad
- JR East
- Joetsu ShinkansenJoetsu ShinkansenThe is a high-speed railway line connecting Tokyo and Niigata, Japan, via the Tōhoku Shinkansen, operated by the East Japan Railway Company .-History:The program was initiated in 1971 by Niigata-born prime minister Tanaka Kakuei...
- Nagano ShinkansenNagano ShinkansenThe is a Shinkansen high-speed rail line operated by East Japan Railway Company between Takasaki and Nagano in Japan. It opened on 1 October 1997, connecting Tokyo and Nagano in time for the 1998 Winter Olympics held in Nagano...
- Takasaki LineTakasaki LineThe is a Japanese railway line which runs between Ōmiya Station in Saitama, Saitama Prefecture and Takasaki Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture. It is owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company ....
- Shinetsu Line (Takasaki-Yokokawa)
- Joetsu LineJoetsu LineThe is a major rail line in Japan. Part of the JR East system, it runs from Takasaki Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, to Miyauchi Station in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, linking the northwestern Kantō region and the Sea of Japan coast of the Chūbu region...
- Agatsuma LineAgatsuma LineThe is a local rail line in Gunma, Japan, and is part of the East Japan Railway Company network. Roughly following the Agatsuma River, it runs 55.6 km between and stations....
- Ryomo LineRyomo LineThe is a Japanese railway line between the cities of Oyama in Tochigi Prefecture and Maebashi in Gunma Prefecture. long, the line is owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company . The name refers to the fact that Gunma and Tochigi prefectures were once part of an ancient province called ,...
- Hachiko LineHachiko LineThe is a 92.0 km regional railway line owned and operated by East Japan Railway Company . It is located within Tokyo, Saitama, and Gunma Prefectures in Japan. Its endpoints are Hachiōji Station in Hachiōji, Tokyo and Kuragano Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture.-Services:Komagawa Station in...
(Kurakano-Hachioji)
- Joetsu Shinkansen
- TobuTobu Railwayis a Japanese commuter railway company in the Greater Tokyo Area as well as an intercity and regional operator in the Kantō region. It operates in Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Tochigi, and Gunma Prefectures...
- Isesaki Line
- Nikko Line (Itakura Toyo UniversityToyo UniversityToyo University is a university with several branches in Japan, including .- Overview :...
station) - Sano LineTobu Sano LineThe is railway line in Japan, operated by the private Tōbu Railway company from Tatebayashi Station in Tatebayashi city, Gunma Prefecture to Kuzū Station in Sano, Tochigi Prefecture....
- Kiryu LineTobu Kiryu LineThe is a railway line of Japanese major private railway company Tōbu Railway in Tokyo. The line is a 20.3 km branch off the Isesaki Line at Ōta Station, southbounds to Akagi Station.-Stations:All stations are located in Gunma Prefecture.-External links:...
- Joshin Electric Railway (Takasaki-Shimonita)
- Jomo Electric Railroad (Central Maebashi-West Kiryu)
- Watarase Keikoku Railway
Expressways
- Kanetsu Expressway
- Tohoku ExpresswayTohoku ExpresswayThe is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned by Japan Expressway Holding and Debt Repayment Agency and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:Tōhoku refers to the Tōhoku region, the northernmost region on the island of Honshū....
- Joshinetsu Expressway
- Kitakanto Expressway (Takasaki-Hitachinaka)
National highways
- Route 17 (NihonbashiNihonbashi, or Nihombashi, is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603, and the current bridge made of stone dates from 1911...
of Tokyo-SaitamaSaitama, Saitama' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
-Kumagaya-Takasaki-Shibukawa-Ojiya-NagaokaNagaoka-Places:* Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan* Nagaoka-kyō, the capital of Japan from 784 to 794** Nagaokakyō, Kyoto, Japan, a city at the location of Nagaoka-kyō* Izunagaoka, Shizuoka, Japan, a former town in Izu Peninsula.-People:...
) - Route 18 (Takasaki-Annaka-Karuizawa-KomoroKomoróKomoró is a village in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of and has a population of 1415 people ....
-Nagano-MyokoMyokoMyoko may refer to:*Myōkō, Niigata in Japan*Mount Myōkō, a volcano located in southwestern Niigata Prefecture, Japan.*Myōkō, a cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy, commissioned in 1929 and named after the volcano....
-JoetsuJoetsuJōetsu may refer to:*A city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan;*A geographical region within Niigata Prefecture, Japan that consists of the cities of Jōetsu, Itoigawa and Myōkō; or...
) - Route 50 (Maebashi-Isesaki-OyamaOyama, Tochigiis a city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.As April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 163,954, with 62,714 households, and a population density of 955.39 persons per km²...
-YukiYukiYuki, Yuuki, Yuhki or Yūki are romanizations of various Japanese given names or words...
-Mito) - Route 120
- Route 122
- Route 144
- Route 145
- Route 146
- Route 254
- Route 291
- Route 292
- Route 299
- Route 353
- Route 354
- Route 405
- Route 406
- Route 407
- Route 462
Prefectural symbols
The prefectural symbol consists of the first kanjiKanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
of the word 'Gunma' surrounded by three stylized mountains symbolizing the three important mountains of Gunma Prefecture: Mount Haruna
Mount Haruna
is a dormant stratovolcano in Gunma, eastern Honshū, Japan.- Outline :Mount Haruna has many peaks and the tallest one, Mount Kamonga is 1,449 m high. It appeared about 300,000 years ago and the last known eruption was c. 550. The volcano has a summit caldera containing the symmetrical cone of...
, Mt. Akagi, and Mt. Myogi
Mount Myogi
is one of the major mountains in the Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Well known for its rocks weathered into fantastic forms, this famous peak is ranked among Japan's three most noted places of rugged beauty...
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For Marketing, The Prefectural Government also uses Yuma-chan, a small super deformed
Super deformed
Super deformed or SD is a specific style of Japanese caricature where characters are drawn in an exaggerated way, typically small and chubby, with stubby limbs and oversized heads, to make them resemble small children...
drawing of a horse character wearing green cap. He is used on promotional posters, banners and other notable printed matierals from the Prefectural Government. Other agencies and companies formally or informally use variations of his likeness and other horse shaped characters when making signs or notices for work on buildings, roads, and other public notices.
External links
- Official Gunma Prefecture homepage
- Railways in Gunma
- National Archives of JapanNational Archives of JapanThe preserve Japanese government documents and historical records and make them available to the public. Although Japan's reverence for its unique history and art is well documented and illustrated by collections of art and documents, there is almost no archivist tradition...
: Tatoroyama no ki, survey of limestone cave in Mount Tatoro in Kozuke Province, 1837 (Tenpo 8). - Location of the melody road Sound Tourism website