We, Shima Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan, ranked 7th out of the 25 best Japanese Ryokans, was awarded the Traveller’s Choice Best of the Best in 2020 by one of the world’s largest travel review sites, Trip Advisor.
We have received this award three years in a row from 2018 and 2019, with a total of five awards in the past.
We would like to sincerely thank all of our guests who have stayed at Shima Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan and everyone who has supported us in their own way.
Because of the coronavirus situation, it is still not clear when international travel will retrun to normal. Nevertheless, our staff will work as a team and think outside the box so that we can continually satisfy our guests.
We are most grateful for your continual support.
We look forward to seeing you at Shima Onsen in the near future.
Thank you.
Masuo Kashiwahara, CEO
All staff members
Introduction
Shima Onsen and the Kanto Region are full of fantastic spots for seeing the gorgeous autumn leaves. Though Tokyo is known as a bustling metropolis, there are actually many areas of Kanto that are filled with natural beauty.
The autumn foliage in Kanto is best seen between September and December, and we believe this is the next best season to visit Japan after the spring cherry blossom season. Now, allow us to introduce some of the best places to visit in Kanto during the fall. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to enjoy one of the most appealing aspects of Japan’s natural beauty!
Kanto’s Top 10 Locations for Fall Foliage
Let’s get right into it and start with our ranking of the 10 best places to see autumn leaves in Kanto.
#1: Shima Onsen / Shima River / Okushima Lake (Gunma Prefecture)
You’ll have to forgive us for putting Shima Onsen in the top spot. This is of course where our very own Kashiwaya Ryokan is located, but it isn’t an exaggeration to say that Shima Onsen is one of the best spots in Kanto for enjoying the gorgeous hues of fall. After all, we are located right in Joshin’etsu-kogen National Park.
For the past several years, Japan’s summers have been incredibly hot. In fact, from the end of the rainy season in late June through August, we often say “atsui desune” (“it’s hot, isn’t it”) instead of more standard greetings like “konnichiwa.”
Though the locals here think it’s quite warm in Shima Onsen, those who come visit from the hotter Kanto Plain area always tell us how cool it is here.
Part of the reason it’s so cool here has to do with our elevation (about 650 meters). However, an even bigger factor is the fact that the Shimagawa River, famous for its Shima Blue water, runs alongside the onsen town.
The water of Shimagawa River is cold even in summer, and the wind that blows from the river envelops Shima Onsen Town. It’s just like a natural air conditioner!
There are many areas near the river in Shima to enjoy the cool weather.
Ishigashira no sawa
Ishigashira no Sawa is located across from Asahi Bridge, and its water runs into the Shimagawa River.
Ishigashira no Sawa is very close to Kashiwaya Ryokan, making it perfect for a morning or evening stroll. You can play in the water there, and there is also an abundance of fish that you can catch. If you are in the area now, you can enjoy the bamboo lanterns as well.
Shima’s Oketsu (pot hole)
About 1.5 meters down-river from Kashiwaya you can see natural pools in the Shimagawa River called oketsu. Recently you can even see people swimming in these pools.
Step away from the lights of the central Shima Onsen area and National Highway 353 on a clear night, and you can see a beautiful night sky filled with stars and a beautiful moon.
The picture above was taken on a calm August night around 10pm at Okushima Lake, the northernmost point of Shima Onsen.
We were able to take a truly fantastic photograph of the starry night sky directly above the dam embankment where you can clearly see the Milky Way. But you don’t have to go that far to see a sight like this. Take a backroad near Kashiwaya Ryokan to get away from the streetlamps, and you can see a gorgeous night sky like that in the pictures below.
Both of these photos were taken at a location just a 3-minute walk from Kashiwaya Ryokan. Of course, the view of the night sky from our open-air baths is also excellent!
Mars milky way
When you come visit Shima Onsen, why not try taking a picture of the gorgeous stars.
And don’t forget to share your pictures to Instagram if you take a good one!
In Japan, there are fresh seasonal fruits you can eat during any time of year. Apples, grapes, tangerines, strawberries, peaches, Japanese pears–you name the fruit, and you can find it in Japan. What’s more, there are fruits in season all year round due to the diligent efforts of our farmers.
And wherever you go, there are also tourist friendly orchards that allow you to pick your own fruit!
In Japan, all-you-can-eat fruit-picking is very popular. You just pay the entrance fee, go into the orchard, and pick as many fruits as you can eat. Popular even among international visitors, you can enjoy fruit picking right here in the Shima Onsen area.
In the Shima Onsen area, we especially recommend apple picking.
Nakanojo, where Shima Onsen is located, is a big producer of apples, and there are many growers in the area. The different varieties of apples are harvested from August all the way through November, and the apple-picking season for visitors also coincides with this period.
In early August you can enjoy the Tsugaru (notable for its fresh, sweet flavor) and Sansa (balanced sweet and sour flavor) varieties. October is the season of the juicy and deeply flavorful Akibae, as well as the bright red Yoko variety developed here in Gunma. And finally, the world-famous Fuji variety is ready to harvest in November.
Fuji apples are the most representative of Japanese apples, making up a majority 55% of all apples harvested in Japan. In recent years, they have been produced in other countries (notably, China and USA), and it is said that they are the most commonly grown apple variety in the world. The Fuji apple is about the size of a baseball and has a superbly sweet flavor. A hybrid of the Red Delicious and Ralls Genet varieties of apple, it first came to the market in 1962.
Being able to eat as many of these amazing apples for just one coin (500 JPY, or about 5 USD) is a dream come true to fruit lovers!
apple picking farm
For apple-picking in the Shima Onsen area, we recommend Kanai Farm, Shirogami Fruit Park, and Jindaira Farm, all of which are accessible via public transportation (local bus bound for Nakanojo Station).
The fee for all-you-can-eat apple-picking is only 500 yen. If you want to take any of your apples home, extra fees will apply.
In the Shima Onsen area, you can also enjoy strawberry, peach, blueberry, and many other varieties of fruit picking during various seasons.
peach picking
We hope you enjoy the diligently cultivated flavors of Japan’s gorgeous countryside when you visit.
Shima Onsen is a sprawling hot spring (or onsen) town located along the Shima River. The town area covers about 3km north to south. However, if you measure from the southermost oketsu (mysterious indentations in the riverbed that Shima is famous for) to the northernmost Shima River Dam, the onsen covers a length of 6km.
Now, this distance is only a short car ride, but on foot it might be a bit daunting. That’s why the mode of transportation we recommend for traversing Shima Onsen has to be…bicycle!
What’s more, we offer free rental bikes to our guests at Shima Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan, so please don’t hesitate to use them!
Kashiwaya Ryokan is located at an elevation of about 634 meters, the same as Tokyo Sky Tree in Asakusa. The elevation at Okushima Lake is about 770 meters, so to get there you would climb 130 meters. Climbing up the dam itself Is roughly 70 meters, which means it’s only about 70 meters from Kashiwaya Ryokan to the bottom of the dam (the Hinatami area).
In other words, it’s a very gentle slope that you can take your time climbing without getting too tired out.
From the central town area to Arayu District is about 2km, or 10 minutes, and from Kashiwaya Ryokan to Okushima Lake should take about 30 minutes.
We had biking trip to Okushima Lake, so be sure to check it out!
Let’s start on our bike ride to Okushima Lake!
Onsen guchi Area
The area around Kashiwaya Ryokan is known as the entrance to the hot springs (Onsen Guchi).
2min, 450m –
Handmade soba and udon noodles at Tsuchiya.
Soba Udon Tsuchiya
Yamaguchi Area
3min, 800m –
Ichiriki Sushi, Shima Onsen’s only sushi restaurant.
Washinoya sells alcohol, craft beer and foodstuffs like a convenience store.
Enjoy a free foot bath at Okinaya.
Nakanojo Biennale is a big contemporary art festival held once in two years at Shima Onsen and it’s around town, Nakanojo with a theme of “Celebration of Onsen + Home + Art.”
Pictures, sculptures, and photos are exhibited at everywhere at Shima Onsen town and Nakanojo town, such as no longer used old wooden school buildings.
In addition, there are various workshops and performances are held during the period.
In 2019, 150 groups of artists will be invited from August 24 to September 23.
It will require about three days and two nights to move by a car and enjoy thoroughly the arts widely exhibited at the city of around Nakanojo Station, onsen town of Shima Onsen and Sawatari Onsen, Kuni and Isama districts, which have been certified as the most beautiful villages in Japan.
Japan has distinctive four seasons of spring, summer, fall and winter.
In addition, Japanese people have been strongly rooted to cherish the change of seasons.
It can be shown in Kigo of Haiku.
There is a way to express seasons, called “24 Seasons,” which has divided the four seasons further into 24 seasons.
We are really enjoying the change of seasons.
Although we can enjoy spring, summer, fall, and winter in Japan, among them, the highlights are cherry blossom viewing in spring and autumn leaves in fall.
Autumn leave season is a popular tourism season for both customers from overseas and from Japan, as well as cherry blossom season in spring.
The best season of autumn leaves starts from around mid-September at high altitude places and Hokkaido.
In Kyushu, you can enjoy it until mid-December.
It will be about 6km (3.8 Miles) from the most famous sport “Shima Ouketsu (potholes)” that is at the very front to “Okushima Lake” that is at the innermost.
As the distance is relatively short, it is also pleasant if you walk inside Shima Onsen. Yet, bicycles are more recommended.
We, Shima Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan, provide rental bikes, which our customers can use for free if they stay at us.
