[Tomioka City, Gunma Prefecture] If you're going to Tomioka Silk Mill, we also recommend visiting Mount Myogi! A guide to enjoying the area for different purposes

• Table of Contents
• Do you know Mt. Myogi?
• When it comes to sightseeing in Myogi, the Myogi Visitor's Center in Tomioka City is the place to go!
• Eat in Myogi: YAMA CAFE MYOGI
• Experience Myogi: Art Galleries
• Photographing Mt. Myogi: Photo spots
• Climbing Mt. Myogi: Mountain climbing, hiking
• Cycling around Mt. Myogi
• Flying at Mt. Myogi: Sky Sports, Paragliding (closed)
• Bathing in Myogi: Myogi Hot Spring MOMIJI NO YU
• Shopping in Myogi: Roadside Station Myogi
• Information

Do you know Mt. Myogi?

Mt. Myogi is a famous mountain with a unique group of rocky spires that are counted among the three most scenic spots in Japan. The scenery created by the steeply towering rock walls and oddly shaped rocks is overwhelming, and it is popular among mountain climbing and hiking enthusiasts. The scenery is especially spectacular during the autumn foliage season.

Jagged Mt. Myogi : a traditional Japanese countryside area

Mt. Myogi appears and disappears from various places in Tomioka City, Gunma Prefecture. It's very rare to see a mountain with such jagged edges. Driving along the quiet country roads, the green ears of rice in spring and golden ears in autumn swaying in the wind create a very soothing sight. 

Recommended for camera enthusiasts: Mt. Myogi to go for landscape photography

Near the Myogi Regional Development Center, there is a special photo spot where Mt. Myogi, the highway overpass, and rice fields can be captured in a photo that is both modern and nostalgic. After snow or rain, the scenery looks as if it was painted with ink. There were many other photo spots that made me want to stop and take a look. Finding my favorite spot is also part of the fun.

Mt. Myogi as seen from Myogi Roadside Station, and the townscape as seen from the grassy area of ​​the Myogi Visitor Center.

Mt. Myogi can be seen from Yama Café Myogi on the first floor of the center, and from the observation room on the third floor, Mt. Myogi offering a different view.

When it comes to sightseeing in Myogi, the Myogi Visitor's Center in Tomioka City is the place to go!

Mt. Myogi is a sacred mountain that can be seen from Tomioka City and its surrounding areas. It is one of the Three Great Scenic Spots of Japan, the Jomo Sanzan (Mt. Akagi, Mt. Haruna, Mt. Myogi), and the Myogi Visitor Center is a facility that displays the origins and history of Mt. Myogi and provides mountain climbing information. In August 2023, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its designation as a Place of Scenic Beauty, the Myogi Furusato Museum was reborn as the Myogi Visitor Center.

Tomioka City Myogi Visitor Center

379-0201 Tomioka City, Gunma Prefecture, Myogi 1-5

In addition to providing information on sightseeing and mountain climbing around Mt. Myogi, there is also a large 3D model of Mt. Myogi and a corner where you can experience an advanced mountain climbing course using and VR goggles. The art gallery holds special exhibitions of paintings, crafts, etc. from time to time. Enjoy interacting with nature, interacting with art, and spending a relaxing time in the heart of the mountains. At Yama Cafe Myogi inside the Myogi Visitor Center, you can enjoy pasta made with the local specialty maitake and nameko mushrooms, as well as Tomioka crepes, a new Tomioka specialty, while enjoying the spectacular view of Mt. Myogi right in front of you.

Learn about Mt. Myogi through the exhibits at the Myogi Visitor Center

The first thing that catches your eye when you enter the Myogi Gallery is the diorama of Mount Myogi.

Mt. Myogi is a mountain that straddles the three cities and towns of Tomioka City, Annaka City, and Shimonita Town. How did such a rugged mountain come into being? The Myogi Visitor Center can answer that question.

There are exhibits and explanations covering topics such as the origins of Mt. Myogi, as a mountain of faith, a mountain for climbing, and life in the past.

Long ago, the father of modern Japanese mountaineering, Weston, who was from England and who spread the charm of Kamikochi in Nagano Prefecture Prefecture, met the mountain guide Nemoto Seizo and guided him Mount Myogi. I never imagined that there had been mountain guides, as we know them today, on Mt. Myogi for such a long time.

Many literature and art professors also visit the museum. Perhaps the atmosphere here inspires creativity.

Experience the feeling of climbing Mt. Myogi in VR

You can try a simulated experience of climbing Mount Myogi using VR. It is amazing! You can experience climbing and descending steep rocks using chains and ropes. Walk on a place with cliffs on both sides, like on a horse's back. Stood on the top of the mountain and  see the image of looking down right in front of you! The thrill, power, and tension will make you feel as if you were really climbing a mountain, and you will get your heart racing.

360° panoramic observation deck

You can see not only Mt. Myogi, but also the Joshinetsu Expressway and the city in the distance.

In fact, they have the mountain manga "Gaku" here, as well as other books related to mountains and nature.

Anyone is free to pick it up and read it.

It's also nice to come here and read adult-style mountain manga such as "Gaku" or "I've Become a Mountain Girl" while sipping coffee.

Found on the third floor! Fu-chan's "Myogi Arekore Tsuushin" is a very interesting read. It is a handwritten newspaper in A4 size that can be read quickly, and issues 1 to 16 (as of February 2025) have been published. Once you read it, you will want to read the next issue again, as it is full of "Is that so?" moments. By the way, there are also books and seats related to mountains and nature on the first floor.

There are many ways to enjoy the Myogi area!

In the Myogi area, you can enjoy a variety of activities, including a simulated mountain climbing experience and gourmet food experience at the Myogi Visitor Center. Below are some ways to enjoy the area based on your purpose.

Eat in Myogi: YAMA CAFE MYOGI

Gunma is one of the top producers of flour in Japan, and pasta, pizza, and Tomioka's specialty crepes are must-try dishes.

At Yama Cafe Myogi on the first floor of the Myogi Visitor Center, you can enjoy a menu that focuses on locally-sourced ingredients, such as pasta with Myogi Maitake mushrooms, meat spaghetti with Joshu Wagyu beef and Mochi pork, pizza with the classic Shimonita leek, and pizza with offal stewed in tomato sauce.

The crepes include the "Coffee Conjac Crepe" that is unique to Gunma, and the "Seasonal Fruit Crepe" made with fresh fruit. The cute colors, the delicious fruit aroma, and the edible flowers make it almost too good to eat all at once.

Other sweets include "Myogi Rocks Chocolate Gateau" and "Mt. Myogi Mountain Strata Tiramisu." Where do we start with these sweets with nicknames that are so typical of Myogi? They are the perfect sweets for mountain girls who have just come down from the mountain.

You can eat in the cafe space on the first floor, but you can also take your own tray to the free space or the observation deck on the third floor.

It's a place where you can find your favorite place and spend some time for yourself.

On nice days, you can go outside to the terrace and enjoy cafe time while looking at Mount Myogi.

The coffee is specialty coffee beans from "Tsuki to Yufuzutsu," a coffee roaster in Myogi. This is Yama Cafe Myogi's original coffee.

This is a place where you can relax, unwind and forget about time.

Experience Myogi: Art Galleries

The art gallery on the first floor of the Myogi Visitor Center displays paintings and photographs from the museum's collection. When the building was open as a museum, it also hosted a competition for painting Mt. Myogi.

Photographing Mt. Myogi: Photo spots

In the courtyard of the Myogi Visitor Center, you can take photos of the majestic Mt. Myogi with the "MYOGI" object in the center. Mt. Myogi has many different faces: young leaves in spring, autumn leaves covering the mountain in autumn, and rugged rock Mt. Myogi in winter.

Climbing Mt. Myogi: Mountain climbing, hiking

There are many different climbing routes to choose from, from hiking trails for beginners to rugged climbs for advanced climbers who require special skills and equipment, so you'll never get bored of visiting Mt. Myogi no matter what season you visit, spring, summer, fall, or winter. The fresh greenery, as well as the autumn leaves, are so beautiful they're even featured in Jomo Card Games. In particular, the mountain is bustling with climbers from inside and outside the prefecture in spring and fall.

Cycling around Mt. Myogi

Recently, I've seen people cycling around Mt. Myogi and along rice paddy paths.

It seems like it would be very pleasant to cycle leisurely and enjoy the scenery.

In the spring, an event called the Mt. Myogi View Ride in Tomioka is held once a year, so if you're interested, please apply and take part.

Flying at Mt. Myogi: Sky Sports, Paragliding (closed)

On sunny, windy days, you can see people flying in the sky with Mt. Myogi in the background. You can also experience gliding. Just watching people flying in the sky makes you feel like you're a bird, and it seems like a lot of fun. (Please refer to the official website for the reopening date.)

Bathing in Myogi: Myogi Hot Spring MOMIJI NO YU

Next to the Myogi Visitor Center is the day-trip hot spring facility "Myogi Fureai Plaza Myogi Hot Spring MOMIJI NO YU.

The recommended thing is the open-air bath. While soaking in the hot water, you can enjoy the view of the Kanto Plain and the cityscape. Of course, you can also have a meal.

The recommended dish is tempura made with locally grown maitake mushrooms, which is also reasonably priced.

Myogi Fureai Plaza Myogi Onsen Momiji no Yu

379-0201 1-1 Myogi, Myogi-cho, Tomioka-shi, Gunma Prefecture

With Mt. Myogi in the background and the Kanto Plain spreading out below, this is a day-trip hot spring facility with a wonderful view. Equipped with an indoor bath, open-air bath, and sauna. It is effective against neuralgia, joint pain, frozen shoulders, motor paralysis, etc. The on-site restaurant, ``Mizan-tei,'' serves meals made with ingredients such as the local Myogi specialty, maitake mushrooms. Guests are also welcome to use the facility for meals only. The bathing fee is 620 yen for adults and 400 yen for ages 70 and older and from 6 to 11 years old.

Shopping in Myogi: Roadside Station Myogi

If you look closely, you'll see that the roof of Myogi Roadside Station is actually jagged like Mt. Myogi.

Fresh vegetables, mushrooms, sweets, flowers, and local souvenirs grown by local farmers can be purchased here. The rice balls made with locally grown Maitake mushrooms and seasonal soft serve ice cream are also recommended. If you're lucky, you might see cherry blossoms in the spring , berry soft serve ice cream in the summer, chestnuts in the fall, and strawberries in the winter. The torii gate you can see on the opposite side of the road is the entrance to Myogi Shrine, which is also designated as an Important Cultural Property. Myogi Shrine, also known as the " Nikko Toshogu of Jomo", is also a must-see.

Roadside station Myogi

379-0201 322-7 Myogi, Myogi-cho, Tomioka-shi, Gunma Prefecture

A direct sales store for local produce harvested first thing in the morning. We also carry a variety of Myogi souvenirs. From the parking lot, you can enjoy an outstanding view of Mt. Myogi, one of Japan's top three scenic spots. The parking lot can accommodate 8 buses. Parking is available for 99 small cars. 1 minute walk from Myogi Shrine. 3 minutes by car from Matsuida Myogi Interchange. It also has a restaurant and tourist information center.

For other things you can do in the Myogi area, check here !

Information

Tomioka City Myogi Visitor Center

Access: 7 minutes by car from Matsuida-Myogi IC on the Joshinetsu Expressway

Tokyo Station - Takasaki Station (50 minutes by Shinkansen) Takasaki Station - Matsuida Station (25 minutes by JR Shinetsu Line) 10 minutes by taxi from Matsuida Station

Address: 1-5 Myogi, Myogi-cho, Tomioka City

Phone: 0274-73-2585

Business hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm (last entry 4:30pm)

Closed: Every Monday (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday)

New Year's holiday: December 29th to January 3rd

Admission: Free

Official website: https://www.tomioka-silk.jp/_spot/sightseeing/detail/Myogi-Visitor-center.html

SNS: https://www.instagram.com/myogi_visitor_center_?igsh=MTIybnU3bWc1cnV6OQ==