During the cherry blossom season in the Tokyo area, I was fortunate to have many guiding jobs and spent my days quite busy. As a little reward to myself, I recently visited Shima Onsen in Nakanojo Town, Gunma Prefecture. It’s a hot spring town nestled in the mountains, with a long history as a healing retreat.
Many of the inns still retain their traditional appearance. There was even a ryokan, traditional Japanese inn, said to have inspired the bathhouse Aburaya in the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away.
Shima Onsen has 42 hot spring sources, and the waters are believed to be effective for digestive disorders.
The cherry blossoms were just about to bloom, which made me feel lucky—as if I had a little bonus this year. It seems the season for enjoying sakura will be longer than usual.
If you venture a bit beyond the hot spring town, you’ll find Lake Oku-Shima, an artificial lake. With a perimeter of about 4 kilometers, it’s a pleasant place for a walk. The water appears to be a beautiful emerald green. I learned that the Shimagawa Dam was built in 1999 to prevent frequent flooding that used to occur downstream.
On my way back, I stopped by the Nakanojō Town History Museum, which turned out to be a real hidden gem. Housed in a traditional building that once served as an elementary school, it welcomed visitors with warmth and character. I was overwhelmed by the richness of the exhibits, which seemed to reflect not only the town’s deep history but also the pride and dedication of the people who cherish it.
There was also a special exhibition that caught my eye. It featured works by a local female artist whose illustrations are categorized as manga. Her drawings, accompanied by brief texts, were charming and full of nostalgia. The artist, Hide Suzuki (1926-2022), is about the same age as my mother, and the scenes from her girlhood reminded me strongly of my own mother’s younger days.
Few foreign tourists visit the area, and it remains relatively unknown—which made it even more special. I was glad to find such a place preserved in a quiet mountain town. Ironically, my job is to guide foreign visitors to Japan’s most famous sites, yet I find great joy in these lesser-known corners myself.