Gunma Prefecture

Gunma is a place in Japan.

It is not near the sea. It sits in a flat area with many big mountains.

Most of the land is high up. You can see big peaks like Mount Nakanodake.

Some parts are very green.

Many people live in the cities. Maebashi is the main city. Takasaki is the largest city.

It can get very hot in the summer. It can also get very cold in the winter. This is because of a dry wind.

People grow food like cabbage there. They also make cars in some cities. It is a busy and pretty place.

Gunma is a place in Japan.

It sits on the Kantō plain. It is one of only eight places in Japan without a coast. This means it is landlocked.

Most of Gunma is made of mountains. You can see many tall peaks.

Some peaks include Mount Akagi and Mount Haruna. There are also many natural parks.

Many people live in the cities. Maebashi is the capital city. Takasaki is the largest city. Other big cities are Ōta and Isesaki.

The weather can change a lot. In the winter, a dry wind blows through. This is called the karakkaze. It can make the air very dry. In the summer, it can get very hot. One city once hit 41.8 °C.

People do many different jobs in Gunma. Some people grow cabbage. Gunma also makes most of the konnyaku in Japan. Konnyaku is a type of food. Other people work in factories. They make cars and electrical tools. The Subaru car factory is in the city of Ōta.

The mountains and lakes make it a beautiful place to visit.

Gunma is a special prefecture in Japan.

It sits on the northwestern corner of the Kantō Plain. Gunma is one of only eight landlocked prefectures in the country. This means it has no coast or ocean nearby. It is surrounded by other places like Niigata and Fukushima to the north. To the east is Tochigi, and to the south is Saitama. Nagano lies to the southwest. Much of the land is made of mountains.

About 14% of the land is part of natural parks. These include the Oze and Nikkō National Parks.

The weather in Gunma can be quite extreme. Because it is inland, the temperature changes a lot between seasons. In the winter, a strong and dry wind called the karakkaze blows through. This happens because the Echigo Mountains block snow clouds from the coast. This wind makes the air feel very dry. In the summer, it can get incredibly hot. On August 5, 2025, the city of Isesaki hit 41.8 °C. This was the hottest temperature ever recorded in Japan. The mountains and rivers like the Tone River shape the land.

Gunma has a very long and interesting history. Long ago, it was a center for breeding and trading horses. These horses became vital for Japanese military moves. The area was once called Kenu Province before being split up. It was also known as Jomo or Kozuke. In the late 6th century, Mount Haruna erupted. Scientists found ash from this eruption at old animal pens. Later, in the 1870s, the first modern silk factories opened in Annaka. These factories used help from people in Italy and France.

Today, many people live and work in Gunma. The capital city is Maebashi, and Takasaki is the largest city. Other big cities include Ōta, Isesaki, and Kiryū. People in Gunma do many different kinds of work. Some work in factories making cars or electrical tools. The Subaru car factory is located in Ōta. Others work in farming. Gunma grows most of the konnyaku in Japan. It also grows a lot of cabbage.

You can even find melody roads here. These are roads with grooves that play music when you drive over them.

There are many fun things to do in Gunma. Many people visit the famous hot spring resort called Kusatsu Onsen. You can also go skiing in the mountains. People enjoy seeing places like Fukiware Falls or the Daruma Temple.

Sports are also popular in the region. There are teams for baseball, football, and rugby. Even the local government uses a cute mascot. It is a small horse character named Gunma-chan. This character appears on many posters and signs throughout the prefecture.

Gunma Prefecture is a landlocked region located in the Kantō region of Honshu, Japan.

Being landlocked means it has no direct access to the ocean. It sits on the northwestern corner of the Kantō Plain. Gunma is one of only eight landlocked prefectures in the entire country. It is surrounded by several other prefectures. Niigata and Fukushima lie to the north. Tochigi is to the east. Saitama is to the south. Nagano is located to the southwest. Much of the land is mountainous.

About 14% of the total land area is designated as natural parks. These include the Jōshin'etsu-kōgen, Nikkō, and Oze National Parks. The Myōgi-Arafune-Saku Kōgen is also a Quasi-National Park.

The climate in Gunma is shaped by its inland position. There is a large difference in temperature between summer and winter. The region also receives less precipitation than coastal areas. This is caused by the karakkaze, or "empty wind." This is a strong, dry wind that occurs during the winter. It happens because the Echigo Mountains obstruct snow clouds from the coast. The mountains block the clouds, but the wind passes through. This makes the winter air very dry. Summer temperatures can be extreme. On August 5, 2025, the city of Isesaki recorded 41.8 °C. This was the hottest temperature ever registered in Japanese history.

Gunma has a deep and complex history. In ancient times, the province was a center for horse breeding. It was also a hub for trading activities. This was important for the Toraijin, who were newly immigrated continental peoples. The arrival of horses changed Japanese military history. Horses allowed for new military maneuvers. This displaced the older Yayoi tradition of fighting on foot. In the late 6th century, Mount Haruna erupted. This happened during Japan's pre-historical phase. Scientists used zoological anthropology to date this event. They studied animal pens that were buried in ash. In the past, the area was part of Kenu Province. This was later divided into Kami-tsu-ke and Shimo-tsu-ke.

The region has seen many industrial and political shifts. In the 1870s, the first modern silk factories were built in Annaka. These were constructed with assistance from Italy and France. During the early Meiji period, a conflict called the Gunma Incident occurred in 1884. This was a struggle between democratic Westernisers and conservative nationalists. In the twentieth century, the Nakajima Aircraft Company was founded in Oizumi. Its founder was the aviation pioneer Nakajima Chikushi. The company became a world leader in aeronautical design by 1931. Today, the factory is known as Subaru. It is part of Fuji Heavy Industries and produces motorcars in Ōta.

Today, the population of Gunma is 1,937,626 as of October 2019.

The prefecture is divided into several administrative areas. Maebashi is the capital city. Takasaki is the largest city. Other major cities include Ōta, Isesaki, and Kiryū. There are twelve cities in total. The economy relies on both modern and traditional industries. Transport and electrical equipment are major modern sectors. These are concentrated near Maebashi and the eastern region. Agriculture remains vital to the local economy. Gunma produces over 90% of Japan's konnyaku. The village of Tsumagoi is also known for cabbage farming. Two-thirds of its farms grow this crop.

Gunma offers unique cultural experiences for visitors. One interesting feature is the presence of melody roads. There are eleven of these roads in the prefecture. These roads have grooves cut into the surface. There are 2,559 grooves in a 175-meter stretch. These grooves transmit vibrations through the car wheels. This creates music as the vehicle moves. Different roads play different songs. For example, the road in Nakanojo plays music from "Spirited Away" at 40 km/h. The road in Katashina plays a song at 50 km/h.

Visitors also travel to famous hot spring resorts. Kusatsu Onsen is the most famous destination. Many people also visit for the mountain ski resorts.

Sports and local symbols are also prominent in Gunma. The prefecture has teams for baseball, football, and rugby.

For example, the Panasonic Wild Knights play rugby in Ōta. The local government uses a mascot named Gunma-chan. It is a small, stylized drawing of a horse. The character wears a green cap. It appears on many public signs and promotional posters. The prefectural symbol also features three mountains. These represent Mount Haruna, Mount Akagi, and Mount Myōgi. These landmarks are central to the identity of the region.