Recommended Hidden Gems in Gunma by a Local Resident! [Aiming for Full Coverage of All Municipalities: Gunma Prefecture Edition, Part 3]

If someone asked you to show them around your hometown, where would you take them?

An Instagrammable spot?
An art museum or gallery?
Or perhaps somewhere with delicious food?

If you live in a bustling city, you might not have much trouble deciding.
But in areas called the countryside, it is truly difficult.
Even if there are tourist spots nearby, you never know if they will suit the person.
In the first place, it is quite common for there to be no tourist spots nearby at all.

But in reality, you might just be overlooking them because they are too familiar to you.
There might be places or shops that you didn't notice, but that would shine in the eyes of others.

Isn't it a waste not to know about the place where you live?
Don't you want to know more about where you live, and about Japan?

What can you do to learn more?

“I want to visit every municipality in Japan to learn about them! I want to take photos and keep them as memories!”
This was the answer I came up with.

That was the thought behind starting my project to visit every municipality.
I started by organizing my photos and realized I had visited quite a few places, so I think I will introduce them little by little.

This time, it's Gunma Prefecture. This is my third article on Gunma.

This time's exploration sites

A popular, year-round Instagrammable spot: 'Hotoku-ji Temple' [Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture]

There is a small temple in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture that never runs out of visitors.
That is Hotoku-ji Temple.
The reason it never runs out of visitors is that you can take Instagrammable photos all year round.
There are constant events, such as the 'floor maple' of fresh green leaves in spring, the wind chime festival in summer, the 'floor maple' of autumn leaves in autumn, and the ringing of the bell on New Year's Eve.

Although the temple was founded in the Muromachi period, it has been loved by local residents through the ages and still protects the mountain where it is located today.
When I visited, many people were there, and I even saw buses carrying tourists.
If you visit on a sunny day, you can take truly beautiful photos, and because of its location, I felt refreshed, freed from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The 'floor maple' in the thumbnail is also a shot I took at Hotoku-ji!

Illustrations of flowers and plants displayed in a circular room: 'Tomihiro Art Museum' [Midori City, Gunma Prefecture]

An art museum displaying the works of poet and painter Tomihiro Hoshino, who was from Midori City.
He painted flowers and plants, but what is amazing about him is that he painted by holding a brush in his mouth.
It is said that he became physically disabled due to an unexpected accident, but his illustrations are so delicate that you wouldn't know they weren't drawn by hand unless you were told, and they have a charm that draws the viewer in.
Perhaps because of his own experiences, themes like 'life' and 'living' can be felt throughout the poems that accompany his illustrations.
The vitality of the flowers and plants came across along with Mr. Hoshino's illustrations and poems, and it made me feel like I wanted to live my life carefully and cherish the present moment.

All-you-can-eat bread until you're full! 'Chikyūya' [Shinto Village, Kitagunma District, Gunma Prefecture]

'Chikyūya' is located in Shinto Village, at the foot of Mount Haruna.
It's a small rest stop with a general store, a cafe, and a butter workshop, but my top recommendation is the bakery.
It opens early in the morning, and in the morning, they hold an all-you-can-eat bread event!
Plus, the bread is made with natural yeast and is additive-free, making it incredibly healthy!
When I visited, I was able to eat my fill of fluffy, chewy white bread and bread kneaded with walnuts.

After visiting (Editor's Note)

I am very satisfied with being able to compile my personal favorite spots in Gunma!
In particular, I highly recommend the general store at Chikyuya, so please be sure to visit!

The municipalities visited this time are as follows

Next time, I will take a short break from Gunma Prefecture.
I am thinking of writing about my recent visit to Motegi Town, Haga District, Tochigi Prefecture.

Thank you for reading this far.
Please follow me if you like!

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