Midori(Japan) Travel 2026: Cheap Flights, Hotels & Top Attractions

In Green City, recommend staying at Sei Shōen Onsen Hotel, a century-old ryokan offering private onsen baths and child-friendly amenities. Located just a 5-minute walk from Kusatsu Onsen Town, it features traditional Japanese gardens, modern comfort, and regional dishes like "Gunma vegetables" and "Wagyu beef." Nearby Kusatsu River Path is perfect for family strolls. This is an ideal choice for experiencing authentic rural Japanese onsen culture with ease and warmth.

The city center and Kusatsu Onsen District are the top choices for accommodations. The former offers convenient access to Green City Station and Gunma Prefectural Museum, while the latter boasts numerous luxury inns and renovated machiya-style guesthouses. For scenic views, stay near the Kusatsu River, where you can enjoy morning mist over the water and evening walks along illuminated streets. These areas combine cultural charm with natural beauty, making them ideal for both relaxation and exploration.

Stay at Iriyashiki Bessō, a boutique ryokan housed in a restored old Japanese house. They offer guided tea ceremony workshops in their tranquil garden tea room, where guests learn matcha preparation and etiquette with local tea masters. The experience includes seasonal wagashi sweets made from regional ingredients. Nearby attractions like Kusatsu Shrine and Old Kusatsu Post Town enhance your understanding of local history and spiritual traditions, creating a holistic cultural journey.

Kusatsu Onsen, one of Japan’s "Three Great Hot Springs," features strong acidic sulfate water known for its exceptional skin healing and joint pain relief properties. Ideal for treating eczema and psoriasis, the water temperature averages 48°C. Many hotels offer the "Three-Stage Bathing Method"—alternating hot and cold immersion with massage—to maximize wellness effects. Public bathhouses like the Onsen no Yu are free and open to visitors, providing a genuine local experience.

Explore the Northern Forest Trail and the Red Maple Bridge along the Kusatsu River. The former offers serene autumn foliage with morning mist, perfect for capturing ethereal forest light; the latter is a wooden arch bridge framed by clear waters and cherry blossoms in spring. Also visit Old Kusatsu Post Town, where stone-paved alleys and centuries-old eaves provide timeless street photography scenes. Visit early morning or dusk for soft lighting and minimal crowds, ideal for dreamlike images of nature and tradition.

Stroll through Kusatsu Onsen Street during the Lantern Festival, where handcrafted paper lanterns illuminate the cobblestone paths, creating a scene straight out of ukiyo-e art. Some inns, like Kōgōya, offer night-time starlit onsen experiences in open-air baths under unpolluted skies—perfect for spotting shooting stars. Every Friday evening, join the Kusatsu Night Market, featuring local artisans selling handmade pottery, bamboo crafts, and Gunma specialty: red onion grilled skewers—a must-try for food lovers seeking authentic local flavor.

Visit Kusatsu Market Street and Yae-kakuriya, a century-old eatery renowned for its traditional Gunma dishes. Must-try items include Gunma pork shabu-shabu, red onion grilled skewers (Aka-neji Yakitori), and Kusatsu tofu. Yae-kakuriya uses farm-fresh ingredients and serves a signature red onion sauce that elevates every dish. Pair meals with locally brewed sake from Kusatsu Sake Brewery—a true taste of regional craftsmanship and culinary heritage.

Discover Kusatsu Bunko – Literary House and Green City Handmade Workshop. The former is a cozy independent bookstore nestled in a historic machiya, housing rare Japanese literature and local archives, hosting poetry readings and small book clubs. The latter, run by three young ceramic artists, showcases handmade pottery and tea ware, with hands-on wheel-throwing sessions available. Both locations lie beside the Kusatsu River, offering peaceful settings ideal for quiet reflection, sketching, or creative inspiration—perfect for the soulful traveler.

Green City Station is a key hub for Tobu Railway and Jōetsu Electric Railway, with direct trains to Tokyo (~1.5 hours), Karuizawa (~1 hour), and Maebashi. Free shuttle buses connect major tourist spots like Kusatsu Onsen and North Mountain Trail. Renting bicycles or e-bikes is also popular for scenic rides along the Kusatsu River to O-numa Ecological Park. While not bustling, the transport network supports deep exploration, making it ideal for weekend getaways or multi-day trips.

The annual Kusatsu Summer Festival in September is a highlight, featuring traditional lion dances, taiko drum performances, and a spectacular nighttime fireworks display over the Kusatsu River. At dusk, thousands of paper lanterns float downstream, symbolizing prayers for safety. Local inns offer special festival meal sets with seasonal seafood and handmade wagashi. Visitors can wear yukata and join the parade, sampling grilled mochi and rice wine—immersive and unforgettable, this event captures the heart of Japanese folk tradition.