Take the JR Takasaki Line from Tokyo (e.g. Tokyo or Ueno station) to Takasaki Station (two hours, 2-3 trains per hour) and transfer to the JR Joetsu Line to Minakami Station (one hour, hourly). The entire one way trip takes about three hours, costs 3080 yen and is covered by the seasonally available Seishun 18 Kippu.
Above fees and schedules are subject to change. Be sure to check current yen exchange rates.
Getting around
Minakami is a spread out town that covers a large area in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture. At its center is Minakami Station which acts as the transportation hub with bus connections to Mount Tanigawa, Takaragawa Onsen and Jomo Kogen Station.
The Joetsu Shinkansen stops at Jomo Kogen Station, a 20 minute bus ride outside of the town center. The shinkansen station serves as a secondary transportation hub for the area with bus connections to Minakami Station, Takumi no Sato, Sarugakyo Onsen and nearby Numata City.
A special 3-day bus pass is available to foreign tourists at Minakami Station (through the Association of Minakami Onsen Ryokan) and Jomo Kogen Station (through the Minakami Tourism Association). For 3000 yen, the pass provides unlimited use of local buses, including the buses to the lower station of the Tanigawa Ropeway, Takaragawa Onsen and Sarugakyo (but not the bus between Sarugakyo and Hoshi Onsen).
Alternatively, a rental car is recommended, as public transportation around Minakami can be rather infrequent or inconvenient and the town's attractions are quite spread out. Rental cars are available around Jomo Kogen, Shibukawa and Takasaki stations.
