Even in winter, Uenomura Village in eastern Gunma is full of activities the whole family can enjoy. The following itinerary is perfect for families with young children or groups of playful adults. My colleague and I went to give it a try this winter. Here’s the rundown and some of our notes.
Day 1
1.Strawberry picking
2. Snowless tubing
3. Nabe hotpot under the stars
4. Night safari
5. Cabin camping at Mahoba no Mori
Day 2
6. Make-your-own holiday wreath
Day 1
1. Strawberry picking – Coming soon!
For inquiries, call the Uenomura Local Industry Information Center at 0274-20-7070
2. Snowless tubing
Next, head to Mahoba no Mori Campground for a full lineup of zany fun. Go ahead and check in to your cabin and reserve your hotpot and night safari if you haven’t already.
First on the list is sliding down a turf slope on inner tubes—just as fun as snow tubing or sledding, without needing to wait for snow!
Tubes are available to borrow at the campground check-in desk.
Bring your tube over to the turf slope and dash up the handy stairs. Don’t forget to spray lots of wax on the bottom of the tube for maximum slippage. Get in position, make sure you’re holding the handles, and down you go!
The tubes go thrillingly fast. It was surprisingly addictive, and we found ourselves going back up for more several times. When I was a kid I could have done something like this all day.
Mahoba no Mori Campground
| Address | 773-1 Nippa, Ueno, Tano District, Gunma 370-1611 |
| TEL | 027-120-7070 |
3. Nabe hotpot under the stars
Once it gets dark and your stomach starts rumbling, head over to the roofless bamboo igloos for dinner. Each open hut is fitted with a kokatsu, i.e. a heated table with blankets hung down the sides. Stick your legs in and you’ll be nice and toasty, even on a cold winter evening.
On the menu is nabe hotpot filled to the brim with fresh local vegetables and Uenomura’s specialty inobuta pork. The contents of the hotpot are raw when you sit down, so wait for the staff to light the burner and then wait about 10 minutes for the savory aromas to start wafting out from the pot. When it’s ready to eat, remove the lid and dig in!
The short bamboo walls of the little hut kept the wind at bay as we were savoring our steaming hot meal. We could see the silhouettes of the mountains disappearing as it got dark, and we had an unobstructed view of the stars. Out here in the village, there’s no light pollution from the cities, and the stars shine bright.
Mahoba no Mori Campground
| Address | 773-1 Nippa, Ueno, Tano District, Gunma 370-1611 |
| TEL | 027-120-7070 |
4. Night safari
The last attraction for the evening is a night safari walk across the nearby Sky Bridge.
These safari events happen December – March. Let the campground front desk know if you’d like to participate.
Gather outside the campground reception desk. It usually starts at 7 p.m., but make sure to double check the time for your particular session. The staff will start with a picture presentation of the animals one might see on the expedition—deer, raccoon dogs, flying squirrels, and more.
They’ll provide you and any accompanying youngsters with super high-powered flashlights, and then it will be time to set off. Head to the nearby Sky Bridge, a pedestrian suspension bridge almost 100 meters above the valley below. With your handy flashlights, scan the valley and surrounding hills for critters.
The easiest thing to spot is the glint of the light reflecting in an animal’s eye, the staff explained. The floor of the valley is pretty far down, so we squinted a bit and aimed our beams of light slowly and carefully. After a while, we couldn’t see anything from the bridge, so we continued on to the forest on the other side. Here, we spotted a deer in the trees! As we all gathered our beams of light, several more appeared. They looked at us curiously from afar, stayed around long enough for us to snap some pictures.
It was getting late, so we headed back to the campground. The whole expedition lasted about an hour, but only around 20 minutes of actual walking. To end the session, the staff handed out wooden animal figures as souvenirs. These are insurance, they told us, for the occasional times when we don’t spot any real animals. The figures were plain wood with magnets to glue onto the back. Anyone who wants to continue the animal fun can paint their animal magnet at the Kawa no Eki Riverside Visitors Center the next day. Just let the staff know you’ve come from the night safari and they’ll set you up with some paints for free.
Mahoba no Mori Campground
| Address | 773-1 Nippa, Ueno, Tano District, Gunma 370-1611 |
| TEL | 027-120-7070 |
Available December – March. Let the campground front desk know if you’d like to participate.
For inquiries, call the Ueno Local Industry Information Center at 0271-20-7070
5. Cabin camping at Mahoba no Mori
After an excitement filled day, it’s time to get some rest in your fully equipped cabin.
The cabins at Mahoba look rustic on the outside, but they’re actually filled with every amenity you could want on the inside. Equipped with running water, electricity, heat, and AC, these cabins have kitchen areas with refrigerator and microwave, and bathrooms with showers. 4- and 8-person cabins both feature bunk beds with sheets and blankets provided. Shampoo, toothbrush, and other toiletries are also provided. The only thing they don’t provide is a bath towel, so it’s best to bring your own—they do provide hand towels though, which will work in a pinch!
The bunk beds were nice and cozy, and there were even reading lights in each bunk and outlets close by. We got a great night’s sleep.
The next morning, you can go down to the Mahoba Cafe for breakfast. ￥1,200 per person for a full spread.
Mahoba no Mori Campground
| Address | 1169 Katsuyama, Ueno, Tano District, Gunma 370-1613 |
| TEL | 0274-59-2146 |
| URL | http://uenomura-tabi.com/top/stay/mahoba/ |
| Reservations | http://uenomura-tabi.com/top/stay/mahoba/reserve/ |
| Prices | http://uenomura-tabi.com/top/stay/mahoba/charge/ |
Day 2
6. Make-your-own holiday wreath
The Kawa no Eki Riverside Visitors Center has arts and crafts activities year round that focus on using natural materials to make eco-friendly toys and decorations. During December, you can make your own all-natural holiday wreath. Another option is a flower basket bouquet, which I think is just as festive. By the way, while you’re here, you can also paint the wooden animal magnet you received last night after the safari.
Make sure to book your session in advance by phone.
The staff will get the materials ready for you and explain how to do it. For the wreath, you’ll start off with a circle of sticks twisted together. Use the provided wire to attach pine needle sprigs, pinecones, and dried flowers. Add a bow on top, and you’re done!
The flower basket bouquet is even easier to make. Cut the dried flowers to length and stick them into the foam bottom of the basket.
My colleague made a wreath with a chic color scheme that will look great in her apartment. I went for a flower basket as colorful as possible, to add a pop of color to my place. It was relaxing to work with our hands amid the smell of real pine, and it would of course be a blast for kids as well.
Event schedule and other info here: http://www.uenomura.jp/tourism/play/morinotaikenkan/index.html
Kawa No Eki Riverside Visitors Center – Mori no Taiken-kan (activity center)
| Address | 310-1 Narahara, Ueno, Tano District, Gunma 370-1617 |
| TEL | 0274-59-21460274-20-7070 |
| Hours | Fri – Wed: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM (reception desk closes at 3:30 PM) Closed on Thursdays |
| Website | http://www.uenomura.jp/tourism/play/morinotaikenkan/index.html |
| Note | – Wreath-making and flower basket bouquet activities are available December 1st – 26th – Reservations accepted by phone 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Some activities may not be available for groups larger than 6 people, so please inquire in advance. – Activities may not be available some days, due to personnel availability and other circumstances. Thank you for your understanding. |
After that, it was time to go home. Overall, this trip had lots of interesting stuff to do, but nothing too tiring or intense.
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