Ikaho Town

What to know

Ikaho Onsen was originally developed by the warlord Takeda Shingen during the Sengoku period. He established the town on the foothills of Mount Haruna as a place for his soldiers to rest and heal their wounds in the local thermal waters. The encampment built along the slope eventually became the town center of Ikaho Onsen.

Today, a 300-meter-long series of stone steps (ishidan gai) climbs through the middle of the mountain town, lined with souvenir shops and ryokan. The stairs total 365 steps and have been renovated over the years. Original examples of the old stonework can be seen at the Ishidan no Yu public bathhouse.

Ascending from the base of the steps, you'll pass the restored former Villa of the Minister of the Kingdom of Hawaii. This Japanese-style villa was built during the Meiji Period, when Hawaii was still an independent nation. Next door is a small museum describing the relationship between the town and Hawaii. Additionally, a Hawaiian festival is held each year along the steps, featuring events such as hula dancing.

Just next to the Hawaiian villa stands the reconstructed Ikaho Checkpoint, which controlled traffic along a highway connecting Gunma with Niigata in past centuries. During the Edo Period (1603–1868), such checkpoints restricted travel, requiring travelers to stop and show permits. The building houses a small museum displaying hand-printed passes, documents, weapons, and other relics of the time.

The midpoint of the stone steps forms the center of the old town, lined with restaurants, ryokan, and souvenir shops selling traditional toys, sweets, and local products. In the evenings, guests staying at local ryokan can be seen strolling in yukata, browsing the shops, and lending a nostalgic atmosphere.

Several shops along the stairs offer old carnival-style games such as cork gun shooting galleries, smartball (a pinball-like game), ring toss, and archery. The games typically cost a few hundred yen and offer small trinkets and souvenirs as prizes.