Welcome to our home base.
Nestled in a tree-blanketed valley, surrounded by the towering mountains of Gunma Prefecture, Minakami is where it all started… We ran our first tours there, more than 20 years ago. Minakami town is one of our favorite places to explore and adventure in Japan and it's the only place where we run our famous rafting trips down the Tone River! We hope you'll find that Minakami-machi is a charming town known for its onsens, natural beauty, and adventure sports.
Situated in northern Gunma, Minakami offers an revitalizing atmosphere with its multitude of natural terrain and attractions.
Featuring gorgeous canyons to explore and cool off in the heat of summer, amazing snow to play in during winter, and exciting white water rapids during spring! Minakami is an all-season adventure destination with a variety of outdoor activities! For thrill-seekers, bungee jumping off Suwakyo Bridge over the Tone River is a must-try activity in Minakami.
Minakami has been blessed with a multitude of hot springs, perfect for relaxing your muscles after an epic day out rafting or canyoning! One of the most famous baths is at Takaragawa Onsen. This is a mixed hot spring and has some of the largest outdoor baths in Japan.
It's also within easy access from Tokyo too, meaning it offers the perfect weekend getaway.
GREEN SEASON
Our Canyons base lies at the heart of Minakami green season. As you know, we offer a WIDE array of amazing activities for you to try out. Rafting, canyoning, and packrafting are our specialities. The town is situated near the source of the Tone River, one of Japan's greatest three rivers. Even in summer, the river is freezing cold - absolutely perfect to escape summer's heat in!
Minakami is our favourite summertime playground.
WINTER SEASON
Numerous ski resorts are based around Minakami! It offers some of the closest skiing from Tokyo. We recommend GALA Yuzawa Snow Resort and Hodaigi. If you're a beginner and would like some tips on how to start off and improve at skiing or snowboarding, we offer lessons! Feel free to reach out, and that goes for the advanced riders too who want to improve their techniques!
OTHER RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES
You can power along forest trails on two wheels with MTB Japan! Mountain biking in Minakami caters to all skill levels, offering personalized adventures at your own pace.
How about a bungee jump!? You can jump 42m from Suwakyo, one of the Tone River's three most scenic gorges. If you want more of a fright, try the 62-metre high bridge at Sarugakyo!
Or, soar through the sky and try paragliding.
Go for a hike up Mount Tanigawa in the Tanigawa mountain range, with access from Tanigawadake Ropeway!
Visit Tobe House, an old traditional Japanese farmhouse with a museum next door.
Learn about crafting in Takumi no Sato.
ACCESS BY CAR
The Kanetsu Expressway (toll road) runs through Minakami. The journey from Nerima IC in northern Tokyo to Minakami IC will take approximately 2 hours without traffic. Our base is just 15 minutes from the Kanetsu Expressway and we have FREE parking onsite.
ACCESS BY TRAIN
We provide a shuttle service so we can then pick you up from either Jomokogen or Minakami station so you can join the tour. Please check Train Timetables in English and advise at the time of booking if you require pickup and we will let you know the shuttle time.