Akagi Shrine, Gunma Prefecture, is one of the most scenic shrines in the country. It’s tucked away on a lake in the mountains of Gumna Prefecture, with the nearest large city (Maebashi), a little under an hour drive through the windy mountain roads.
However the trek out to Akagi Shrine is more than worth it. This shrine is very popular among domestic tourists as the shrine is situated on an island in the middle of a lake created by a volcano eruption of Mount Akagi.
You might be familar with the name ‘Mount Akagi’, as it was featured in ‘Initial D’. The track in Initial D is true to the actual road leading to the Akagisan Tourist Information center. It is the home course of RedSuns
During the Winter, The lake which Akagi shrine is built by – Lake Onuma – can completely freeze and become covered with snow. A nearby ski field opens up once covered in snow, and the whole Akagi Shrine area just becomes a winter wonderland. If you are so luck to visit the shrine when there is a fresh layer of snow, you will be highly rewarded with amazing photographs of the pristine snow and the frozen lake background.
Many people make the journey out to Akagi shrine for numerous reasons, such as exorcism (Yeah…You read that right), to invoke the spirits upon pregnancy, and for a festival named the Seven-Five-Three Festival, which is dedicated to young children of those ages listed in the festival name. During the summer, fishing, boat riding and archery are available for the enjoyment of those who make the journey all the way out to the shrine.
Hours and Admission
- Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm
- Free
- Average Time Spent: 20 Minutes
- Official Website
Accessing Akagi Shrine
As mentioned earlier, it really is quite far in the mountains, and renting a car, or taking a car if you have access to one, is by far the best option to take. If you leave Maebashi, then you should take the number 4 route, and as mentioned, that route is the one featured in Initial D, so if you’re a fan of Initial D, then you might enjoy driving on the actual road the developers used when making Initial D.
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Where to Stay
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