Sightseeing in Kawaba: A Mountain Village Shaped by the Water and Prayers of Mount Hotaka

What Kind of Village Is Kawaba, Tone District?

Kawaba is a mountain village in the Tone District of northern Gunma Prefecture. It spreads across the southern foot of Mount Hotaka, which rises 2,158 meters, and covers about 85 square kilometers, more than 80 percent of it forest. Four first-class rivers flow through the village, and its name is said to come from its being a “land of many rivers” (kawa).

This article introduces the village’s sights from north to south, in descending order of latitude. We begin at a mountain summit, then work downward through a prayer ritual at the temple gate district, the clear stream of the Usune River, an old hot spring and, finally, a museum that preserves mountain-village life. There are few showy attractions, but the more you walk, the more you see how water and faith have shaped the way people live.

1. Mount Hotaka (武尊山)

Mount Hotaka is a 2,158-meter mountain rising on the border of Kawaba and Katashina villages and Minakami Town in Gunma Prefecture. It is one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains and one of the New 100 Flower Mountains, and is known as the only mountain over 2,000 meters not designated as part of any national, quasi-national or prefectural natural park. For Kawaba, it is the symbol seen rising to the north of the village.

The mountain’s name is said to come from the legend of the eastern campaign of Yamato Takeru (Nihon Takeru no Mikoto), and the present reading is said to have settled in the Edo period. A statue of Yamato Takeru is said to be enshrined just below the summit. It has long been revered as a sacred mountain of mountain worship, and the village holds a mountain-opening ceremony every June, so the closeness between mountain and daily life continues today.

Geologically, it is a stratovolcano formed about 1.2 to 1 million years ago and consists of eight main peaks. From the summit, the Tanigawa range, Oze and Mount Nikko-Shirane are said to be visible. However, serious climbing requires preparation for a long route and changing weather. Please make a sensible plan after preparing with experience and proper equipment.

2. Kisshoji Temple at Monzen and the Monzen Harukoma (門前の吉祥寺と門前春駒)

In the Monzen district of Kawaba stands Kisshoji, a Zen temple said to have been opened in 1339, in the Nanbokucho period. It is introduced as a Rinzai-sect temple whose head temple is Kencho-ji in Kamakura, and is loved as the “Temple of Flowers” because flowers bloom there through the seasons. Among its cultural properties, the main gate and the sixteen rakan statues are village-designated, and a prefecturally designated wooden seated statue is also kept in the village. Since this is an active temple, please be quiet when visiting and follow the guidance in the grounds.

Held in this district every year on February 11 is the Monzen Harukoma, designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of the prefecture. Male members of the preservation society dress as women and as a family of traveling entertainers, four in all, a father, a mother and two daughters, and visit about 100 houses, performing songs and dances. It is a ritual praying for safety of the household and for a rich harvest in silkworm farming, which was once thriving. After the morning rounds of the hamlet, a votive dance is performed at Kisshoji.

As for the origin, tradition says it began when a troupe of traveling performers who used to visit the village could no longer come, and the village’s young men learned the songs and dances themselves. It is said to have been held originally on the festival day of Kinko Inari Shrine, the first day of the lunar new year. This is our own speculation, but for villagers in an age when sericulture supported livelihoods, the visit of traveling entertainers bringing fortune from afar may have been an important turning point for avoiding poor harvests. Note that the map position is an approximate coordinate for the Monzen district.

3. Kawaba Onsen (川場温泉)

Kawaba Onsen is a hot-spring area where several inns are scattered across flat land surrounded by the foot of Mount Hotaka and the Usune River. It is said to have a history of about 1,200 years since the springs were discovered, and a legend of Kobo Daishi is told as its origin.

In the legend, Kobo Daishi, on a journey, visited the house of an old woman seeking water, and when he struck the ground with his staff as a token of thanks for the water she shared, hot water gushed out. A story of repaying someone who gave water seems to reflect well the character of Kawaba, a land rich in water.

Kobo Daishi legends are told of hot springs in many places, but the actual time and circumstances of its opening are uncertain. This is our own speculation, but that the tale of hot water welling up when the ground is struck was passed down in this water-rich village may be proof that water and hot springs were close to daily life. Active inns operate in the hot-spring area, so please check the conditions of use, including day-bathing, in each facility’s official guide.

4. The Clear Stream of the Usune River (薄根川の清流)

The Usune River is one of the first-class rivers flowing through Kawaba. The village has four first-class rivers, and groundwater from Mount Hotaka is said to well up in each district. You feel the origin of the village’s name, a land of many rivers, when you meet such watery scenery. The river’s water quality is said to be good, and its clear flow speaks of the richness of nature.

Along the river, places for playing in the water and observing river fish are said to have been prepared. Snow and rain on the mountain pass through the ground, well up and become rivers that moisten the rice paddies and fields. That cycle is the foundation that grows the village’s rice and fruit. The water’s power also lies behind the village rice, shipped under the name “Yuki Hotaka,” being valued for its high quality.

In this site’s view, the heart of Kawaba’s scenery lies not in the mountain or the temples but in the presence of this water. Without water, neither the prayers at Monzen, nor the hot-spring legend, nor the taste of the rice would exist. Because the river’s volume can change greatly with the weather, please watch the weather and water level when playing near the water. Note that the map position is an approximate coordinate along the Usune River.

5. Kawaba Village History and Folklore Museum (川場村歴史民俗資料館)

The Kawaba Village History and Folklore Museum is a museum that tells the history of village life. It displays folk implements, farm tools and household goods used in mountain life, starting with agriculture and sericulture, so you can feel the lives of past villagers up close.

Sericulture is an important key to understanding this village’s life and faith. That the Monzen Harukoma is a ritual praying for a good silkworm harvest shows the weight of the era in which silkworms supported household budgets. Looking at the displayed tools one by one, the meaning of the festival comes into view as connected to the reality of daily life.

In a mountain village, tools were for life. Worn wooden handles and parts shaved to fit the hand keep the habits of their users. In this site’s view, what these old tools speak of is a way of keeping distance from nature before convenience was gained. Displays and opening days can change, so please check the village’s official guide before you go.

Local Specialties: Food and Drink

The center of Kawaba’s food is rice. The village’s rice is shipped under the name “Yuki Hotaka” and is known for being highly rated. Rice raised on groundwater from Mount Hotaka conveys the quality of mountain-village water through its taste.

Fruit is abundant too, with apples, grapes, blueberries and strawberries grown. In addition, konnyaku, a specialty of Gunma’s mountain areas, and products that make use of the village’s forests support local life. Offerings and availability differ from shop to shop, so please check the latest information before you go.

Rare Wildlife and Nature

The framework of Kawaba’s nature is the forest and water spread across the foot of Mount Hotaka. About 80 percent of the village is forest, and groundwater from Mount Hotaka wells up in each district. Four first-class rivers, including the Usune, carry that water to every corner of the village.

The seasons change greatly: snow covers the village in winter, and in summer there is the pleasure of cooling off by the water. The creatures seen in the mountains and rivers differ by season and place, so when you go out, please follow local guidance and take care not to harm nature.

Other Notable Things About This Village

Kawaba is also known as a village with a long-standing exchange with Setagaya Ward in Tokyo. Since an agreement was signed in 1981, the relationship has continued, with jointly built recreation facilities, fifth-grade elementary school pupils visiting each other’s lands every year, and direct trade in farm products.

In 2002, amid the so-called Heisei mergers, the village’s study group presented options including remaining independent, merging with neighboring towns and villages, and even merging with Setagaya Ward. A merger with an exclave about 160 kilometers away did not come about, and in 2005 Kawaba chose to go its own way as an independent village.

Seasonal events are also rooted in village life, such as Dondo-yaki bonfires in January, the Harukoma and bamboo-lantern festivals in February, and the mountain-opening of Mount Hotaka in June. It is a small village, but the number of events and how they have been continued show the strong solidarity of a mountain community.

The Night Side: Ghost Stories and Haunted Spots of This Village

So far we have walked Kawaba’s daytime face: mountain, water, prayer, hot springs and the tools of daily life. Each place layers the time of people who lived by finding terms with nature.

That depth connects to the night side as well. Mountain villages have many handed-down tales of mountain spirits and old prayers, but the places and truth of many are uncertain, so we do not recommend searching for them. In this site’s view, a ghost story is something like a shadow that a land’s history and way of life have cast on people’s minds.

At KARASU CHANNEL, we present true ghost stories and haunted spots not so that you can visit them but so that they are recorded. After getting to know the daytime scenery, please read the night stories too.

Before You Go

Opening hours, fees, closing days and access change easily, so they are not included in this article. Before you go, please check the latest information on the official website of each facility or local government. Some places may be restricted from entry because of weather or disasters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. In what order is it efficient to see Kawaba’s sights?

A. This article introduces them from north to south. Monzen, Kawaba Onsen and the History and Folklore Museum are clustered in the village center, while Mount Hotaka lies in the mountain area to the north of the village. Because the mountain can be reached only on limited days depending on weather and season, please check the latest information in advance.

Q. What is Kawaba’s specialty food?

A. The rice “Yuki Hotaka” and fruits such as apples, grapes and blueberries are well known. Offerings and availability differ from shop to shop, so please check the latest information before you go.

Q. Can anyone watch the Monzen Harukoma?

A. It is a local prayer ritual held every year on February 11 in the Monzen district of the village. When watching, please remember to be considerate of residents’ lives and the place of prayer, and follow guidance and instructions. Please check the village’s official guide for details of the event.

Official sites and references consulted
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/川場村
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/武尊山
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/川場温泉
https://tabi-mag.jp/kawaba-harukoma/
https://www.pref.gunma.jp/uploaded/attachment/681819.pdf
https://www.pref.gunma.jp/uploaded/attachment/39831.pdf
https://www.shinkin.co.jp/to-city/ryokou/ryokou_kawaba.pdf
https://www.satofull.jp/blog/2019/08/190215.html
https://www.nap-camp.com/mag/?p=99735
https://yomuno.jp/posts/126747