Anime in Gunma

A caldera lake at the summit of Mount Haruna, around 1,080 m. It is the series' 'Lake Akina', the start of the legendary downhill Takumi races and a meeting point for the teams. Its snowy winter scenery appears in key moments.

Prefectural Route 33, linking Ikaho onsen with Lake Haruna, is the road that inspires the Akina downhill; its five consecutive hairpins are the corners Takumi masters with his cup-of-water technique. (Coordinate approximate, a point on the route.)

One of the 'Three Mountains of Jōmō', home course of the Akagi RedSuns led by the Takahashi brothers. Stretches of the Gunma road climbing the mountain appear in numerous episodes as the Akagi touge.

A jagged, rocky mountain, another of the 'Three Mountains of Jōmō' and home course of the Myōgi Night Kids. Its winding roads are the setting of several races in the series. (Coordinate approximate, of the massif.)

A mountain pass between Gunma and Nagano, famous for its brick arch bridges (the 'glasses bridge'). It is the home course of Impact Blue, the duo of Mako and Sayuki who challenge Takumi in one of the most memorable duels.

A hot-spring town at the foot of Mount Haruna, in Shibukawa, anchoring the area where Takumi lives and works and delivers his family shop's tofu at dawn. Its famous stone staircase roots the series in the real Gunma. (Coordinate approximate, of the town.)

Maebashi tourism identifies this street as a setting in the series. The pin marks the shopping area.

The tourism association lists Ogo Station among the anime settings. The pin identifies the station.

Tourism documents a welcome board and character voices. A collaboration tribute, without claiming a specific scene.

Tourism documents character standees at the visitor centre. An official tribute; the pin marks the complex.

The Yubatake and the hot-spring town of Kusatsu are a shooting location for the film "Thermae Romae II" (2014), and Mari Yamazaki visits them in the live-action "Thermae Romae Novae Junyūki" segments of the 2022 anime.

Mari Yamazaki visits Shima Onsen in the live-action "Junyūki" segments of the anime "Thermae Romae Novae" (2022). The pin marks the Sekizenkan (1691), the town's landmark and one of Japan's oldest wooden hot-spring buildings.

The Tōbu station from which Kimari and Shirase set off towards their southern dream. Its white-gabled façade appears from episode one, and it now greets fans with series panels.

The azalea park on the shore of Jōnuma pond stages key walks and talks of the quartet: the waterside bench where Kimari and Shirase seal their promise is a mandatory pilgrimage stop.

One of the ryokan said to have served as a reference for the Aburaya, without confirmation from Ghibli. The red bridge over the river at its entrance evokes the one Chihiro crosses, and its main building (1691) is among Japan's oldest wooden hot-spring buildings.