Kiyotsu Gorge & Karuizawa Autumn — 6 DaysAutumn6 days / 5 nights

Kiyotsu Gorge, Kusatsu & Karuizawa Autumn — 6 Days

Ikaho stone steps, Naeba Dragon Gondola, the Tunnel of Light, Kusatsu Yubatake, and Karuizawa.

Tokyo · Ikaho · Naeba/Tashiro · Kiyotsu Gorge · Akagi · Kusatsu · Karuizawa· Autumn leaves · Land art · Famous onsen

Multi-Day Tours

Kiyotsu Gorge, Kusatsu & Karuizawa Autumn — 6 Days

An autumn route from Narita to Ikaho’s stone steps, Japan’s longest Naeba Dragon Gondola, and the Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel of Light. Continue to Akagi Nature Park, illuminated Kusatsu Yubatake, Onioshidashi volcanic landscape, Hiroshi Senju Museum, and a Karuizawa finale at Taliesin and the Stone Church.

Ikaho stone steps · Kajika Bridge maplesNaeba Dragon Gondola · Lake TashiroKiyotsu Gorge Tunnel of LightAkagi Nature Park · Kawaba matcha stopKusatsu Yubatake lights · Onioshidashi ParkHiroshi Senju Museum · Karuizawa Taliesin / Stone Church

Route: Narita → Ikaho → Naeba/Kiyotsu Gorge → Akagi/Kusatsu → Karuizawa → Tokyo → Narita
Travel style: Autumn leaves · Land art · Famous onsen

Multi-Day Tours

Itinerary

6 days / 5 nights · Tokyo · Ikaho · Naeba/Tashiro · Kiyotsu Gorge · Akagi · Kusatsu · Karuizawa

1
Day 1

Tokyo Narita · Ikaho Onsen
Arrive at Narita Airport and drive about three hours to Ikaho Onsen, with free time to explore the stone steps and Kajika Bridge.
Arrival at Tokyo Narita Airport
Arrive at Tokyo Narita Airport, meet your guide, and transfer by coach to Ikaho Onsen for hotel check-in and rest.

Ikaho stone-step onsen street — free time
A terraced hot-spring town at about 720–820 m, famous for its unbroken flight of 360 stone steps. Inns and souvenir shops line both sides; four glass viewing points along the way reveal the hot-spring channels flowing into the ryokan.

Kajika Bridge — free time
Near the spring source, Kajika Bridge is superb for autumn leaves—beautiful both in daylight filtering through red maples and under evening illumination. Night foliage lighting dates follow official announcements.

Ikaho Onsen
A quiet mountain retreat in Gunma where traditional elegance meets modern ease. Open-air baths steam gently, and carefully chosen local ingredients express the flavors of the season.
Meals

B · At leisure

L · At leisure

D · At the hotel

Stay

Ikaho Onsen hotel
Tips
- Night foliage lighting dates and hours at Kajika Bridge follow official announcements.
2
Day 2

Naeba Dragon Gondola · Lake Tashiro · Tashiro cable car · Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel of Light
Ride Japan’s longest Naeba Dragon Gondola uphill, stroll the shores of Lake Tashiro, descend by Tashiro cable car through autumn color, then visit the Tunnel of Light at Kiyotsu Gorge.
Naeba Dragon Gondola
Japan’s longest gondola, about 5.5 km with a ride of roughly 25–30 minutes. Bird’s-eye views take in blazing forests, Lake Tashiro, and Lake Futai; mid-October to early November is peak foliage.

Lake Tashiro shore walk
A quiet highland lake as still as a mirror. In autumn the surrounding forests turn red; walk the shoreline trail and let the season’s palette slow your pace.

Tashiro cable car
Descend about 10 minutes from the 1,413 m summit station to the 806 m base through painted red and yellow leaves. The double-deck cable car’s transparent floor makes you feel suspended some 230 m above the ground.

Kiyotsu Gorge — Tunnel of Light
One of Japan’s three great gorges, with V-shaped cliffs, columnar jointing, and jade-green water. For the 2018 Echigo-Tsumari Art Field, the “Tunnel of Light” was renovated and reimagined—an unforgettable blend of landscape and installation art.
Meals

B · At the hotel

L · Japanese set meal

D · At the hotel

Stay

Onsen hotel
Tips
- Naeba Dragon Gondola / Tashiro cable car: autumn season roughly Oct 11–Nov 3; schedules may change if closed for weather.
- Kiyotsu Gorge tunnel: if a visit is impossible due to force majeure, another attraction will be substituted.
3
Day 3

Akagi Nature Park · Kawaba matcha · Kusatsu Onsen
Forest time at certified Akagi Nature Park, matcha at Kawaba Kichijoji, then overnight in Kusatsu with the illuminated Yubatake.
Akagi Nature Park — four-season forest walk
A forest haven at the foot of Mount Akagi. Stroll among seasonal flowers and birdsong; the wooded trails and clean mountain air have earned it a reputation as a place to reset and breathe easy.

Kawaba Kichijoji — matcha and wagashi experience
A Zen temple founded in the Nanbokucho period, also called the “flower temple” for more than 100 plant species in its grounds. A special Edo-Senke-style matcha and confectionery experience is arranged.

Kusatsu Yubatake — evening lights
Foremost among Japan’s three great hot springs, with over 800 years of history and the nation’s highest natural spring volume. White steam rises from the Yubatake; after nightfall, lights weave through the mist for a romantic scene.
Meals

B · At the hotel

L · Japanese set meal

D · At the hotel

Stay

Kusatsu Onsen hotel
Tips
- Included: Akagi Nature Park and the Kawaba Kichijoji matcha experience.
- Akagi Nature Park: closed Tuesdays from April to November; if closed or weather is poor, a substitute attraction will be used.
4
Day 4

Kusatsu Sai-no-Kawara · Onioshidashi Park · Hiroshi Senju Museum · Karuizawa
Walk the hot-spring riverside at Sai-no-Kawara, explore the volcanic rockscapes of Onioshidashi Park, visit the Hiroshi Senju Museum, then check in at Karuizawa.
Kusatsu Sai-no-Kawara Park
About a 10-minute walk from the Yubatake. A riverside of scattered lava and rising steam, where springs between the rocks form a hot-spring stream—classic Kusatsu trail atmosphere.

Onioshidashi Park — Mount Asama lava field
Inside Joshin’etsu Kogen National Park at about 1,350 m. Stark rockscapes formed by lava from Mount Asama rank among the world’s most striking volcanic landscapes of their kind; four walking trails wind through the park.

Hiroshi Senju Museum
Opened in 2011, this open architecture blends art and nature, following the slope of the land and breaking free of the rectangular frame to create space for quiet contemplation.
Meals

B · At the hotel

L · Japanese set meal

D · At the hotel

Stay

Karuizawa hotel
Tips
- Included: Hiroshi Senju Museum and Onioshidashi Park.
5
Day 5

Karuizawa Taliesin · Lake Shiozawa · Stone Church · return to Tokyo
Explore Taliesin nature resort around Lake Shiozawa and the Stone Church, then return to central Tokyo for free time.
Karuizawa Taliesin — Lake Shiozawa
A nature resort wrapping the shores of Lake Shiozawa, with museums, villas, forest sculptures, and lakeside scenery. Autumn maple reflections evoke a European country estate.

Stone Church
A distinctive building in a quiet forest, incorporating the five natural elements of stone, light, water, greenery, and wood—embodying the idea of a “church of nature.”

Tokyo city stroll and shopping
From Chiyoda station shopping streets to Ginza department stores, enjoy a relaxed walk or shopping outing at your own pace.
Meals

B · At the hotel

L · Japanese set meal

D · At leisure

Stay

Tokyo hotel
Tips
- Included: Karuizawa Taliesin.
6
Day 6

Tokyo free time · Narita Airport departure
Mix and match classics such as Senso-ji or Shinjuku Gyoen, then gather as scheduled for transfer to Narita Airport.
Senso-ji and Nakamise shopping street — free-time option
One of Tokyo’s oldest temples, with Kaminarimon as its symbol. Nakamise shopping street offers Edo-period atmosphere and classic souvenir browsing.

Shinjuku Gyoen — free-time option
About 58.7 hectares combining French formal, English landscape, and Japanese garden styles; more than 20,000 trees make it a precious oasis in the heart of the city.
Meals

B · At the hotel

L · At leisure

D · At leisure

Stay

End of tour
Tips
- Attractions on this day can be mixed to suit your preferences; optional services are extra.

Kiyotsu Gorge, Kusatsu & Karuizawa Autumn — 6 Days

Kiyotsu Gorge, Kusatsu & Karuizawa Autumn — 6 Days

Itinerary

Arrival at Tokyo Narita Airport

Ikaho stone-step onsen street — free time

Kajika Bridge — free time

Ikaho Onsen

Naeba Dragon Gondola

Lake Tashiro shore walk

Tashiro cable car

Kiyotsu Gorge — Tunnel of Light

Akagi Nature Park — four-season forest walk

Kawaba Kichijoji — matcha and wagashi experience

Kusatsu Yubatake — evening lights

Kusatsu Sai-no-Kawara Park

Onioshidashi Park — Mount Asama lava field

Hiroshi Senju Museum

Karuizawa Taliesin — Lake Shiozawa

Stone Church

Tokyo city stroll and shopping

Senso-ji and Nakamise shopping street — free-time option

Shinjuku Gyoen — free-time option