About Gunma University

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Gunma University is located in Gunma prefecture, which lies at the end of the Kanto Plain and at the foot of the Japanese Alps. Gunma is located approximately 100 km northwest from Tokyo, and is easily accessible by high speed rail. The area is surrounded by three distinctive mountains, Mt. Akagi, Mt. Haruna and Mt. Myogi which provide a picturesque backdrop to the region.

Gunma University has three major campuses located in Gunma prefecture. There are two campuses in Maebashi, the capital city of Gunma prefecture, population 320,000. The main administration is on the Aramaki campus and the Faculty of Medicine is on the Showa campus, both in Maebashi. There is regular bus service between the campuses and JR Maebashi Station. The School of Science & Technology is located on the Kiryu campus in the city of Kiryu, situated 30 km east of Maebashi. Kiryu has express train service to Asakusa in Tokyo and the Japan Railways network.

Gunma prospered as a center of the silk industry during the early modernization of Japan. The region is also famous for a strong and dry seasonal wind known as the karakaze (literally the empty or dry wind) that blows across the Japanese Alps to the Kanto Plain as winter turns to spring. The area is also known for its fantastic displays of thunder and lightning during the summer. Gunma boasts the longest average duration of sunlight in Japan, with approximately 5 days per week being clear and sunny. Culinary specialties include noodle dishes such as udon and soba, fresh vegetables, poultry and pork dishes.

Gunma is also famous for its hot springs resorts, such as Kusatsu and Ikaho, which are located in majestic natural settings deep in the mountains.