AROUND
From one spot,
to the whole town.
Step outside the temple, and make the whole town your destination.
A small town
on the banks of the Tone River.
Gunma Prefecture is said to be shaped like a crane in flight, and Chiyoda sits around its neck. Fields of barley known as “beer barley” spread around the town, and beer and sake are made with the deep groundwater of the Tone River.
A ferry, a long-established eel restaurant, a sake brewery, a coffee shop. Beyond staying at the temple, go out and meet the people of the town.
This is an illustration. For exact locations, use each spot’s map link.
PEOPLE OF THE TOWN
The people who
shape the charm of this town.
AKAIWA FERRY
1Akaiwa Ferry
A ferry that crosses the Tone River from Akaiwa in Chiyoda to Kuzuwada in Kumagaya, Saitama, on the opposite bank. Running since the Sengoku period, it is a rare kind of crossing today. Enjoy sunlight glittering on the widest stretch of river in Japan.
- Summer 8:30–17:00
- Winter 8:30–16:30
- Open in Google Maps ↗
NITTAYA
2Nittaya Eel Restaurant
A long-established eel restaurant, running since the end of the Edo period. It even appears as a setting in a novel by Tayama Katai. The eel is grilled slowly over a distant flame, glazed with a sauce handed down for more than 160 years. Carp and catfish dishes are served too.
YAMAKAWA SAKE BREWERY
3Yamakawa Sake Brewery
Founded in 1850, a long-established brewery that uses the Tone River’s underground flow and brews in the yamahai method. Pick up some nama sake, often sold only at the brewery, to enjoy at the lodge.
- Brewery tours are not usually offered (please inquire)
- Open in Google Maps ↗
HIRAKU COFFEE
4HIRAKU
A coffee shop opened by a couple from Gunma after a journey through more than 500 coffee shops in Japan and abroad. The scent of home roasting drifts through an interior that blends Nordic and Japanese atmospheres.
- About 5 min by car from ZENSŌ
- Open in Google Maps ↗
MORE TO SEE
A little farther afield
- The Tone River embankmentWalk or cycle along the embankment path. The river is beautiful in the evening.Rental bicycles available
- Daiichi Sankyo Nakasato ParkA spacious park in town.Maiki, Chiyoda
- Suntory Natural Water Brewery GunmaThe brewery that makes Master’s Dream and The Premium Malt’s.Factory tours are not offered
- Ashikaga Flower ParkA flower park in Ashikaga, Tochigi, known for its wisteria.Ashikaga, Tochigi
- Calpis Future MuseumA museum about the history of Calpis and how it is made.Tatebayashi, Gunma
- Hanyu Distillery and Coco Farm & WineryMakers of whisky and wine are also within driving distance.Hanyu Distillery offers tours
SHOPPING
Grocery runs
ZENSŌ is a room-only stay, with no meals. For BBQ ingredients, shop at a nearby supermarket.
Supermarkets
- Japan Meat Chiyodaabout 10 min by car
- Belc Vesta Oizumiabout 8 min by car
- Costco Meiwaabout 15 min by car
Convenience stores
- Lawson Oizumi Furumiabout 1.2 km
- Seven-Eleven Chiyoda Nakasato Parkabout 1.5 km
