Gunma Prefecture

Gunma Prefecture (群馬県 Gunma-ken^?) is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island.^[1]

Its capital is Maebashi.^[2]

The prefectural symbol consists of the first kanji of the word 'Gunma' surrounded by three stylized mountains symbolizing the three important mountains of Gunma Prefecture: Mount Haruna, Mt. Akagi, and Mt. Myogi.

One of only eight landlocked prefectures in Japan, Gunma is the northwestern-most prefecture of the Kantō plain. Except for the central and southeast areas, where most of the population is concentrated, it is mostly mountainous. To the north are Niigata and Fukushima prefectures, while to the east lies Tochigi. To the west lies Nagano prefecture, and Saitama is to the south.

Gunma has a traditional card game called Jomo Karuta (上毛かるた). Both children and old people can enjoy this card game.

Gunma is home to two of Japan's four Melody Roads, which is made from grooves cut into the ground, which when driven over causes a tactile vibration and audible rumbling transmitted through the wheels into the car body.^[4][5] It consist of 2,559 grooves cut into a 175 meter stretch of existing roadway. When driven over at 50 km/h it produce the tune of "Memories of Summer".^[6]