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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Fujioka
藤岡
Skip Fujioka unless you have a specific reason to visit: it is a quiet commuter town with a few temples and a park, best as a half-day stop between Takasaki and Tomioka.
Fujioka is a small city in southern Gunma, known for its wisteria and rural atmosphere. Most travellers pass through on the way to Tomioka Silk Mill or Takasaki. The main draw is the Fujioka Wisteria Festival in late April–early May; outside that season, the city offers little that is not available in larger nearby towns.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 藤岡
- Best months
- Apr–May (wisteria season), Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Jan–Feb (cold, little to do)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥5,000–8,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥8,000–12,000 excl. bed · High ¥12,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥300–500 |
| Ramen or soba | ¥700–1,000 |
| Beer (can at konbini) | ¥250–350 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | ¥2,000–2,500 |
| Train Fujioka → Takasaki | ¥240 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TKY · Tokyo Haneda (HND) or Narita (NRT)
- About 2–2.5 h by train via Takasaki
Typical fares
- Fujioka Station → wisteria park (taxi)
- about ¥1,500 (check)
- Fujioka → Takasaki (JR)
- ¥240, about 10 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The city is walkable around the station; a bicycle is useful for the wisteria park and temples. Buses are infrequent. A taxi from the station to the wisteria park costs about ¥1,500.
See and do
Known for
- Fujioka Wisteria Festival (late Apr–early May)
- Fujioka History Museum
- Kannon-ji temple
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tomioka Silk Mill | JR train from Fujioka to Tomioka, about 15 min | About 30 min |
| Takasaki | JR train, about 10 min | About 20 min |
| Kusatsu Onsen | Bus from Takasaki, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Near Fujioka Station
- A few business hotels and guesthouses; convenient for trains.
- Takasaki (10 min by train)
- More accommodation choices and dining; better for a base.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうarigatō |
| Where is the wisteria park? | 藤公園はどこですか？fuji kōen wa doko desu ka |
| How much is this? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- The wisteria festival is crowded on weekends; go on a weekday if possible.
- Many shops and restaurants close by 18:00; eat early or in Takasaki.
- The tourist information site is Japanese-only; check the festival dates on the city website.
Fujioka is very safe. The main risk is limited services after dark: plan your return train or have a taxi number ready.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Fujioka yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fujioka Wisteria Festival (late Apr–early May)
- Fujioka History Museum
- Kannon-ji temple
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Fujioka City official website: www.city.fujioka.gunma.jp/
- Fujioka Tourist Association (Japanese): fujioka-kanko.net/
- Wikivoyage: Fujioka, revision 4868154 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4868154
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/fujioka). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.