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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Kiryu
桐生市
Go for one day from Takasaki or Ashikaga: the walkable silk-mill core and free zoo fill a half day, and Mt. Akagi or the Watarase valley need a second.
Kiryu is a former silk town in western Gunma, about 90 km northwest of Tokyo, that kept its prewar core: sawtooth-roof mills, merchant storehouses and Meiji-era Western buildings sit along one walkable avenue. It is a half-day to one-day stop on the JR Ryomo line between Takasaki and Oyama, and the trailhead for the Watarase Keikoku railway up the valley.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 桐生市
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Golden Week
- Stay
- 1 night
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 ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–16,000 excl. bed · High ¥16,000+ 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 or tea in a cafe | ¥400–700 |
| Noodle soup (soba or ramen) | ¥800–1,300 |
| Beer: draught in an izakaya / can at a konbini | ¥500–750 / ¥250–350 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | ¥1,800–2,400 |
| Museum entry (Meijikan, Yukari, Okawa) | ¥150–1,000 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ¥2,000–4,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HND · Tokyo Haneda
- Nihon Chuo Bus runs to Kiryu twice daily, 2–3 h depending on Tokyo traffic
- NRT · Tokyo Narita
- No direct bus; train via Tokyo or Ueno, then the JR Ryomo line
Typical fares
- JR Ryomo line, Takasaki to Kiryu
- about ¥1,000, about 1 h (check)
- Tobu limited express Ryomo, Asakusa to Shin-Kiryu
- about ¥2,400 reserved, about 90 min (check)
- Nihon Chuo Bus, Haneda to Kiryu
- ¥3,400 one way, 2–3 h (check)
Get around
The old core is walkable: JR Kiryu north exit to Honcho Street is about 15 minutes on foot. The city runs the free Mayu sightseeing bus on two routes (Amusement Park–Yurinkan and Silk Heritage), plus the Orihime city bus. Rental bicycles are available at the Yui office in JR Kiryu station. Taxis wait at the station; no tipping, with a late-night surcharge from 22:00 to 05:00.The old core is walkable: JR Kiryu north exit to Honcho Street is about 15 minutes on foot. The city runs the free Mayu sightseeing bus on two routes (Amusement Park–Yurinkan and Silk Heritage), plus the Orihime city bus. Rental bicycles are available at the Yui office in JR Kiryu station. Taxis wait at the station; no tipping, with a late-night surcharge from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM.
See and do
Known for
- Prewar textile mills and storehouses
- Honcho Street heritage district
- Watarase Keikoku railway
- Karakuri mechanical doll theatre
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ashio and the Watarase valley | Watarase Keikoku railway from JR Kiryu station; 11 of 18 daily trains run the full line | About 1.5–2 h |
| Mt. Akagi | Train or bus toward Akagi, then local bus up the mountain | About 2 h |
| Tomioka | JR Ryomo line toward Takasaki, then the Joshin line | About 1.5 h |
| Takasaki | JR Ryomo line, about 1 h | About 1 h |
| Maebashi | Jomo Dentetsu from Nishi Kiryu to Chuo Maebashi | About 1 h |
Sleep
- JR Kiryu Station area
- North exit puts you 15 min on foot from the mills and museums; business hotels cluster here.
- Nishi Kiryu / Miyamaecho
- Quieter, around the 1928 Jomo Dentetsu station; good if you arrive from Maebashi.
- Aioi
- Watarase Keikoku line stop near the Meijikan; useful for an early valley departure.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigato gozaimasu |
| This one, please | これをくださいkore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kado de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko 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
- Many sights close on Mondays or Tuesdays and over New Year (Dec 28–Jan 4): check each site before you plan the day.
- The Hikobe Manor opens weekends 10:00–16:00 only; weekday tours need a reservation.
- Some smaller museums and shops take cash only.
- Summer is hot and humid; the walk between sights has little shade.
A quiet, low-crime town; the real risks are summer heat on the walk between sights, unlit pavements after dark, and cash-only small shops. Japan's standard 110 / 119 apply.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kiryu yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Prewar textile mills and storehouses
- Honcho Street heritage district
- Watarase Keikoku railway
- Karakuri mechanical doll theatre
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tobu Railway limited express: www.tobu.co.jp/en/express_info/express/ryomo.html
- Nihon Chuo Bus highway routes: ncb.jp/highway/time6/
- Visit Gunma: www.visitgunma.jp/en/
- Wikivoyage: Kiryu, revision 5237883 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5237883
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Kiryu桐生市
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Kiryu; most countries keep embassies in Tokyo and consulates in Tokyo or Osaka (check).
Local tourist association guide: kiryu-walker.net
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kiryu). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.