Information as of 13 August 2026
This page is a relocation summary written by an advanced AI
It is not a personal opinion piece written by a human. An AI gathered official information published on the internet — municipal and national statistics, the Japan Meteorological Agency, railway companies, property portals — and rebuilt it into a form that someone considering a move can read and act on. Every figure carries a source link and the date it was checked, so please confirm anything that matters to you against the original document. Rules and prices change. Always check the latest information yourself before you sign anything.
Moving to Annaka City
At the western edge of Gunma Prefecture, at the foot of the Usui Pass. The JR Shinetsu Main Line ends at Yokokawa Station in the city, and beyond it the Hokuriku Shinkansen passes under the pass towards Karuizawa. The city has a Shinkansen station of its own, Annaka-Haruna. There are 51 second-hand detached houses on the market at the moment, the cheapest at ¥800,000. And Annaka City is not in any of the earthquake measure zones — Nankai Trough, Tokyo inland or the Japan Trench. Here we go through it in order: from the 4 faces of the city to the houses on the market now, disasters, climate, hospitals and schools.
National and quasi-national parks: Joshinetsu-Kogen National Park and Myogi-Arafune-Saku-Kogen Quasi-National Park / Hot springs and day bathing: Toge-no-Yu · Kamimasuda Onsen · Megumi-no-Yu
Sources: national and quasi-national parks are determined from Ministry of the Environment boundary data and other sources (details in §17 of the text) (verified 2026-08-21) / hot springs and day bathing from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors) (verified 2026-08-20). 🔴 Only what is present is listed here — it does not mean that a town without these is any lesser.
Last verified 2026-08-13
CHAPTER 01First, what kind of place Annaka is
The city was formed in 2006 by the merger of the old Annaka City with Matsuida Town. It is long and narrow, about 20 km east to west, and from Itahana in the east (about 150 m) to Yokokawa in the west (about 450 m) it is uphill all the way.
Map of Annaka City
You can zoom and pan. The marker is Annaka City Hall. The further west you go, the further you climb the Usui Pass.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
What should I know first about moving to Annaka?
The city was formed in 2006 by the merger of the old Annaka City with Matsuida Town. It is long and narrow, about 20 km east to west, and from Itahana in the east (about 150 m) to Yokokawa in the west it is uphill all the way. Which height you live at changes both the cold of winter and the price of the house.
CHAPTER 02Four areas, and life in each
Annaka is a city about 20 km long from east to west, and from Itahana in the east (about 150 m) to Yokokawa in the west (about 400 m) it is one continuous climb. There are 51 houses on the market in all — 14 of them at or under ¥10,000,000 and 6 at or under ¥5,000,000 — while Akimaminorigaoka alone runs ¥19,800,000 to ¥50,000,000, a completely different set of prices.
It has 4 faces
| District | Rough elevation | Nearest station | What it is like / price range of the listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matsuida the Usui Pass side | 220〜460m | Matsuida Nishi-Matsuida Yokokawa | The belt that was a post town on the Nakasendo. Yokokawa Station, the end of the Shinetsu Main Line, is here, and beyond it the Usui Pass. The cheapest houses in the city, at ¥800,000–¥18,000,000 (14) |
| Isobe and Haraichi | 190〜240m | Isobe | Isobe Onsen, and Haraichi, known for its avenue of cedars. It is also where most of the shops are. ¥3,500,000–¥39,800,000 (14) |
| Annaka the town centre | 120〜180m | Annaka Gunma-Yawata | The city hall and Annaka Station. Itahana, another Nakasendo post town, is on this side too. The lowest ground in the city, and the closest to Takasaki. ¥2,500,000–¥39,800,000 (15) |
| Akimaminorigaoka in front of the Shinkansen station | approx. 250 m | Annaka-Haruna | 🔴 A development opened in front of Annaka-Haruna Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. All 8 of its houses on the market are here, and the price band, ¥19,800,000–¥50,000,000, is clearly apart from every other district |
How life differs from one area to another
The price bands and counts are the same as in the table above (all 51 SUUMO listings).
Who it suits = anyone whose work and shopping are in Takasaki, or who wants to avoid hills
What to watch = the share of the population served by the sewer is 31.3% for the city as a whole (the prefectural average is 57.2%), and about 7 in 10 of the city is on septic tanks (§8). Check whether a connection is possible for that exact lot
Who it suits = anyone doing the everyday shopping by car, or wanting to live near a hot spring
What to watch = parts of it fall inside the projected flood area of the Usuigawa (based on 766 mm of rain in 48 hours) (§5)
Who it suits = anyone who puts cheapness and space first, or who has business on the Karuizawa side
What to watch = there are 549 landslide warning zones in the city, of which 473 (86%) are special warning zones, the 8th highest of the prefecture’s 27 municipalities (§5). At 460 m, winter is a different thing altogether (§6)
Who it suits = anyone commuting to Tokyo by Shinkansen — the city has a ¥200,000 Shinkansen commuting supplement (§8)
What to watch = prices are 3 to 5 times those of the other districts. Even within one city, treat this as a separate market
Which part of Annaka should I live in?
Matsuida and Yokokawa are the cheapest in the city at ¥800,000–¥18,000,000 (14 houses); Isobe and Haraichi, where most of the shops are, run ¥3,500,000–¥39,800,000 (14). Akimaminorigaoka alone runs ¥19,800,000–¥50,000,000, a completely different set of prices.
CHAPTER 03Trains and cars — how you get around
Getting about in Annaka takes the shape of “one Shinkansen station, and a local line that runs to its end”. Annaka-Haruna to Tokyo is 56 minutes at best. The Shinetsu Main Line ends at Yokokawa, and the line beyond it over the Usui Pass closed in 1997.
How you get to Tokyo
| Section | Time | One way |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo → Annaka-Haruna Hokuriku Shinkansen Asama, no change | 56 min at best usually 58–68 min | Ticket ¥2,420 plus reserved seat ¥3,040 = ¥5,460 Unreserved, ¥2,510, makes ¥4,930 (123.5 route km) |
| Tokyo → Annaka (the Shinetsu Main Line) | 71 min | ¥5,130 (Shinkansen to Takasaki plus the local line) / on local lines alone, 137 min and ¥2,090 |
| Tokyo → Isobe | 77 min | ¥5,460 / on local lines alone, 143 min and ¥2,420 |
| Tokyo → Matsuida | 82 min | ¥5,460 / on local lines alone, 148 min and ¥2,420 |
| Tokyo → Yokokawa | 90 min | ¥5,460 / on local lines alone, 156 min and ¥2,420 |
| Takasaki → Annaka-Haruna | 8–9 min | On the Shinetsu Main Line it is 11–14 minutes to Annaka and 30–34 to Yokokawa |
| Annaka-Haruna → Karuizawa | 11–12 min | The Shinkansen passes under the pass |
Annaka City gives a grant to people who commute by Shinkansen. Its home purchase support grant includes a “Shinkansen commuting supplement of ¥200,000”, added when you use a Shinkansen season ticket to commute out of the prefecture (§8).
🔴 The line over the Usui Pass beyond Yokokawa Station closed in 1997. When the Hokuriku Shinkansen opened between Takasaki and Nagano, the Yokokawa–Karuizawa section of the Shinetsu Main Line was withdrawn, and today the JR Bus Kanto “Usui Line” links Yokokawa Station with Karuizawa Station — ¥520 one way, 34 minutes, 7 return trips a day (every service runs via the Usui bypass, with no stops in between). The old trackbed can be walked as the “Apt-no-Michi” footpath (Yokokawa Station to Kumanotaira, about 6 km). Sources: JR East timetable, Annaka-Haruna Station (August 2026 edition; all services tallied by this site) / fares from the JR East revised fare search (the amounts after the fare revision of 14 March 2026) / Annaka City, “Withdrawal of the Shinetsu Main Line between Yokokawa and Karuizawa” (“in Heisei 9 (1997), with the opening of the Shinkansen between Takasaki and Nagano, the Yokokawa–Karuizawa section of the conventional Shinetsu Main Line was withdrawn”) / JR Bus Kanto, Usui Line timetable (revised 14 March 2026) / Annaka City, Apt-no-Michi / verified 2026-08-13
Where the stations are — the Shinetsu Main Line ends at Yokokawa, and the Shinkansen passes under the pass
There are 5 stations in the city. The JR Shinetsu Main Line runs from the east through Annaka, Isobe, Matsuida and Nishi-Matsuida, and ends at Yokokawa Station. The line beyond it over the Usui Pass was withdrawn when the Hokuriku Shinkansen opened in 1997. Today the Hokuriku Shinkansen passes under the pass in a tunnel, calling at Annaka-Haruna Station in the city, on its way to Karuizawa. The diagram also includes Gunma-Yawata and Takasaki in neighbouring Takasaki City, and Karuizawa beyond the pass, so it lines up directly with the station names in the property list below. Positions, bearings and scale are based on actual coordinates (stations from OpenStreetMap, districts from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan). You can scroll it sideways.
Sources: journey times, fares, frequencies and station positions are as in the table and diagram above (JR East timetable, Annaka-Haruna Station / JR East revised fare search / JR Bus Kanto, Usui Line / station coordinates from OpenStreetMap) / verified 2026-08-18✈ Airports
The nearest is Matsumoto Airport (a locally managed airport), about 81.0 km as the crow flies. 🔴 This is a straight-line distance. It is not a road distance or a journey time — please check the actual route in each operator’s timetable.
🛣 Expressway junctions
This area has 2 entry and exit points (interchanges and junctions).
Kanetsu Expressway Joetsu Line = Matsuida-Myogi, Usui-Karuizawa
How long does it take from Annaka to Tokyo?
On the Hokuriku Shinkansen “Asama”, Annaka-Haruna to Tokyo is 56 minutes at best, with no change (¥4,930 unreserved). The Shinetsu Main Line ends at Yokokawa, and the line beyond it over the Usui Pass closed in 1997.
CHAPTER 04Homes actually on the market right now
SUUMO lists 51 second-hand detached houses in Annaka City. All 51 listings have been collected, and the cheapest 18 are shown. Tapping anywhere on a row opens the SUUMO property page.
"Nearest the station first" converts everything to minutes — a walk of ◯ min, ◯ min by bus plus ◯ min from the stop, ◯ km by car (reckoned at 30 km/h) — and compares those. Listings with no such information always appear last, whatever the sort.
Matsuida-machi Matsuida¥800,000Matsuida (the Usui Pass side)Elev. approx. 280 m / Land 140 m² (42 tsubo) / Building 132 m² (40 tsubo) / built 1936 / Nishi-Matsuida Sta. bus 3 min+1 min walk8 photos →
Iwai¥2,500,000Annaka (the town centre)Elev. approx. 130 m / Land 312 m² (94 tsubo) / Building 108 m² (33 tsubo) / built 1974 / Annaka Sta. 26 min walk7 photos →
Higashikamiisobe 1837-5¥3,500,000Isobe and HaraichiElev. approx. 190 m / Land 270 m² (82 tsubo) / Building 70 m² (21 tsubo) / built 1976 / Isobe Sta. 32 min walk9 photos →
Haraichi¥3,800,000Isobe and HaraichiElev. approx. 210 m / Land 205 m² (62 tsubo) / Building 89 m² (27 tsubo) / built 1976 / Isobe Sta. 22 min walk10 photos →
Kobetsuto¥3,800,000Annaka (the town centre)Elev. approx. 180 m / Land 307 m² (93 tsubo) / Building 86 m² (26 tsubo) / built 1970 / Annaka Sta. 40 min walk8 photos →
Matsuida-machi Matsuida¥4,990,000Matsuida (the Usui Pass side)Elev. approx. 280 m / Land 592 m² (179 tsubo) / Building 122 m² (37 tsubo) / built 1970 / Matsuida Sta. 20 min walk9 photos →
Yanase¥5,900,000Isobe and HaraichiElev. approx. 190 m / Land 1520 m² (460 tsubo) / Building 144 m² (44 tsubo) / built 1983 / Isobe Sta. bus 9 min+9 min walk8 photos →
Matsuida-machi Okunada¥6,000,000Matsuida (the Usui Pass side)Elev. approx. 330 m / Land 534 m² (162 tsubo) / Building 141 m² (43 tsubo) / built 1979 / Matsuida Sta. 17 min walk6 photos →
Matsuida-machi Yashiro¥8,800,000Matsuida (the Usui Pass side)Elev. approx. 290 m / Land 167 m² (50 tsubo) / Building 76 m² (23 tsubo) / built 2007 / Matsuida Sta. 7 min walk10 photos →
Nakanoya 1877-3¥8,900,000Isobe and HaraichiElev. approx. 240 m / Land 686 m² (208 tsubo) / Building 110 m² (33 tsubo) / built 2009 / Isobe Sta. 28 min walk10 photos →
Itahana 470-4¥8,990,000Annaka (the town centre)Elevation about 150 m / Land 198 m² (60 tsubo) / Building 84 m² (25 tsubo) / built 1991 / 2.4 km to Gunma-Yawata Sta.See 2 photographs →
Annaka 4¥9,500,000Annaka (the town centre)Elev. approx. 150 m / Land 426 m² (129 tsubo) / Building 156 m² (47 tsubo) / built 1996 / Annaka Sta. 17 min walk9 photos →
Matsuida-machi Matsuida¥9,500,000Matsuida (the Usui Pass side)Elev. approx. 280 m / Land 729 m² (220 tsubo) / Building 258 m² (78 tsubo) / built 1973 / Matsuida Sta. 18 min walk8 photos →
Iwai 2033-3¥9,800,000Annaka (the town centre)Elev. approx. 130 m / Land 705 m² (213 tsubo) / Building 75 m² (23 tsubo) / built 1997 / Annaka Sta. bus 2 min+17 min walk9 photos →
Matsuida-machi Yashiro 521-1¥10,800,000Matsuida (the Usui Pass side)Elev. approx. 280 m / Land 272 m² (82 tsubo) / Building 134 m² (41 tsubo) / built 1986 / Matsuida Sta. 17 min walk10 photos →
Haraichi¥10,990,000Isobe and HaraichiElev. approx. 230 m / Land 178 m² (54 tsubo) / Building 52 m² (16 tsubo) / built 2001 / Isobe Sta. bus 9 min+5 min walk10 photos →
Haraichi¥10,990,000Isobe and HaraichiElev. approx. 210 m / Land 178 m² (54 tsubo) / Building 52 m² (16 tsubo) / built 2001 / Isobe Sta. 33 min walk10 photos →
Itahana¥10,990,000Annaka (the town centre)Elevation about 160 m / Land 206 m² (62 tsubo) / Building 135 m² (41 tsubo) / built 1994 / Gunma-Yawata Sta., 36 min walkSee 10 photographs →
The photographs are the images carried on SUUMO. They disappear once a listing ends. Check the real condition of a property on site.
See all 51 on SUUMO → Source: listings on SUUMO, second-hand detached houses (Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture)all 51(from ¥800,000) / verified 2026-08-13. For price, address, plot area, floor area, year and month built and nearest station, 9 randomly chosen listings were checked item by item against their SUUMO property pages and found to match. Elevations are the per-property map coordinates on each SUUMO listing page put through the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan elevation API (rounded to 10 m). For exact elevations seeGSI Maps .Akiya bank — 15 listings
All 15 houses on the market registered with the At Home municipal vacant-home bank (as verified on 17 August 2026). They are listed cheapest first.
What is the cheapest house you can buy in Annaka?
SUUMO lists 51 second-hand detached houses, and the cheapest is ¥800,000 at Matsuida-machi Matsuida (built 1936). Of the 51, 14 are at or under ¥10,000,000 and 6 at or under ¥5,000,000.
CHAPTER 05Is the ground safe?
Is this town inside a national earthquake-preparedness zone?
For each major earthquake, national law designates the areas where preparation is to be advanced. Whether a town is designated tells you directly how the national government views the shaking and tsunami expected there.
| Nankai Trough Earthquake Disaster Prevention Promotion Area | Not covered (the whole of Gunma Prefecture is outside the scheme) |
|---|---|
| Tokyo Inland Earthquake Emergency Measures Area | Not designated |
| Japan Trench / Kuril Trench Earthquake Disaster Prevention Promotion Area | Not covered (the whole of Gunma Prefecture is outside the scheme) |
| Shaking of intensity 6-lower or above within 30 years | 9.0% (shindo 6-upper or above is 0.5%) At the Annaka city hall site. Surface ground AVS30 328 m/s, loam plateau |
Look up an address on J-SHIS → Designations from the Cabinet Office list of designated municipalities (Nankai Trough Earthquake Disaster Prevention Promotion Area／Tokyo Inland Earthquake Emergency Measures Area／Japan Trench / Kuril Trench Earthquake Disaster Prevention Promotion Area ) / probability and surface ground from theNational Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, J-SHIS earthquake hazard information API (2024 edition, average case, all earthquakes), queried at the town hall coordinates / verified 2026-08-13
Landslide warning zones — 549 sites, the 8th highest of any municipality in the prefecture
For flooding, the only river for which Gunma Prefecture has designated a projected inundation area is the Usuigawa (based on 766 mm of rain in 48 hours; on the left bank from Nanamagari bridge in Annaka to Shimotoyooka-machi in Takasaki City). The Tsukumogawa and the Yanasegawa have no prefectural inundation designation and appear only as points requiring flood watch. Sources: Gunma Prefecture, designation status of landslide warning zones (as of 3 July Reiwa 8) / the same, projected flood inundation area (the Usuigawa) (Gunma Prefecture notice no. 184, 13 June Heisei 29) / Annaka City flood hazard map / verified 2026-08-13
What has actually happened on this ground
Taken from the “record of principal past disasters” in Annaka City’s regional disaster prevention plan, selecting what bears on a decision about where to live.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Meiji 43 (1910) | A great flood. Heavy damage to fields and bridges, and 41 people killed |
| Showa 25 (1950) | Heavy rain brought a landslide within Kumanotaira Station, killing 50 (along what is now the “Apt-no-Michi”) |
| 1–2 August Showa 57 (1982) | A cloudburst. Damage across the whole city, totalling about ¥700,000,000 |
| March Heisei 9 (1997) | A forest fire at Annaka-Haruna burnt 196.2 ha |
| September Heisei 19 (2007) | Typhoon no. 9. Landslides in several places, and an evacuation advisory for the Kirizumi Onsen district |
| February Heisei 26 (2014) | Heavy snow closed National Route 18. Damage to farmland was severe, and the Disaster Relief Act was applied |
| October Heisei 29 (2017) | Typhoon no. 21. A landslide at Akima Aimizu Yatsu partly damaged 2 dwellings |
| October Reiwa 1 | The East Japan Typhoon (typhoon no. 19). The Disaster Relief Act was applied, an evacuation advisory was issued for the whole city, and 45 evacuation centres were opened |
The heavy snow of February 2014 is, in this city, “a disaster to which the Disaster Relief Act was applied”. National Route 18 was closed and farmland was badly damaged. For winter, a snow shovel and winter tyres — and whether the house holds a few days’ food for a heavy snowfall — are worth checking that far. Source: Annaka City regional disaster prevention plan (revised July Reiwa 8), volume 1, general provisions, “record of principal past disasters” / verified 2026-08-13. Note that the city’s disaster plan carries no record of the cloudburst of September Heisei 10 (1998).
When a property catches your eye, open these 3
-
Overlay Hazard MapMinistry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Enter an address and it lays flooding, landslides and inland flooding onto one map. Start here.
Open → -
Annaka Online Map — crisis management mapAnnaka City
A map published by the city, on which the landslide warning zones, flooding and evacuation centres can be checked lot by lot. Where in the city the 549 warning zones are is quickest to see here.
Open → Guide page → -
Annaka City disaster response guidebookAnnaka City
A booklet gathering flooding, landslides, earthquakes and the volcano (Mount Asama), with 11 sheets of “when to leave” maps by district. Once you have settled on a district, printing out its sheet is worth doing.
Open → The Mount Asama volcano →
Is the disaster risk high in Annaka?
None of the 3 national measure zones (Nankai Trough, Tokyo inland, Japan and Chishima Trench) applies here — no designation, not covered — and the chance of shindo 6-lower or above within 30 years is 9.0% (6-upper or above 0.5%). But that is the figure for the 250-metre square of loam plateau the city hall stands on, and it changes a great deal on the low ground along the rivers.
CHAPTER 06What summer and winter are like
There is no Japan Meteorological Agency observation point in Annaka City. The nearest is Kamisatomi (elevation 183 m) in Haruna-machi, Takasaki City, immediately to the north, at much the same height as the city hall’s 180 m. The high ground on the Usui Pass side is closer to Nishinomaki (Shimonita Town) at 375 m.
The twelve months of temperature, set out as they are
The left end of each bar is that month’s mean daily low and the right end its mean daily high (near Annaka, at Kamisatomi; the 30-year average for 1991–2020).
These are the figures for how summer nights and winter mornings compare with Tokyo
| Days per year | Near Annaka (Kamisatomi) | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical nights minimum 25°C or above | 0.9 days | 17.8 days |
| Days above 35°C maximum 35°C or above | 9.4 days | 4.8 days |
| Days above 30°C maximum 30°C or above | 55.0 days | 52.1 days |
| Frost days minimum below 0°C | 84.6 days | 15.2 days |
| Days below freezing all day maximum below 0°C | 0.0 days | 0.0 days |
Nobody measures the snow in this city. Neither Kamisatomi nor Nishinomaki records snow cover, so there are no normals. At Maebashi, the nearest lowland station, annual snowfall is 19 cm and the deepest snow cover 11 cm. But in the heavy snow of February 2014 National Route 18 was closed and the Disaster Relief Act was applied (§5). Think of an ordinary winter and a once-in-a-decade winter separately. Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency normals (1991–2020) for Kamisatomi, Nishinomaki and Maebashi / the observation points are from the Japan Meteorological Agency list of points in Gunma Prefecture (there are no points anywhere in the country named Annaka or Shimonita) / the elevation of the city hall is from About Annaka City / verified 2026-08-13
How cold is winter in Annaka?
There is no Japan Meteorological Agency observation point in the city; at nearby Kamisatomi (elevation 183 m) the January daily low is −2.8°C and the August daily high 31.2°C. Nishinomaki (elevation 375 m), closer to the Usui Pass side, is colder at −3.6°C in January and a little cooler in summer at 29.8°C.
CHAPTER 07Shops, hospitals, schools
Hospitals — 5 in the city, with 451 beds
| Hospitals | Beds | Where they are and what they do |
|---|---|---|
| Annaka City Usui Hospital | 149 beds | Haraichi 1-9-10. Municipal. 99 general and 50 long-term beds. Internal medicine, paediatrics, surgery, orthopaedics, dentistry, ophthalmology, ENT, urology, dermatology and more. Renamed from “Koritsu Usui Hospital” in April 2026 |
| Sudo Hospital | 120 beds | Annaka 3532-5. It takes part in the secondary emergency rota |
| Matsuida Hospital | 119 beds | Matsuida-machi Niibori 1300-1. On the secondary emergency rota. The place for admissions on the Matsuida side |
| Shoda Hospital | 43 beds | Annaka 1-16-32 |
| Honda Hospital | 20 beds | Saginomiya Kurahata 205-1 (20 long-term beds) |
For children at night, you go to Takasaki. There is no night paediatric clinic in Annaka City, and primary emergency care is at the Takasaki City night and holiday emergency clinic (Takamatsu-cho 5-28, Takasaki City, 027-381-6119; internal medicine and paediatrics. Weekdays 19:30–22:00, weekends and public holidays 19:00–22:00, and Sundays and public holidays 9:00–noon for paediatrics only). For telephone advice there is #8000 (children’s medical telephone advice) and #7119 (the Gunma Prefecture emergency reassurance centre, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year). Sources: Gunma Prefecture hospital directory (as of the end of June Reiwa 8) / 9th Gunma Prefecture health and medical plan (the 4 critical care centres and the list of designated emergency and rota hospitals) / Annaka City Usui Hospital / Takasaki City night and holiday emergency clinic / Annaka City, emergencies and duty doctors / verified 2026-08-13
Schools — the mergers have just settled
| Municipal primary schools | 8 schools (Annaka, Haraichi, Isobe, Higashi-Yokono, Taito, Akima, Matsuida and Nishi-Yokono) |
|---|---|
| Municipal lower-secondary schools | 3 schools (Annaka Daiichi, Annaka Daini and Matsuida) |
| The mergers so far | April Reiwa 4: Matsuida Primary + Tsukumo Primary + Usui Primary → Matsuida Primary; Matsuida-Higashi Lower Secondary + Matsuida-Minami Lower Secondary → Matsuida Lower Secondary April Reiwa 7: Gokan Primary → Haraichi Primary; Hosono Primary → Matsuida Primary |
| What is coming | In the council’s report, Nishi-Yokono Primary and Matsuida-Kita Lower Secondary remain under consideration |
| Upper secondary | 3 in the city. The prefectural Annaka Sogo Gakuen High School (integrated course, 200 pupils a year) / the prefectural Matsuida High School (general course, 232 pupils in all) / the private Niijima Gakuen Lower and Upper Secondary School (Annaka 3702) |
| School meal charges | Free from April Reiwa 8 (for everyone regardless of income, with no application needed) |
Shopping — the shops gather at Haraichi and Nakajuku
| Shop | Where | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|
| Beisia Annaka | Nakajuku 2130 | 9:00–20:00 (sharing the site with Seria, KFC, Xebio and others) |
| Yaoko Annaka | Haraichi 2-1042-9 | 9:00–21:30 (280 parking spaces) |
| Trial Annaka | Haraichi 362 (inside Annaka Bel City) | 24 hr |
| JA Farmers Annaka | Haraichi 634 | 9:30〜21:00 |
| Beisia Mart Annaka Gobara | Gobara 313 | 9:00〜20:00 |
| A-Coop Matsuida | Matsuida-machi Matsuida 305 | 9:30–20:00 (the only food supermarket on the Matsuida side) |
| Cainz Annaka | Nakajuku 808-1 | 9:30–19:00 (DIY store) |
There are 8 chemists in the city (3 Welcia, 2 Marue Drug, 2 Kusuri no Aoki, 1 Kawachi). Kawachi Annaka also sells food and drink.
There is no roadside station in the city. Annaka appears neither in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism list of 1,231 nationwide nor in Gunma Prefecture’s list of 33. The nearest are Michi-no-Eki Myogi (Tomioka City, about 6.4 km from Isobe as the crow flies) and Michi-no-Eki Kanra (Kanra Town, about 10.9 km from the Annaka Station side). Sources: Beisia / Yaoko / Trial Annaka / JA Farmers Annaka and A-Coop Matsuida / Cainz / Welcia and Marue Drug (5 shops in Annaka City) / roadside stations from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism list of “michi-no-eki” (1,231 as of 19 December Reiwa 7) and Gunma Prefecture, “michi-no-eki” in Gunma (33 in the prefecture). The distances are straight-line distances calculated from Geospatial Information Authority of Japan coordinates / verified 2026-08-13
Are there hospitals in Annaka?
There are 5 hospitals with 451 beds in the city, and besides the municipal Usui Hospital (149 beds), Sudo Hospital and Matsuida Hospital take part in the secondary emergency rota. There is no critical care centre in the city; Takasaki General Medical Center, in the same medical region, is where you go.
CHAPTER 08What it costs you every year after you buy
| Water | On a 13 mm meter, 20 m³ a month costs ¥2,420 a month including tax. Annaka City reads and bills every 2 months, so the bill that arrives is ¥4,840 for the 2 months (basic charge ¥2,000 plus ¥120 per m³ for 21–60 m³, before tax) |
|---|---|
| Sewerage | The charge uses exactly the same rates as the water supply. At 20 m³ a month it is ¥2,420 a month. Water and sewerage together come to ¥4,840 a month including tax |
| Sewer coverage | 31.3% of the population is served by the sewer (the Gunma average is 57.2% and the national average 81.8%). Wastewater treatment as a whole reaches 66.8%, so about 7 in 10 of the city is on septic tanks or similar. Outside the sewer area the city offers a grant towards installing a septic tank |
| Connecting to the sewer | A public wastewater inspection chamber carries a beneficiary charge of ¥132,000 each |
On relocation and housing grants, this city is on the generous side
| Relocation support grant | Annaka City is covered (34 municipalities in Gunma Prefecture take part). ¥600,000 for a single person / ¥1,000,000 for a household of 2 or more / ¥1,000,000 added for each child under 18 (up to 3). You must have moved from “living in the 23 wards of Tokyo, or commuting into them from the Tokyo area, for 5 years or more in total out of the last 10 and for at least the last 1”. First come, first served, within a budget. |
|---|---|
| Home purchase support grant | A base of ¥100,000 plus ¥50,000 for moving in, ¥50,000 for each child of lower secondary age or younger, ¥30,000 for a vacant-home bank property and ¥100,000 inside the residential guidance area And a Shinkansen commuting supplement of ¥200,000, added when you use a Shinkansen season ticket to commute out of the prefecture |
| Renovating a vacant-home bank property | Half the cost of the work (up to ¥200,000; up to ¥400,000 if you are under 40) plus half the cost of disposing of household goods (up to ¥100,000) |
| Children’s medical costs | The patient’s share is met to the end of the school year in which a child turns 18 |
| Other support for families | School meals free from April Reiwa 8 / nursery meal charges free up to ¥4,800 a month / nursery fees free from the third child / maternity support payment of ¥50,000 per pregnancy plus ¥50,000 per baby (¥80,000 for a third child) / travel-to-school grant (¥15,400 a year for primary journeys over 4 km and lower secondary over 6 km) / upper secondary scholarship of ¥15,000 a month (a loan) |
| If you marry | Newly-married life support, up to ¥300,000 per household (up to ¥600,000 if both are 29 or under) |
What does living in Annaka cost each year?
Water on a 13 mm meter at 20 m³ a month is ¥2,420 a month, and sewerage uses the same rates, so water and sewerage together come to ¥4,840 a month. Sewer coverage is 31.3% (81.8% nationally) and about 7 in 10 of the city is on septic tanks; connecting carries a charge of ¥132,000 per public wastewater inspection chamber.
CHAPTER 09What happens when you want to sell
SUUMO lists 51 second-hand detached houses in Annaka, and the vacant-home bank 15. Against a population of 50,482 that is 1 for every 765 people — a thin market. And land in Annaka is still falling: the Reiwa 8 published prices put residential land at −0.6% and commercial land at −1.8%. Gunma Prefecture’s average has levelled off at 0.0% for residential land; Annaka keeps falling.
| What to look at | Annaka City in practice |
|---|---|
| Depth of the market | SUUMO 51 (all of them) plus 15 on the vacant-home bank. 1 for every 765 people. 14 at or under ¥10,000,000 and 6 at or under ¥5,000,000 |
| Price band | ¥800,000 to ¥50,000,000. Matsuida runs ¥800,000–¥18,000,000 and Akimaminorigaoka ¥19,800,000–¥50,000,000 — within one city, the bottom of the range differs by 25 times |
| Land prices | Residential land averages ¥23,900/m², −0.6%. Commercial land ¥24,400/m², −1.8%. All uses ¥24,100/m², −1.1% |
| Where it stands in the prefecture | The Gunma average is ¥37,600/m² for residential land (0.0%). Annaka is 64% of that. Neighbouring Takasaki City is ¥58,300/m² (+0.6%), 2.4 times Annaka, and Annaka is 46% of Maebashi’s ¥51,500/m² (+0.1%) |
| The pool of buyers | 50,482 people. In the census the peak was 64,893 in 2000, and the 2025 preliminary figure is 50,704. The Population Strategy Council classes it C-2 (a municipality at risk of disappearing), and the city’s comprehensive plan carries a projection of 34,680 people in 2050 (§10) |
| About the schools | Primary and lower secondary schools were merged in Reiwa 4 and Reiwa 7, and Nishi-Yokono Primary and Matsuida-Kita Lower Secondary remain under consideration (§7 and §10). If you are thinking about the exit, always check the catchment |
Will the house I buy sell when I want to sell it?
SUUMO 51 plus 15 on the vacant-home bank is 1 for every 765 people, a thin market. Land is at −0.6% for residential and −1.8% for commercial — Gunma Prefecture’s average has levelled off at 0.0% for residential land, and Annaka keeps falling.
CHAPTER 10Who lives here, and how many
| Census | Population | Ageing rate |
|---|---|---|
| Heisei 12 (2000) | 64,893 (the peak) | 21.4% |
| Heisei 17 (2005) | 63,179 | 24.6% |
| Heisei 22 (2010) | 61,077 | 27.6% |
| Heisei 27 (2015) | 58,531 | 32.5% |
| Reiwa 2 (2020) | 54,907 | 36.2% |
| Reiwa 7 (2025) preliminary | 50,704 | — |
The city’s comprehensive plan also carries a projection, following the national institute’s method, of 34,680 people in 2050. In the census the peak was 64,893 in 2000, and the 2025 preliminary figure is 50,704 (down 7.7% on 2020).
When you are choosing where to live, this figure tells as “what happens to the schools from here” and “what happens when you want to sell”. Primary and lower secondary schools were in fact merged in Reiwa 4 and Reiwa 7, and Nishi-Yokono Primary and Matsuida-Kita Lower Secondary remain under consideration (§7). Once you have settled on a district, the sure step is to ask the city’s board of education whether the schools in that catchment are among those being considered for merger. Sources: Gunma Prefecture migration survey (as of 1 July Reiwa 8) / the same, census (Reiwa 7 preliminary) / 3rd Annaka City comprehensive plan (population outlook) / Population Strategy Council, Reiwa 6 analysis report on the “sustainability” of local authorities (Annaka City = C-2 / γ-1) / About Annaka City / verified 2026-08-13
The information on this site is gathered by an AI that visits primary sources — municipalities, the Japan Meteorological Agency, national statistics — on a regular cycle, and it is updated with a source and a date of verification attached.
Of the 52,958 people living in Annaka City, 1,006 are foreign residents. That is below the national average (3.26%).
Nationwide, foreign residents are 3.26% of the total population (4,031,159 out of 123,767,642).
34 municipalities in the country are above 10%.
Source: calculated by this site from the municipality-level tables of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, "Population, population change and households based on the Basic Resident Register" (as of 1 January Reiwa 8, published 2026-07-29). The ministry's publication page / verified 2026-08-17
Is Annaka's population falling?
From a peak of 64,893 in 2000 the population has fallen to 50,482 (July Reiwa 8), and the ageing rate is 36.2% (the prefectural average is 30.4%). In the Population Strategy Council’s 2024 report it is classed as “a municipality at risk of disappearing”.
CHAPTER 11Community life and the year's events
Neighbourly life in Annaka takes separate shapes in the old Annaka City and the old Matsuida Town. The city merged in 2006, but the citizens’ festival is still held separately at an Annaka venue and a Matsuida venue.
| Where you live | What community life involves |
|---|---|
| Annaka, Itahana, Haraichi | The Annaka Festival is held every 2 years and “brings the 6 districts of the Annaka area and the various groups together in one place”. The city writes that it “builds neighbourly ties and local vitality through preparing for the festival and practising the festival music” — a festival that assumes you take part in the preparations |
| Matsuida, Yokokawa, Sakamoto | The Usui Pass Firefly Village Festival began from “work to increase the fireflies, led by the local young people’s association of Matsuida-machi, over the past decade or more”, and is now held jointly with local residents. The fireflies are best from late June to early July, between 20:00 and 21:00 |
| Isobe | The Isobe Onsen Festival (14–16 August). The fireworks on the 15th have run for more than half a century. Children’s portable shrines, floating lanterns and set-piece fireworks |
| Akimaminorigaoka | A development opened in front of the Shinkansen station. It grew up differently from every other district in the city (§2) |
What comes round every year
The biggest thing in the Annaka year is the Ansei Toashi samurai marathon. On the second Sunday in May each year, runners in fancy dress take the old Nakasendo from the site of Annaka Castle through the avenue of cedars, the Chaya-Honjin and the site of the Usui barrier to Sakamoto-juku, finishing at Kumano Shrine. The Usui Barrier Festival is held on the same day. The year in this city turns on the Nakasendo and the Usui Pass.
Sources: the events are fromAnnaka City, tourist events(city Attraction Creation Department, Tourism Division) / the district divisions are fromAnnaka City relocation site, “Annaka Biyori” / the ageing rate is from the same source as §10 / verified 2026-08-18Is community life demanding in Annaka?
The city merged in 2006, but neighbourly life takes separate shapes in the old Annaka City and the old Matsuida Town, and the citizens’ festival is still held at 2 venues. The Annaka Festival is, in the city’s own words, one that “builds neighbourly ties through preparing for it and practising the festival music” — a festival that assumes you take part.
CHAPTER 12Things nearby that move land prices
What tells on land in Annaka is lying between Takasaki and Karuizawa, having one Shinkansen station, and being on a slope.
1. Caught between Takasaki and Karuizawa
| Municipality | Average, residential land | Year on year |
|---|---|---|
| Takasaki City(next door to the east) | ¥58,300/m² | ＋0.6% |
| Maebashi City | ¥51,500/m² | ＋0.1% |
| Gunma Average | ¥37,600/m² | 0.0% |
| Annaka City | ¥23,900/m² | −0.6% |
| Tomioka City | ¥31,900/m² | −0.9% |
Annaka is a 2.4th of Takasaki and 64% of the prefectural average. Next door to the west is Karuizawa Town in Nagano Prefecture — and as the Karuizawa page on this site shows, residential land in Karuizawa is ¥71,300/m², up 12.1% (Reiwa 8 published land prices, Nagano Prefecture). Annaka alone is falling, caught between a Karuizawa that keeps rising and a Takasaki that is rising. Crossing the Usui Pass or not changes the price of land threefold — that is where Annaka sits.
2. There is one Shinkansen station in the city
Annaka-Haruna to Tokyo is 56 minutes at best (§3). Akimaminorigaoka, the development opened in front of that station, alone trades at 3 to 5 times the price of the other districts (¥19,800,000–¥50,000,000, §2). And the city offers a “Shinkansen commuting supplement of ¥200,000” within its home purchase support grant (§8) — not many cities have a grant built around Shinkansen commuting. What holds up land prices in Annaka is that one station.
3. It is on a slope
From Itahana in the east (about 150 m) to Yokokawa in the west (about 400 m) it is one continuous climb. The houses on the market run 121–455 m in elevation. And there are 549 landslide warning zones and 473 special warning zones (86%), the 8th highest of the 27 municipalities in the prefecture with designations (§5). The cheap side is the west, and the further west you go the steeper the slopes. Check it lot by lot on the map.
4. The population is down a fifth in 25 years
In the census the peak was 64,893 in 2000, and the 2025 preliminary figure is 50,704 (−21.9%). The ageing rate is 36.2% (the prefectural average is 30.4%). The Population Strategy Council classes it C-2, with the young female population projected to fall 55.09% by 2050 (§10). That is why land prices keep falling at −0.6%. The same report does, though, note that against 2014 “the rate of decline in the young female population has improved” (γ-1).
Sources: land prices from[Official land prices] (Reiwa 8) Table of average prices and year-on-year change by prefecture, municipality and land use (compiled by the Land Information Center from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism official land price survey, 27 April Reiwa 8) / the prefectural overview from Reiwa 8 official land price results (Gunma Prefecture) / the Karuizawa Town land price is fromNagano Prefecture, Reiwa 8 published land prices / elevation and landslides are as §1 and §5, population as §10 and the grants as §8 / verified 2026-08-18What decides land prices in Annaka?
Residential land averaging ¥23,900/m² is a 2.4th of neighbouring Takasaki City (¥58,300) and 64% of the Gunma average (¥37,600). Karuizawa next door to the west is ¥71,300/m², up 12.1%, so crossing the Usui Pass or not changes the price of land threefold.
CHAPTER 13What this place makes
What a place earns its living from shows up both at your dinner table and in your work once you live there. The amount raised through the hometown tax scheme is a rough measure of how many products a place has that people all over Japan choose.
567th of 1,788 municipalities nationwide, and 7th within Gunma Prefecture
What this town names as its own products
What Annaka City lists as its local specialities, under “taste and craft”, is Isobe senbei crackers, kamameshi, umeboshi plums, chikara-mochi, Jishoji ware, silk goods, miso manju and soy sauce.
Source:Annaka City, “Local specialities”/ Verified 2026-08-20You can support a town without living there
Even if a move is still some way off, you can be involved from today through the hometown tax scheme. Your donation goes straight to the municipality, and you choose what it is spent on. A way to give something back to a place you got to know here.
Source:Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, "Survey on the state of the hometown tax scheme (conducted FY Reiwa 8)", the table of amounts and numbers received (provisional FY Reiwa 7 settlement), tallied by this site. The rank is out of all 1,788 municipalities in that table / verified 2026-08-14What does Annaka earn its living from?
Hometown tax donations received in FY Reiwa 7 came to ¥553,730,000 (31,361 donations), 567th of the 1,788 municipalities nationwide and 7th within Gunma Prefecture.
CHAPTER 14A message from Annaka City
How the receiving side thinks about it. Annaka City’s relocation site is called “Annaka Biyori”, and it is built from 6 parts: about Annaka City / the vacant-home bank / work / useful schemes / voices of people who have moved / relocation Q&A.
| What the city does | Detail |
|---|---|
| There are 2 separate points of contact | The vacant-home bank = Town Planning Department, Building and Housing Division, Housing Policy Section / relocation and settlement generally = Planning and Policy Department, Community Development Division, Community Development Section (tel. 027-382-1111). The house and the life around it are handled by different sections |
| Akiya bank | 15 properties (§4). The city’s relocation site lists them divided into 6 districts — Usui and Sakamoto / Tsukumo and Hosono / Annaka, Iwanoya and Itahana / Akima and Gokan / Matsuida and Nishi-Yokono / Haraichi, Isobe and Higashi-Yokono |
| Voices of people who have moved | The city publishes interviews with people who have moved here. One, for instance, renovated an old farmhouse and lives with a wood-fired bath and a wood stove, growing plums in the Akima plum grove — and “the inconvenience is the fun of it” stands as the headline |
| How the city introduces itself | “To the east it adjoins Takasaki City, the largest city in Gunma Prefecture, and to the west Karuizawa Town in Nagano Prefecture, known as a summer retreat”; “with 1 Shinkansen station and 2 expressway interchanges inside the city, it is a hub of travel” — the city explains its own position through its two neighbours |
| Money | The relocation grant, the home purchase support grant (with its ¥200,000 Shinkansen commuting supplement) and the vacant-home bank renovation grant (up to ¥400,000 if you are under 40) are gathered in §8. The relocation grant is first come, first served within a budget. |
Annaka City relocation site, “Annaka Biyori” →
Does Annaka welcome people moving in? Where do I go with questions?
The city runs a relocation site, “Annaka Biyori”, listing 15 vacant-home bank properties divided into 6 districts. There are 2 separate points of contact: the Building and Housing Division for the house, and the Community Development Division (027-382-1111) for life around it.
CHAPTER 15A year in Annaka
The temperatures, and what they mean day to day. The year in Annaka turns on plums, the pass and fireworks. There is no Japan Meteorological Agency observation point in Annaka City, so the figures are for Kamisatomi (elevation 183 m) in Haruna-machi, Takasaki City, immediately to the north (§6). The winter mornings are 4.0°C colder than Tokyo (a January daily low of −2.8°C) and the summer days much the same (an August daily high of 31.2°C).
| Month | Annaka that month |
|---|---|
| month 1 | The second Sunday brings the “Robai Festival” (Robai-no-Sato, Matsuida-machi Kamimasuda). 12,000 wintersweet shrubs from 1,200 stocks across 2.5 hectares come into flower. They bloom from mid-December to mid-February. The January daily low is −2.8°C, 4.0°C below Tokyo |
| month 2 | The Akima Plum Grove Festival starts mid-month. About 35,000 red and white plum trees across 50 hectares of hillside. Model photography sessions, taiko drumming and rice-pounding |
| month 3 | The plum festival runs to the end of the month. Late in the month is the Senga-taki Fudo Festival (Matsuida-machi Hijishio) |
| month 4 | 1 April brings the Daidai Kagura at Sakisaki Shrine (Saginomiya) — an important intangible cultural property of the city, with 12 dances. It has been offered at the spring festival down the years |
| month 5 | The second Sunday brings the Ansei Toashi (samurai marathon) and the Usui Barrier Festival. Running the old Nakasendo in fancy dress is the best-known event in this city |
| month 6 | The Usui Pass Firefly Village Festival starts late in the month (Usui Pass Forest Park, Matsuida-machi Sakamoto). The fireflies are best between 20:00 and 21:00. Around the same time the Isobe yana (sweetfish traps) open at Isobe Onsen |
| month 7 | The fireflies last into the first days of the month. The Isobe yana run to mid-September |
| month 8 | The Isobe Onsen Festival runs 14–16. The fireworks on the 15th have run for more than half a century. The daily high is 31.2°C, 0.1°C below Tokyo |
| month 9 | The typhoon month. This is the month to check the Usuigawa flood projection and the 549 landslide warning zones on the map (§5) |
| month 10 | The Annaka Citizens’ Festival is mid-month — held separately at an Annaka venue (the citizens’ exhibition) and a Matsuida venue (the Usui gathering). Every other year the Annaka Festival is held as well |
| month 11 | The autumn colours of the Usui Pass. It is the easiest season to walk the Apt-no-Michi (Yokokawa Station to Kumanotaira, about 6 km) (§3) |
| month 12 | The wintersweet starts flowering mid-month. On the Matsuida and Yokokawa side, at 400 metres and above, winter arrives a step ahead of the town centre |
What is a year in Annaka like?
The second Sunday in January brings the “Robai Festival” (12,000 shrubs from 1,200 stocks across 2.5 hectares), and from mid-February the Akima Plum Grove Festival (about 35,000 red and white plum trees across 50 hectares of hillside). The winter mornings are 4.0°C colder than Tokyo, and the summer days much the same.
CHAPTER 16The people who run this city
When you are thinking of moving, who is running this city now, and where they are taking it, is something people about to live here want to know even more than those already living here. This chapter sets out, with sources, only what Annaka City publishes itself. 🔴 As of 22 August 2026, following the official site, I (the AI) could find 4 of the 6 items below. The mayor of Annaka City is Iwai Hitoshi (confirmed on the city’s introduction page).
| What is published | Published | What you can read |
|---|---|---|
| About the mayor | The Mayor’s Room | Name, career, greeting |
| Policy address | Policy statement | What they say they will do this year |
| List of council members | The assembly members | Who the members are, and their groupings |
| Council broadcasts and recordings | Could not find one | Whether you can watch the council in session |
| Searchable minutes | Could not find one | Whether you can search past debates by wording |
| Master plan | “Annaka City comprehensive plan” | How many years ahead this town has decided |
🔴 Age and gender have not been guessed from the name.Only what is published is reproduced here, as published.Annaka City introduction page →
🔴 The names, photographs and social media of individual council members are not carried on this site. We point you to where you can read them.
Once you have moved, when your own turn to decide comes round is something those three will tell you.
🔴 And mayors change. This site always records the date it checked (2026-08-22), and reopens the original page each time to confirm by machine that the name is still there. If you notice something has nonetheless gone out of date, please let us know.
Who runs Annaka City now?
The mayor of Annaka City is Iwai Hitoshi (confirmed on the city’s introduction page on 22 August 2026). What this site looks for is 6 things: an introduction to the head of the municipality, a policy statement, a list of assembly members, live coverage of the assembly, a search of the minutes, and a comprehensive plan. 🔴 No judgement of good or bad is made. Only whether it is published or not.
CHAPTER 17Where to go on a day off
What never shows up in the numbers you use to find a house, but bears directly on how satisfied you are once you live there, is what you do at the weekend. This chapter counts, on the same yardstick for every area, the places you can go on a day off around Annaka (Kamisatomi) and the places family and friends can stay when they visit. This is a city with Joshinetsu-Kogen National Park and Myogi-Arafune-Saku-Kogen Quasi-National Park. The area currently has 3 hot spring and day-bathing facilities and 1 amusement park, zoo or aquarium. 🔴 All the counts are the numbers registered in the map data (OpenStreetMap) — there may well be more in reality.
| What | Number counted, and names |
|---|---|
| ⛰ National and quasi-national parks | Joshin'etsu-kogen National Park, Myogi-Arafune-Saku-Kogen Quasi-National Park |
| ♨ Hot springs and day baths | Toge-no-Yu, Kamimasuda Onsen / Toride-no-Yu and Megumi-no-Yu (3) |
| 🏯 Castles and castle sites | Not found in the map data |
| 🎡 Amusement parks, zoos and aquariums | Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park |
| 🖼 Museums, galleries and memorial halls | the Myogi Sanroku Museum of Art, the Annaka City Furusato Learning Centre, the Annaka City Museum, the Usui Barrier Museum, the Birds and Beasts Museum and the Railway Museum (6) |
| ⛩ Shrines and temples | 17 shrines and 27 temples. Those with a Wikipedia article are Keishoji, Kyushoji, Fudoji, Hodaji, Chodenji, Jissoji, Shinshoji and Jishoji |
| 🚗 Roadside stations | Not found in the map data |
| 🐕 Dog runs | Not found in the map data |
| 🛣 Expressway service and parking areas | Yokokawa SA (eastbound) (⛽ filling station 🎁 gifts and local produce) / Yokokawa SA (westbound) (⛽ filling station) |
Somewhere to stay — for family and friends, and for your own travels
| What | Number counted |
|---|---|
| 🏨 Hotels and ryokan | 3 |
| 🏠 Guesthouses and hostels | Not found in the map data |
| ⛺ Campsites and auto-campsites | 1 (no name registered in the map data) |
| 🏕 Glamping | Not found among the campsite or hotel names |
| 🚐 RV parks (overnight in your vehicle) | Not found in the map data |
This table is the result of me (an AI) putting the same question to the map data for every area (areas are retrieved in batches, so the verification date on some pages is a day apart). Facilities not registered on the map are not counted. "Not found" does not mean "there are none" — nor that the town is any the lesser for it.
Sources: the counts and names of facilities fromOpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL) / RV parks fromJapan RV Association, list of certified "Kuruma-tabi" RV parks / roadside stations fromMinistry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, list of "michi-no-eki" roadside stations / expressway service and parking areas, and the shops inside them, also from OpenStreetMap (judged by machine on whether they fall within the site outline) / national parks judged from the boundary data of the Ministry of the Environment Biodiversity Center overlaid on National Land Numerical Information (administrative boundaries); for quasi-national parks the municipalities concerned were confirmed at the link behind the park name / verified 2026-08-20Are there places to go on a day off, and places to stay?
This is a city with Joshinetsu-Kogen National Park and Myogi-Arafune-Saku-Kogen Quasi-National Park. Counting from the map data (OpenStreetMap) and the lists of the Japan RV Association and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, there are 3 hot spring and day-bathing facilities, 1 amusement park, zoo or aquarium, 3 hotels and inns and 1 campsite. Facilities that are not on the map are not counted, so there may well be more in reality (see §17 for details).
What I (an AI) was able to find on this town's official site
This site reads the official websites of every area it covers against the same 30 items, out of 100, and measures how quickly someone thinking of moving can reach the information they need. What was measured here was the official website of Annaka City, and the total was 65.7 points (measured 20 August 2026).
"Not found" does not mean "there is none." It means I followed the official site and could not find it. Tell us the published page and the next measurement will reflect it.
| Area | Score | What was found |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started with a move | 7 / 20 | There is a relocation and settlement page; a contact point (department, telephone, opening hours); support schemes state amounts and conditions |
| Housing | 10 / 15 | There is an akiya bank; listings carry photographs, price, year built and floor area; completed deals are organised |
| The money side of living here | 9 / 15 | Water and sewerage charges are readable from a rate table; child-raising support is specific about amounts and scope; there are explanations of national health insurance tax and fixed asset tax |
| Disaster information | 15.7 / 20 | Hazard maps are published by district; flood, landslide and earthquake are all covered; the year the assumptions were last reviewed is stated; and 2 more |
| Industry and local produce | 10 / 10 | A list of local speciality products is on the official site; hometown tax results are published year by year; there are support schemes for businesses and industry |
| Transport | 10 / 10 | There is a community bus timetable; fares are stated; the date of the last revision is given |
| Can an AI read it? | 4 / 10 | Every page carries an updated date; statistics are published as Excel or CSV |
See all 30 items and the pages used to judge them
3 / 3 There is a relocation and settlement pagemoving Q&A Go and see → 0 / 3 There is a dedicated relocation site
Only pages within the official site 3 / 3 A contact point (department, telephone, opening hours)
3 of department, telephone and opening hours were stated Go and see → 1 / 5 Support schemes state amounts and conditions
A guide to the scheme only Go and see → 0 / 3 There is trial housing or a trial-stay scheme
Not found 0 / 3 Vacancies in trial housing are published
Not found 4 / 4 There is an akiya bank
Akiya bank Go and see → 2 / 4 Listings carry photographs, price, year built and floor area
10 of 15 (67%) have all 4 items Go and see → 4 / 4 Completed deals are organised
No completed deals appear in the list Go and see → 0 / 3 The conditions of use are stated
Not found 1 / 5 Water and sewerage charges are readable from a rate table
There is a water and sewerage page Go and see → 5 / 5 Child-raising support is specific about amounts and scope
The scope of free and subsidised care is stated down to the age Go and see → 3 / 3 There are explanations of national health insurance tax and fixed asset tax
Both the rates and the amounts are stated Go and see → 0 / 2 Tie-ups with banks for mortgages and the like
Not found 5 / 5 Hazard maps are published by district
5 documents broken down by district Go and see → 1.7 / 5 Flood, landslide and earthquake are all covered
Flooding Go and see → 3 / 3 The year the assumptions were last reviewed is stated
20 May Reiwa 3), updated 2023-07-18 Go and see → 3 / 4 Is it machine-readable (a map system or a text PDF)?
A text PDF Go and see → 3 / 3 Disasters are announced through more than one channel
Disaster email / disaster app / social media / municipal loudspeakers / TV and radio Go and see → 5 / 5 A list of local speciality products is on the official site
8 items (the city's official site) Go and see → 3 / 3 Hometown tax results are published year by year
6 financial years covered Go and see → 2 / 2 There are support schemes for businesses and industry
Commerce and Industry Division Go and see → 4 / 4 There is a community bus timetable
Go and see → 3 / 3 Fares are stated
Go and see → 3 / 3 The date of the last revision is given
Changed from 1 April Reiwa 6 Go and see → 3 / 3 Every page carries an updated date
19 of the 20 pages read Go and see → 0 / 2 There is a sitemap.xml
Not found 0 / 2 Site search runs on the server side
It was a Google custom search Go and see → 1 / 2 Statistics are published as Excel or CSV
There is a statistics page Go and see → 0 / 1 Open data is published
Not found
Compare with other towns → For municipalities and local organisations (get in touch here) →
Measurement by this site. The URL of each official site was taken from the municipal information published by Furusato Choice. The score is a score for publishing information, not a score for how good the place is to live / verified 2026-08-20Compare with other areas
Every page has the same 17 chapters in the same order. Move between them and you can compare the same line.
Areas in the Kanto region
KasamaKasama City, Ibaraki Prefecturelistings77 listings / ¥480,000–NasuNasushiobara City and Nasu Town, Tochigilistings198 listings / ¥1,200,000–Tsukuba (45 min to Akihabara at fastest on the TX; a science city and Mt. Tsukuba)Tsukuba City, Ibarakilistings220 listings / ¥1,600,000–Utsunomiya (53 min from Tokyo by shinkansen, a town with a brand-new LRT line)Utsunomiya City, Tochigilistings618 listings / ¥1,980,000–Places you could look at for a similar price
Kanazawa (2 hr 27 min to Tokyo by Shinkansen, the castle town of the Kaga domain)Kanazawa City, Ishikawalistings406 listings / ¥800,000–Kumano (the three Kumano shrines of the Yatagarasu)Tanabe, Shingu and 10 other municipalities, Wakayamalistings22 listings / ¥800,000–Hakodate (a town of slopes and a harbour)Hakodate City, Hokkaidolistings234 listings / ¥880,000–Ueda (the Bessho Line and the Shioda plain)Ueda City, Nagano Prefecturelistings111 listings / ¥880,000–Is there a mistake on this page?
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