Kusatsu Shopping Tips by Maxiediva

Shop in JR Takasaki Station: Best Daruma Dolls

What to buy: There is a souvenir shop in Takasaki JR Station that sells Daruma dolls in different colours and sizes. They have the best made Darumas and are the cheapest in Japan. One sells for 260Yen which you would normally pay for twice the price in Tokyo or at the airport. They also sells coloured Daruma Dolls

What to pay: 250Yen for a small figurine. 260Yen for a bigger one with drawn whiskers.

Theme: Local Craft

Along Kusatsu Onsen street: Pickles, Manju and Souvenirs

Along the street from Yubatake to Sai No Kawara park are shops selling all the souvenirs you can pack into your overnighter. You'll come across the manju shop that gives free manju and green fee and further up, you'll find another shop selling manju as well. Both are delicious, but the 1st shop has 3 different types of manju, whereas the 2nd shop's brown manju is tastier. Keep walking until you come to Kataoka Tsurutaro museum. There is a shop selling pickles. You can try them before buying and they are vacuum packed so it'll be good till you get home. At Yubatake, there is a souvenir shop next to the 9-3-2 shop by the corner. Another souvenir shop off Takeshita-dori is too expensive. The souvenir shop at Yubatake Gensen Daitokan hotel is also worth a visit. For Maneki-neko lover, there is a store that specialises in this lucky cat. There are so many in the store, you'll be spoilt for choice. The owner carves some of them himself. Grilled prawns, yakitori, rice cakes.

What to buy: Manju, pickles, wind chimes, onsen towels, hot spring bath powder / salts, sweets grilled prawns, laquerware, yukata, geta.

What to pay: 1000Yen for 3 packets of pickles, 500Yen for 6 pieces of manju, bath towels from 450Yen, some stuff are more expensive at different stores

Theme: Other