Mount Akagi (赤城山)

Mount Akagi is a volcano above Maebashi and one of Gunma's Three Mountains of Jomo, with Haruna and Myogi. The cold north wind that blows down off it in winter has its own name, Akagi oroshi. The upper part of Gunma Prefectural Route 4 climbs the southern side of the mountain toward Lake Onuma near the summit, and this is the stretch that appears through Initial D.

In the series Akagi is home to the Akagi RedSuns and the Takahashi brothers, Ryosuke and Keisuke. Takumi's AE86 blows its engine here in his battle with Kyoichi Sudo of Team Emperor, and Ryosuke later beats Sudo on the same road by passing him at the last corner. Keisuke's impromptu battle with Wataru Akiyama is also run on Akagi. The course arrived in the arcade games with Initial D Arcade Stage Ver. 2.

Akagi is one of only two Initial D courses that also appear in MF Ghost, the follow up series, the other being the Hakone Turnpike. The mountain also turns up in the games Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2 and Auto Modellista.

• The series downhill starts near the Akagi General Tourist Information Centre at the top and finishes at the Himeyuri car park, where Ryosuke's win over Sudo is drawn in volume 7.
• About 1,200 m up there is a roadside parking space where Takumi's engine lets go in volume 10. Its surface is badly broken up.
• The information centre at the start gets busy, so fans who want photos without other people or cars in them pick their time and angle.
• At the top, large AKAGI letters stand beside Lake Onuma. Cars can drive close to them, and owners line up to photograph their cars with the letters.
• Best way to experience it: driving it yourself in your own car or a hire car, or on one of the guided Initial D tours that run on Mount Akagi.

• Route 4 is not on Gunma's winter closure list, but snow lies on the shoulders above the Himeyuri car park in winter and winter tyres are needed. Gunma Prefecture warns that snow can fall at altitude from October.
• Two other roads on the mountain close for winter: the Ogo Akagi Line from the Akagi Onsen turn off to Konuma, 15 December 2026 to 5 April 2027, and the Numata Akagi Line on the north side, 4 January to 19 March 2027. Dates can change with snowfall. Current closures are listed on the Gunma road regulation page: https://www.kendobousai-gunma.jp/kisei/RegulationList.htm
• The parking space at about 1,200 m is rough enough to scrape the underside of low cars.
• At Lake Onuma, the Onoko and Ohora car parks have public toilets that Gunma Prefecture keeps open all day through winter. Other toilets in Akagi Park, including those at Kakumanbuchi and the Konuma car park, close from 9 November until spring.
• Gunma Prefecture sets drone no fly zones in Akagi Park and asks drone users not to fly over people, homes, inns or shops.
• Racing, drifting and speeding on these roads are illegal. The mountain road carries residents, buses and cyclists.
• Weekday mornings are the quietest time on the road.
• Getting there: Route 4 climbs from the north side of Maebashi.

• Last verified: 3 November 2026
• Official link: https://gunma-kanko.jp/features/380