Gunma is asteroid #3829 and also known as 1988 EM. Gunma was discovered at YGCO Chiyoda Station (YGCO: Yamaneko Group of Comet Observers) is an astronomical observatory based in Chiyoda (千代田), Gunma (群馬), Japan. The asteroid #3829 was discovered by Kojima Takuo (小島 卓雄), who is credited with the discovery of forty-five asteroids. Gunma belongs to the asteroid-family Dora, which is named after the asteroid #668. Gunma’s orbit has a revolution period of 4.66 years, an eccentricity of 0.162, and an inclination of 7.53° with respect to the ecliptic.

Gunma is named after a prefecture in Japan. Gunma prefecture or Gunma-ken (群馬県) is located in the middle of Japan and hence as urbanized as you can imagine, with exception of the Natural Parks. As of 1 April 2012, 14% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks. The towns and cities of Gunma-ken (群馬県) consist often of mergers of villages.

Gunma-ken (群馬県) has more symbols: the Copper pheasant (Phasianus soemmerringii) as its bird, the Sweetfish (Plecoglossus altivelis) as its fish, the Japanese azalea (Rhododendron japonicum) as its flower, and the Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii) as its tree. The ancient province of Gunma was a center of horse-breeding and trading activities for the newly immigrated continental peoples. The arrival of horses and the remains of horse-tackle coincides with the arrival of a large migration from the mainland. The name Gunma (群馬) is kind of commemorating the era of horse-breeding in the area.

I find Gunma actually quite boring. Of course the astrological force hints to the Gunma prefecture because 1988 EM is a place name asteroid. The symbols of Gunma-ken (群馬県) can be meant too because astrology is a system of symbols too. But my text on Gunma here is actually meant as a sequel to Ojima in order to facilitate examining the relations between this and the astrological forces mentioned there. An administrative level between Ojima-machi (尾島町) or Oota-shi (太田市) and Gunma-ken (群馬県) is Nitta-gun (新田郡), which means the district Nitta. The asteroid #127515 or 2002 TY₃₀₆ is named Nitta, but after an astronomer and not after the district.