Nikko and Lake Chuzenji area, where Nikko Toshogu Shrine and Nikko-zan Rinnoji Temple are located, are representative tourist attractions in Tochigi Prefecture, and you can enjoy rich nature such as Kegon Falls, Iroha Slope, Akechidaira, Nantai-san, and Nikko Cedar Namiki.
Tochigi Prefecture is also famous as a hot spring kingdom with Nikko Yumoto Onsen, Nasu Onsen, Shiobara Onsen, and Kinugawa Onsen. There is also a wide variety of local gourmet food, such as gyoza (dumpling) eating contests in Utsunomiya and Sano ramen in Sano City in the southern part of the prefecture, making it possible to enjoy a day trip to hot springs and gourmet food from the Tokyo metropolitan area.
To enjoy sightseeing in Tochigi Prefecture
In the Nikko and Chuzenji-ko areas, where Nikko Toshogu Shrine and Nikko-zan Rinnoji Temple, the representative tourist spots of Tochigi Prefecture, are located, you can enjoy rich nature such as Kegon Falls, Ryuzu Falls, Iroha Slope, Akechidaira, Senjogahara, Nantaiyama, and Nikko Cedar Namiki, which shows various aspects of nature depending on the season.
Tochigi Prefecture is also famous as a hot spring kingdom, with Nikko Yumoto Onsen, a hot spring located deep in Nikko, and Nasu Onsen, Shiobara Onsen, and Kinugawa Onsen, which spread out at the foot of Mount Chausu in the northern part of the prefecture.
The Nikko area is home to Nikko Edomura and Tobu World Square, while the Nasu area offers many family-friendly spots such as Nasu Highland Park, Nasu Rindoko Lake View, and Nasu Animal Kingdom.
There is also no shortage of gourmet food, historic sites, and activities, such as a dumpling eating contest in Utsunomiya, a stroll through the ruins of Ashikaga School and Ashikaga Temple of the Ashikaga clan in Ashikaga, a visit to the Ashio Copper Mine ruins where historical events took place, and a line rafting trip along the Kinugawa River.
There are two outlets, Nasu Garden Outlets and Sano Premium Outlets, located in the north and south of the city, so you can also enjoy shopping in between sightseeing tours.
History of Tochigi Prefecture
Before the Kamakura period (1185-1333), Tochigi Prefecture was the power base of the Kanto samurai, and the samurai culture took root in Utsunomiya City and Oyama City.
In the Edo period (1603-1867), when Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun, died, Ieyasu was deified as Tosho Daigongen and enshrined at Nikko Toshogu Shrine. As a result, Nikko became a sacred place under the patronage of the Edo shogunate, and was ruled by feudal lords and bannermen until the end of the Edo period.
In the Meiji era (1868-1912), Tochigi Prefecture was created as a result of the abolition of feudal domains, and in 1884, the prefectural government was moved to Utsunomiya, marking the beginning of full-fledged prefectural administration. Later, when the former Japanese National Railways and Tobu Railroad laid the railroad, Utsunomiya City developed as a core city, and Utsunomiya and other major cities in the prefecture have continued to develop as satellite cities of Tokyo up to the present day.
Local Gourmet, Food Culture, and Specialties of Tochigi Prefecture
Utsunomiya's specialty, gyoza (dumplings), is so famous that people travel from other prefectures to enjoy the taste of this long-established specialty. In the city center, there are many food courts where visitors can taste gyoza at one place, making it possible for beginners to visit famous gyoza restaurants. Frozen gyoza sold at stores are also recommended as souvenirs.
Utsunomiya also offers other B-class gourmet foods such as Utsunomiya yakisoba. In Sano City in the southern part of the prefecture, there are Sano ramen noodles with a clear soy sauce broth and Sano-mimi udon noodles, which were eaten to ward off evil spirits, as well as rare local delicacies such as yakisoba noodles in soup in the Nasu area.
Livestock raising and agriculture are thriving in Tochigi Prefecture, a prefecture without a sea, and visitors can enjoy dishes using brand-name beef such as Otawara beef and Tochigi Wagyu beef, as well as sweets using Tochiotome brand strawberries.
Of course, local delicacies such as yuba, suiton, Imaichi soba, Kanuma konnyaku, and bandaimochi are also local delicacies that should not be missed. The area is also filled with other unique gourmet foods that every Tochigi resident should try at least once, such as lemon milk and shimotsukare, which are well-known to everyone in Tochigi Prefecture.
The shrine is dedicated to the spirit of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Shogunate. The gorgeous architecture represented by the Yomeimon Gate is unparalleled in its mixed Shinto/Buddhist style. Together with Kunouzan Toshogu Shrine and Ueno Toshogu Shrine, it is one of the three major Toshogu shrines.Five of the eight buildings are designated as National Treasures, and 34 are design...»
Travel back in time through a barrier gate! After passing through the barrier gate, you will be in the city of Edo (present-day Tokyo). This is a cultural park where you can experience the culture of the Edo period. Once you step into the entrance gate, you will be greeted by samurai warriors and town girls in a realistic reproduction of the streets of Oedo's Ya-hyakuhachi-machi, a large area lin...»
It is the oldest school in Japan and is designated as a national historic site. There is no clear information on the founding of the school, and there are various theories as to the exact date of its founding. Some say that Ono Takamura founded the school in the early Heian period (794-1192). After the middle of the Muromachi period (1336-1573), Uesugi Norimitsu, a feudal lord of Kanto, invited K...»
The Utsunomiya Zoo is a theme park where visitors can enjoy interacting with nature, animals and children. At Utsunomiya Zoo, visitors can interact with a total of 400 animals in 95 species, ranging from fierce animals such as lions and Bengal tigers to small animals such as raccoons, raccoons, giraffes, elephants, hippos, and bears. Animal food (100 yen) is also available for sale in the park, a...»
The black walls and warehouse buildings stand side by side for more than 100 meters, and a sightseeing boat cruises leisurely along the Tomoehagawa River in front of the buildings, symbolizing "Koedo Tochigi" and "Kura-machi. Tochigi City has prospered since the Edo period as a post town on the Nikko Neihinsha Kaido highway, and the Tomoehagawa River was known as the commercial capital of the nor...»
The name of Utsunomiya is said to derive from the fact that this shrine was once called "Ichinomiya" in Shimono. It is said that the history of Utsunomiya began about 1,600 years ago, together with Mt. Futaarasan. The shrine has a long history, dating back to its founding about 1,600 years ago, when it was dedicated to Toyojo-Irihiko no Mikoto, the founder of Utsunomiya. Utsunomiya is a city th...»
The museum is an underground museum that was built on the site of an Oya Stone quarry. Even if you are not familiar with the name Oyaishi, the texture of the stone should be familiar to you. This stone has long been used as a building material for houses and walls, but where and how it is mined is a valuable experience that can only be seen here. In the museum, there is an exhibit that shows the...»
Located in Ishi-no-Sato, this is a very rare temple surrounded by natural caves. This temple was built on the site of an ancient cave dwelling, and is known as one of the best cave temples in Japan. Inside the mysterious main hall are 10 beautiful Buddha images carved into the natural rock walls. All of these Buddha statues are designated as national special historic sites and important cultural ...»
A 27-meter-high statue of the Great Kannon carved into a rock wall In Oya, a stone village in Utsunomiya City, there is a huge stone statue of Kannon standing on the site of the Oya Stone Mining Site. The towering statue stands 26.93 meters tall (88 shaku 8 sun 8 min) with a girth of 20 meters. The statue of Kannon was carved into the rock face on the south side of the temple, utilizing the Oya...»
This is a water and greenery experience zone where visitors can come into contact with the nature of Naka River and the fish that live there. Here, fish that live in Naka River, freshwater fish from around the world, and fish from tropical rain forests and coral reefs are exhibited. Freshwater fish are the main exhibits, with many rare species. In all, there are 330 species of creatures and 20,00...»
A magnificent building and a lovely garden welcome you to this museum, where you will feel as if you were in England. The majestic stone-built medieval nobleman's pavilion stands in a lush garden that recreates the rural landscape of the Cotswolds region in England, and you will be completely enchanted by the scenery. Everything about the building, from the materials to the construction methods,...»
Beautiful flowers under eight different themes are planted in the vast 94,000 m2 garden. The garden is beautifully decorated with flowers blooming in each season. The large wisteria trellis, which is especially spectacular in spring, can be seen from mid-April to mid-May. The wisteria flowers of various colors such as light red, purple, white, and yellow sway in the wind, creating a beautiful sce...»
Orihime Shrine is located halfway up Mount Orihime and features a beautiful vermilion-lacquered temple. It was built in 1879 and enshrines Yachinahime-no-mikoto and Amamimihoko-no-mikoto. It was built to pray for the promotion of industry. It stands in the mountains surrounded by greenery. The shrine enshrines the guardian deity of Ashikaga's historic and traditional textile industry area, and is...»
The temple is located in Ashikaga City and is the family temple of the Ashikaga clan, which can still be seen in the samurai residences of the Kamakura period (1185-1333). The temple was originally built in 1196 by Yoshikane, the second generation of the Ashikaga clan, who built a Buddha hall in his own residence and enshrined Dainichi Nyorai as the guardian deity. The temple area is almost squa...»
Of the 48 waterfalls scattered around Nikko, Kegon Falls is the most famous. It is 97 meters high, 7 meters wide, and 4.5 meters deep, with the water from Lake Chuzenji falling all at once from its large cliffs. This waterfall, which allows visitors to enjoy the grandeur of nature and its beautiful shape at the same time, is one of the three most famous waterfalls in Japan. The elevator (fee req...»
Mibu Highway Park, a highway oasis adjacent to Mibu Parking Area (Mibu PA), is easily accessible from both expressways and ordinary roads. The tourist exchange center "Miraikan" where tourist information on Mibu-cho is gathered has various stores and facilities such as restaurants, stores, and a direct sales shop for agricultural products. Mibu Roadside Station Mibu is a large roadside station l...»
This is a museum where visitors can "play" with toys in a building reminiscent of a medieval Western castle. It is located in the Mibu Town General Park (Road Station Mibu) in Mibu Town, which has a strong connection with toys, and is also known as "Toy Town," a place where toy manufacturers' factories and warehouses are located. The museum is bright and colorful, with many fun corners to play in...»
The museum displays many exhibits that will tickle the curiosity of both adults and children. At the entrance, a life-size bust of the RX-78 Gundam stands 5.6 meters tall, welcoming visitors with its pilot, Amuro Rei. The museum's carefully selected exhibits include a toy collection of approximately 7,000 items, mainly from Europe, and a collection of 20,000 Japanese toys from the Edo period to t...»
Iroha Slope, a steep sightseeing road with 48 characteristic curves, connects downtown Nikko with Lake Chuzenji and Oku-Nikko. The road consists of two slopes, the first Iroha slope for downhill and the second Iroha slope for uphill, and the total number of sharp curves on the two slopes is as many as 48. Each curve is marked with a "I", "RO", "HA"... sign, allowing visitors to enjoy the drive w...»
Many elegant villas standing by the lakeside of Lake Chuzenji in the rich nature were built by foreigners and embassies of various countries from the middle of Meiji Era to the beginning of Showa Era, and flourished as international summer resorts. The building in the park was built in 1928 as a villa for the Italian Embassy, and was used by successive ambassadors until 1997. There are two build...»
You can enjoy the rich nature of Lake Chuzenji, an international summer resort in Oku-Nikko, and the history of British culture in this park. Many foreign villas were built along the shores of Lake Chuzenji from the middle of the Meiji period (1868-1912) to the beginning of the Showa period (1926-1989), and the area was crowded as an international summer resort. The building in the park was buil...»
Located near Kegon-no-taki Waterfall and Lake Chuzenji, this museum offers visitors a fun way to learn about the nature and history of Oku-Nikko through the use of video equipment and other facilities. It also functions as a visitor center and a base for disseminating information on Oku-Nikko, and offers a wide range of activities, including the latest information on nature in each of the four se...»
Located in the center of Oku-Nikko, Lake Chuzenji is one of the highest lakes in Japan at 1,269 meters above sea level. The lake is filled with clear water, and the surrounding area offers beautiful scenery in each of the four seasons. The azaleas in early summer and the autumn leaves in fall are especially beautiful. The lake has been selected as one of the 100 most scenic spots in Japan, and t...»
Rinnoji Temple, founded in the Nara period (710-794), is the main temple of Japan and, along with Toeizan and Hieizan, is one of Nikko's representative temples and shrines, with a vast area of land. This Rinnoji is the general name for the entire Nikko Mountain, and there are many branch temples within the mountain. The temple grounds are divided into two areas, with the Sanbutsudo Hall and the ...»
After reaching the unprecedented summit of Mt. Nantai (2,486 m above sea level), Shodo Shonin, a priest of the Nara period (710-784) and the founder of Nikkozan, built Chuzenji Temple in Enryaku 3 (784) as a place for ascetic practice. Initially, the temple was located toward the entrance to the Nantai-san summit, but was relocated to Utagahama on Lake Chuzenji after the Great Mountainside Tsunam...»
This hot spring resort extends behind Nikko's especially beautiful "Senjogahara" and is spread out along the shores of Lake Yunoko at the foot of Kinsei Pass, with high mountains such as Mt. Shirane looming in the background. Here, visitors can soak in the hot springs while viewing the beautiful seasonal changes of flowers. The spring water is sulfuric, and the hot springs are said to be effectiv...»
Located on the northern shore of Lake Chuzenji, which was created by the eruption of Mount Nantai, this hot spring resort has been popular as a summer resort since ancient times. The source of the hot spring is Nikko Yumoto Onsen, which began to be drawn in 1951. The quality of the spring water in Nikko Yumoto Onsen is hydrogen sulfide spring water, which is extremely hot at about 78°C (158°F), b...»
The spacious garden is a tranquil space surrounded by flowers and greenery, and includes a large greenhouse where visitors can appreciate approximately 1,200 kinds of plants. The large flower beds are filled with beautiful flowers that are well cared for each season. The vast grounds of the greenhouse are lined with a variety of exhibits that are helpful to those who enjoy gardening in general, i...»
Killing Stone is a rocky, desolate landscape that is also known as a historical site where the legend of the nine-tailed fox remains. This lava flow near Nasu Yumoto Onsen (hot spring) creates a unique atmosphere with the smell of sulfur surrounding the area. This place is known as the place where the nine-tailed fox, disguised as the immensely beautiful "Tamamo no Mae," approached the Emperor T...»
This is a suspension bridge for pedestrians that connects the Kinugawa Onsen Hot Spring Resort and Tateiwa. It is approximately 140 meters long and offers a panoramic view of the rapids of the Kinugawa River and beautiful mountains. The bridge is approximately 40 meters high and spans through a large rock formation. Tateiwa is about 70 meters high and was so named because it resembles a shield u...»
This is a scenic spot deep in Nikko with beautiful valleys. Surrounded by rich natural tourist attractions such as Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Kegon Falls, and Kinugawa Hot Spring Village. The beauty of the valley, bathed in sunlight and filled with negative ions, is sure to enchant you with its beauty. A group of about 70 Jizo statues, known as "Kake Jizo," are scattered around the area around Rutsuka...»
Once known as "Japan's No. 1 mining town," this copper mine has a prosperous history. Visitors can tour the mine shafts. After the mine was closed, some of the tunnels were opened to the public, and visitors ride a trolley train through the dimly lit tunnels, where realistic dolls recreate the ore mining process of that time. There is also a museum, including a "Copper Museum," where the copper s...»
Kinugawa Onsen is one of the most beautiful hot spring resorts in the Kanto region, with its magnificent valleys and beautiful scenery. Discovered in the Edo period (1603-1867), Kinugawa Onsen has a long history, and at that time, only Buddhist monks and feudal lords on pilgrimages to Nikko were allowed to bathe in the hot spring. Since the Meiji period (1868-1912), it has been open to the publi...»
The Kirifuri Plateau is a highland area within Nikko National Park. Kirifuri Kogen is a highland area within the Nikko National Park, with natural scenery such as "Kisuge-daira," a highland area 1,300 to 1,600 meters above sea level that stretches halfway up Mount Akanagi, and "Kirifuri Waterfall," one of the three most famous waterfalls in Nikko. These facilities make it possible to enjoy the are...»
Kirifuri Falls is located in Tokono, Nikko City, on the Kirifuri River, a tributary of the Itana River in the Tone River system. This waterfall is considered one of the "Three Great Waterfalls of Nikko" along with Kegon Falls and Uramitaki Falls, and has also been selected as one of the 100 best waterfalls in Japan. The Kirifuri Waterfall is divided into an upper and lower section, with the upper...»
Senjogahara originates from a myth that the gods of Nantaiyama and Akagiyama fought over Lake Chuzenji. It used to be a lake, but now it is a vast marshland covering 400 hectares. The marshland is home to 350 species of plants and a large number of wild birds, and has been recognized as a "wetland of international importance" and registered under the Ramsar Convention. A nature study trail surrou...»
The 20-meter-high Uramitaki Falls are known for the haiku master Matsuo Basho, who visited Nikko in 1689 on his journey along the Okunohosomichi trail and saw the falls and composed the haiku "Tadatari wa taki ni kokomoriya natsu no hajimae" ("It's the beginning of summer when I stay in the falls for a while"). This waterfall is located upstream of the Arasawa River, a tributary of the Oya River....»
Kanpyo no Tamago-toji, a traditional soup made with gourd strips, is commonly served along with gomokumeshi rice cooked with various ingredients seasoned with soy sauce. It is a special dish for festivals and welcoming guests....»
Suiton is a kind of wheat flour dumpling dish which used to be served as a daily meal when rice was scarce. It is also known as Hatto-jiru, Dango-jiru or Tocchanagimochi in some regions. Depending on the season, rice flour may be used to make the dumplings instead of wheat flour....»
In the south of Tochigi prefecture, the people conduct kaibori, a traditional practice of draining ponds and irrigations after the year’s harvest in December to improve the water quality for the following agricultural season, and as a result catch catfish, Japanese crucian carp, common carp and eel. The Among these fish, the Japanese crucian carp is commonly simmered in soy sauce and sugar to serv...»
About 350 years ago during the Edo era, Sukekiyo Fukuhara, the lord of Sakuyama Domain (in current day Tochigi Prefecture), had an unforgettable bowl of udon noodles in a flavourful broth made from dried ayu sweetfish while he was away from his domain on duty. He loved the dish so much that after coming back to Sakuyama he himself dried sweetfish caught in a nearby river, and made his people cook ...»
Okkirikomi is hand-kneaded flat, wide udon noodles and seasonal vegetables, such as taro and daikon radish, simmered in plenty of broth seasoned with soy sauce or miso. In some regions, it is also known as Nibo-to, Nibo-tou, or Okirikomi. It is said to have been originally made by women in farming communities as an easy and nutritious dish to cook in abundance for their families. Since then it is ...»
The dish which boiled pulse, potatoes or pumpkin and adzuki beans together and cooked it by soy sauce and fermented soybean paste. Because the material is between the similar things, it's said that they came to be called "cousin boiling"....»
Production of a konnyaku potato is popular in Tochigi-ken, and homemade konnyaku is made from the autumn when Ikudama is built to spring. The konnyaku is necessary to a dish of a ceremonial occasion, and is called the sand lowering of a stomach from the past, and it's a food highly regarded by the health side....»
Kenchin Jiru is a vegetarian soup dish that is commonly cooked in autumn and winter using seasonal local harvest. It can also be made in spring and summer, with different kinds of seasonal vegetables....»
Winter was Japanese radish for the near increase, and there were "Japanese radish soba" and a custom that I take "leek soba" by leek in spring-summer and eat. I increase in the flavor of the soba and am eaten well by adding these. The area where Japanese radish soba is eaten in New Year's Eve....»
Shioara area has a number of soba buckwheat noodle restaurants that offer their own soba prepared according to their own recipe and cooking method, such as using home-made buckwheat and spring water, and grounding buckwheat on traditional stone mills. Soba noodles made with natural spring water have distinctive flavour and smooth texture. At some restaurants, you can make a reservation to learn ho...»
The sweetfish which grows into a clear stream is treated by a festival and a fact day with the valuable ingredients from Tochigi-ken. It's boiled and bisque is used for sweetfish of business....»
One of the confectionary companies based in Shiobara hot spring village worked in collaboration with local restaurants to develop the casual snack, Chinese-style steamed buns of various flavours. Each restaurant offers its special filling for the bun, from adzuki bean and sweet chestnut paste to ramen noodles seasoned with home-made miso paste, beef steak and curry-and-cheese sauce....»
The 320 meter long suspension bridge spans the Shiobara Dam Lake. From the bridge, visitors can enjoy a 360-degree view of the spectacular natural scenery of Shiobara Valley. Especially during the season of autumn leaves, the colors of the mountains reflected on the lake surface create an even more beautiful scene. This suspension bridge is a non-reinforced girder pedestrian suspension bridge tha...»
In the Ose area, the most scenic spot along the Naka River, one of the largest "sightseeing canneries" in Naka River is built from July to October, where visitors can try their hand at cannery fishing. At the restaurant, you can enjoy grilled sweetfish, set meals with plenty of sweetfish, and other delicacies from the river. The fish-catching experience is very popular with parents and children. ...»
The museum houses a total of 94 prints and paintings by Utagawa Hiroshige, as well as works by Kobayashi Seichika, Kawamura Kiyoo, Tokutomi Soho, and others, and approximately 4,500 related materials. In particular, the museum owns more than 40 original paintings known as "Tendo Hiroshige," which is one of the most valuable collections among museums in Japan. The museum opened in 2000, following ...»
A place to enjoy the region and its beautiful satoyama. The 46-hectare site is a stay-and-experience farm park with a farm produce stand, a restaurant where you can enjoy local foods, a farm experience farm, a forest play area, a dog run, a hot spring, a swimming pool, and accommodation facilities. Here, we offer hospitality through "agriculture and food. There is a rich everyday life in satoyama...»
A ranch where Jersey cows graze in the forest. Jersey cows are rare cows that account for less than 1% of all dairy cows in Japan. Grass-fed butter from cows raised on pastureland that eat green grass changes its flavor with the seasons: bright yellow and aromatic in spring and fall, and thick, whitish, rich butter in winter when they eat winter feed. Visitors can enjoy a nomadic walk to the past...»
Located in the Kitsuregawa district of Sakura City, Kitsuregawa is an old castle town that prospered as an inn on the Oshu Highway during the Edo period. The hot spring has a wide range of effects and benefits, and is known as a good spring rich in sulfur, salt, and iron, attracting many people from within and outside of the prefecture. Together with Ureshino Onsen and Hinokami Onsen, it is said ...»
This roadside station is located in Kitsuregawa, Sakura City, Tochigi Prefecture, which was a castle town on the Oshu Highway in the Edo period. It is also a roadside station with hot spring facilities at Kitsuregawa Onsen, known as one of the three best hot springs for skin in Japan. There are approximately 900 roadside stations in Japan, but this roadside station always ranks high in a survey of...»
This is a nature-rich ranch with a history of more than 100 years, located on a vast site surrounded by the nature of Nasunogahara. The site covers an area of 831 hectares, which is 178 times the size of the Tokyo Dome. The ranch has been designated as a "bird and animal sanctuary," preserving the natural beauty of the area. The soft-serve ice cream made from 100% raw milk of the cows raised here ...»