Experience local art and culture! 3 days of sake breweries, pottery, and more.

The restaurant space houses five permanent restaurants and a total of 34 temporary restaurants working in rotation, with 8-10 open on any given day. In addition to an exclusive special dumpling menu, the souvenir corner offers frozen gyoza dumplings from all 35 outlets as well as gyoza-inspired sweets and goodies.

The old mining site of Utsunomiya’s famous，Oya Stone，has now been turned into a historical museum. The exhibition features the long history of the mining since the 17^th century，with many materials on display. The underground cavern，covering 20,000 sq. metres，is large enough to fit a baseball field.

With a fantastic atmosphere reminding visitors of the ruins of Ancient Rome.It is used in various scenes such as movie shooting, music videos shooting, weddings, concert, etc. due to its mysterious scenery.

Wakayama Farm is a family farm that has been producing chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and bamboo seedlings over three generations. The spectacular bamboo forest that extends in the 24-hectare land is also popular as a filming location for movies and commercials. Farm visitors can try bamboo shoot harvest and bamboo craft creation in addition to a walk in the bamboo forest. On weekends and holidays, you can enjoy an out-of-ordinary experience including drinking matcha from a bowl made from bamboo and seeing the illuminated bamboo forest at night. The café offers meals that feature the flavor of ingredients grown by farmers in the neighborhood and drinks that are perfect to take on a walk. The farm also has a museum where visitors can learn about the ecology and use of bamboo and a gallery showcasing Japanese bamboo handicrafts. The shop sells agricultural products including bamboo shoots, chestnuts, and blueberries, and also the chestnuts sweet “Oh Kuri” made by thoroughly kneading the nuts of carefully grown chestnuts. You will also find the farm’s original bamboo shoot products such as jars of additive-free boiled bamboo shoots harvested in spring.

The history of the Utsunomiya Futaarayama Shrine dates back 1,600 years when the shrine was dedicated to the founder of Utsunomiya，Toyoki-Irihiko-no-Mikoto. Most of the festivals held in the city are related to this historic shrine. Many people come to the shrine on special occasions such as New Year and Shichi-Go-San seasons. The illuminated gate and approach to the shrine are an incredible evening sight. The shrine is also home to some nationally important works of art.

The bars in Utsunomiya are run by highly skilled bartenders who have won prizes at cocktail competitions in Japan and overseas. Enjoy a special cocktail available for a limited time using the strawberries of Tochigi Prefecture which has had the largest output volume of this fruit in Japan for over half a century.

Savor the colors， flavors and aromas in Utsunomiya at night. Please enjoy Utsunomiya – city of cocktails.☆

A famous temple built in Muromachi period

Daioji Temple belongs to Soto Zen and has over 600 years history. Buildings in the temple are almost thatching that remain the Muromachi architectural style, 7 of these are designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan.

This temple is nearby the Kurobane Castle Park, and was protected by Ozeki clan who ruled Kurobane domain during Edo period.

16 Arhat Statues that have different expressions

Walking on Daioji Temple’s stone steps, visitors can find 16 Arhat Statues stand around the step. Each of them has different expression, such as laughing, looking angry or shouting.These statues was built in 1995 for celebrating the 600 anniversaries of Daioji Temple.

Have a Zazen experience in Zen monastery

Visitors can try a Zazen experience without any cost at Daioji Temple. If you are interested in Japanese traditional culture, no matter where you from, which religion you belong, everyone is welcomed to experience.

All experiences in Daioji Temple need reservation. Make sure you take reservation at least 1 week before your visiting.

Experience a refreshing breeze and white sea spray while catching Ayu sweetfish with a traditional fishing weir called a yana. And afterward, enjoy the enticing aroma and crunchy skin of salted, charcoal-grilled Ayu and “Ayu kamameshi,” a traditional Japanese rice dish.

A museum dedicated to the works of Hiroshige Utagawa， an Ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period. You can get a glimpse of Japanese culture of the 19th century through his original drawings and Hanga (woodblock prints). The entire museum is made of local cedar and washi (handcrafted paper) designed by the global architect， Kengo Kuma， with a concept of “the traditional and serene appearance that expresses the artistry and tradition of Hiroshige”. Many visitors also come here to study design.

Iizukatei, the hotel renovated from a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan, operates based on the notion that Iizukatei, a building having over 100 years of history renovated into a high quality accommodation using the latest technology and stylish equipment, together with restaurants and shops in town, make up the whole hotel stay experience. Guests are invited to try a new type of hotel stay in which they are immersed in the genuine Japanese lifestyle through interactions with town residents. Iizukatei has Hontaku (main building) and Shintaku (new buildings) and two Kura storehouses. Most of these buildings maintain what they were like at the time they were built. While equipped with items guaranteeing a pleasurable stay such as comfortable beds and a sofa as well as a modern kitchen, the accommodation still features both the new and old, allowing guests to experience the lifestyle of older times. During the stay, guests can customize their stay style by for example having meals delivered from a restaurant in town or visiting a farmer’s house to savor local food. The hotel also offers many activities including sweetfish fishing, pottery workshops, and biking.

Established in 1849， Shimazaki Sake Brewery is open for tours of the brewery and the history of the brewing process (prior bookings required). Along with a selection of local Sake， you can purchase other liqueurs made from Yuzu， strawberries or Ume plums and Sake ice cream made with Ginjo-shu. The “Sakagura Festival” held at the brewery in March offers sake-tasting， quizzes， prize draws and sales of limited edition Sake bottles.

Near by the Nasukarasuyama City, Ryumon Falls is a large-scale waterfall that it is about 20-meter-high and 65-meter-wide.

Halfway down the fall are two vertical holes called Ogama (“Male Cauldron”) and Megama (“Female Cauldron”). Ogama has a diameter of 4 meters and Megama 2 meters.

Due to the angle of the photo, you can see JR Karasuyama Line’s train through pass the Ryumon Falls. The cherry blossoms in the spring, the maple leaves in the fall, and the snow in the winter, along with the passing trams, make for a miraculously beautiful photo!

Right next to the Ryumon Furusato Mingeikan is a path where you can walk to get a close-up view of the Ryumon falls.