Exploring Utsunomiya, Tochigi

Posted on 03/15/2022 Last updated on 05/02/2022

Top photo: “宇都宮市街地遠景” by シンプルですけど機能的なベッド , licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license (CC BY-SA 4.0) No changes or modifications made. Wikimedia Commons Link

Yes, you read it right! A cliché title. But wait, where is Tochigi?

Tochigi Prefecture is a popular tourist destination located approximately 100 km north of Tokyo and is easily accessible by multiple train lines. You’ll be surrounded by nature after just a 50-minute Shinkansen ride or 90-minute drive from Tokyo.

I’ve been living in Tochigi for almost 10 years, but even now I haven’t been everywhere. To list all the things to do and places to visit Tochigi would take a while. Well, here’s a start! But for this article I decided to narrow it down to one city in particular. Here’s my Top 5 things to do in Utsunomiya, the commercial heart of Tochigi. Let’s take it away!

1. Eat at the famous gyoza shop Utsunomiya Minmin

Gyoza (餃子) are Chinese-style dumplings (Jiaozi) and a popular food in across Japan. They are also one of Utsunomiya’s local specialities. The dumpling specialty store Utsunomiya Minmin, opened in 1958, is a restaurant committed to these dumplings. It serves three most popular varieties—grilled, fried and served in soup.

2. Have some fun at Tochinoki Family Land

The Tochinoki Family Land is an amusement park for children located inside the Tochigi Sports Park. Entrance is free. The park is packed with attractions. These include a thrilling rollercoaster designed to look like the E5 model Hayabusa Bullet Train. There’s also the the sky ship, merry-go-round, and a big Ferris wheel. On weekends there are shows and street performers, and many more events throughout the year.

3. Come see the Utsunomiya Zoo

This zoo in Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture has a theme of “Nature, Animals, and Kids.” You can see the animals up-close and feed some of the smaller ones at the petting zoo. Pony rides are popular with the kids. There is also an amusement park on the grounds, a pool that’s open in summer, and a winter fishing pond.

4. Pay a visit to the Utsunomiya Futaarayama Shrine

Many citizens come to the shrine on special occasions such as New Year and Shichi-Go-San (the “7-5-3” celebration of children’s growth). The illuminated gate and approach to the shrine are an incredible evening sight. The shrine is also home to some important national works of art.

5. Relax in the Hachimanyama Park

This park located in the center of Utsunomiya City. It has numerous attractions including Utsunomiya Tower, which offers a sweeping view of the city, Adventure U playground, which features a large playground and go-kart track, a zoo, and more.

Some 800 cherry blossoms trees and 700 azalea bushes have been planted in the park, making it a well-known destination for flower viewing. During the flower-viewing season, the park is illuminated with paper lanterns, Utsunomiya Tower is lit up, and vendors set up festival stalls in the park.

So you’ve got a place to eat, a place to play with the kids, and nice sightseeing places. But where can you buy some souvenirs? None other than the famous Don Quijote. This Mega “Donki” is 5 stories high so whatever you’re looking for, I’m sure it’s in here!

I hope this article gave you a little insight into the many fun places you can visit up here in Utsunomiya. It’s not be the first city anyone thinks of visiting. But as a stopgap between Tokyo and Sendai, you can’t go wrong with the big U!

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