A prefectural park combining Japanese and Western garden design with nature, culture, and disaster-prevention functionsTochigi Prefectural Central Park is located in the center of Utsunomiya City and was created under the theme of “water, greenery, and culture.” Within the park are Western-style sunken gardens, Japanese-style ponds, and multipurpose plazas, which also interact with the neighboring Tochigi Prefectural Museum. Visitors can enjoy a wide variety of landscapes, including waterfalls, stone gardens, and the expansive Noh Stage Plaza with its modern fountain pool. Seasonal flowers and meticulously maintained lawns add to the park’s charm. The park also features the “Midori no Shōkansho” (Green Consultation Office), which regularly holds exhibitions and workshops, providing advice on gardening and tree care for citizens. This space serves as a multipurpose area for relaxation, recreation, and environmental education. As a disaster-prevention park, it also has emergency response functions, making it an important part of daily life for local residents.

The Tochigi Prefectural Museum in Utsunomiya City is located in Tochigi Central Park and collects， preserves， and researches materials relating to Tochigi's nature and culture. This museum was opened as a general museum aimed at deepening understanding of Tochigi's nature and culture in October of 1982. The 72m spiral slope flora and fauna of Nikko， Tochigi's most famous area， exhibit is a site to see.The exhibition displays the animals in order of elevation and environment from the 600m elevation of the area around the Shinkyo Bridge to the 2578m elevation of the peak of Mt. Shirane. The exhibition rooms introduce the history of Tochigi from its geological age to the present， with themes on each era in chronological order， making the history easy to understand.The museum also hosts a variety of other themed exhibitions and planned exhibits as well as exhibits on nature， geology， plants and animal introductions."

The Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts opened in 1972 as one of the first public museums of modern and contemporary art in Japan. Kiyoshi KAWASAKI designed the museum architecture including the collection galleries built in 1981. This art museum's collection spans local and domestic artists as well as works from western Europe， and their 9，000-piece collection includes examples of paintings， woodblock prints， illustrations， photographs， and handicrafts. In the Meissen Porcelain Collection Room， around 100 works are displayed. The exhibits from the best collection of Meissen porcelain in Japan are rotated about 4 times annually."

Utsunomiya City in Tochigi Prefecture is the hometown of world famous jazz musicians such as Sadao Watanabe and Haruhiko Takauchi. To make Utsunomiya a Jazz Town, various musical events are taking place throughout the year. New jazz-related groups are being created owing to the efforts of jazz lovers as well as owners of clubs and music houses that have a connection to jazz music. One such group is the Utsunomiya Jazz Association, and its member clubs are hosting live jazz performances where you can feel the vibes of Jazz Town Utsunomiya. If you are a first-timer, no problem! You will be warmly welcomed by regulars and staff members in a bright atmosphere. Enjoy a wonderful night in Jazz Town Utsunomiya.