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Kanman-ga-fuchi Abyss

Kanman-ga-fuchi Abyss

The little gorge formed by an eruption of nearby Mt. Nantai is a uniquely scenic spot. A row of approximately 70 Jizos are lined up along the south bank of the river. The group of Jizos is called “Baké-Jizo” because it is said that they are uncountable; if you try to count them, each time you will end up with a different number. Legend has it that the Sanskrit character “Kanman” on an upstream cliff was inscribed by Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, by throwing his brush. The Nikko Botanical Garden is on the opposite shore of the Jizos, and visitors can enjoy the scenic beauty in the seasons of spring verdant greens, autumn colours and snowy Jizos.

Nikko kaido Oshu kaido TOCHIGI
Kaneda Orchard

Kaneda Orchard

Kaneda Orchard uses electrolyzed water, organic fertilizers, and reduced agrochemicals to grow pears. It offers fully ripe pears grown through a carefully designed cultivation method. Besides opening the orchard for pear picking and selling pears, it also sells a wide variety of processed pear products including pear jelly, pear juice Haga Isshou, Shiawase wo Yobu Kosui Nashi no Cider, and Nikkori Nashi no Cider. The recommended juice preparation is equal parts pear juice and carbonated water. It tastes good with ice, too. It is also delicious when frozen and eaten as sorbet. Come and enjoy yourself at Kaneda Orchard.

Oshu kaido Nikko kaido TOCHIGI
Omaruyama Hotel

Omaruyama Hotel

his hotel was built with the hope of allowing visitors to experience the nature and history of this land, which local people have cherished for many years, while enjoying a comfortable stay.   The hot springs here are sourced 100% from "Kitsuregawa Onsen", one of Japan's top three beautifying hot springs. Renowned as one of the finest quality hot springs in the country, it gently removes dead skin cells, has high heat retention and moisturizing properties, and helps prevent dryness. Our guest rooms, surrounded by lush forests, offer a peaceful and relaxing environment.   One of the highlights of your stay is our cuisine, which features creative dishes that showcase the freshest local ingredients and are designed to be "enjoyed with all five senses".   Why not visit our hotel and experience our warm hospitality filled with the charm of the local area?   【About the Hot Spring】 Water color: Brownish Spring quality: Chloride spring Therapeutic effects: Rheumatism, diabetes, chilblains, acne, etc.

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MURASAKIZUKA GOLF CLUB

MURASAKIZUKA GOLF CLUB

Murasakizuka Golf Club, designed by John Benzel and Bob Wolf (USA), features technically challenging authentic courses on a vast hilly area of 1.16 million square meters. The contrast in landscape produced by ponds and waterfalls allocated in various parts on the courses is quite popular. The golf club has three courses – Ujiie, Katsuragi, and Saotome – totaling 27 holes (par 108) and 10,396 yards in yardage. The courses are on gentle slopes with an elevation of 10 meters. There are also accommodation sites on the premises, and you can choose your favorite stay style from a hotel, villa, and glamping. The villa comes with a private hot spring bath for you to spend a relaxed time alone with your family and friends.

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Shionoyu-onsen Rengetsu

Shionoyu-onsen Rengetsu

Rengetsu stands at the base of the untouched Shiobara Valley with its 30-meter drop. The sound of the stream, comfortable breeze, and panoramic views of the beautiful valley that changes with the season surround Rengetsu to create the finest, out-of-the-ordinary experience. All guest rooms come with a tub filled with natural hot spring water and a view of the beautiful valley. Take your time to fully relax and enjoy our famous “skin beautifying hot spring,” which has a wide variety of health benefits. Rengetsu also features an open-air hot spring bath surrounded by nature, a spacious large indoor bath, and three elaborate private open-air hot spring baths. For dinner, you will be served a kaiseki multi-course meal featuring various local foods and tastes. All these dishes are carefully prepared for your fullest satisfaction using seasonal ingredients that entertain both your eyes and taste buds. Rengetsu also offers the Golf Plan where you can enjoy your stay and golfing at a nearby golf course. 【About the hot spring】 Water color: clear Spring water type: chloride spring water Efficacy: alleviates nerve pains, rheumatism, sensitivity to cold, and fatigue Note: there are private open-air hot spring baths (first-come-first-served basis and no reservation needed)

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Nakamura Hachimangu Shrine Grand Festival

Nakamura Hachimangu Shrine Grand Festival

Hachimangu Shrine and the Samurai's Origin Nakamura Hachimangu Shrine is one of the eight shrines enshrining the god Hachiman in the Northern Kanto region. It is said that the Hachiman is is the guardian deity of the Minamoto clan warriors, so a legendary samurai called Minamoto no Yoshiie, the common ancestor of the shoguns of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Ashikaga Takauji, came here to pray for his victory.   After the establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate by Yoritomo, he attacked the Fujiwara clan of Oshu, which was then in northeastern Japan. Nakamura Munemura, the lord of the Nakamura County, fallowed Yoritomo's army, was rewarded to be the lord of the Date County of Oshu. Munemura has been seen as the ancestor of Date Masamune. The birth of Yabusame ceremony In 1736, Date Yoshimura, the 5th Daimyo of  Sendai Domain, just ended his "Sankin-kotai (alternate attendance)" and prepared to go back to his domin. Before he arrived in Sendai, Yoshimura came here and donated his horse to the god. In order to commemorate this event, the Yabusame Ceremony is held every year at the Annual Grand Festival.   Archers dress in samurai's hunting attire and ride on horseback, then shot at the target on the left on their horses. The whole ceremony is accompained by the thumping sound of taiko, which makes the ceremony very energetic.

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Okabe Memorial Hall Kinrinso

Okabe Memorial Hall Kinrinso

Okabe Memorial Museum "Kinrinso" has a circular Japanese garden and is surrounded by a stone wall made of local Isoyama stone (no longer produced).   The building was constructed in the middle of the Meiji period by Kyushiro Okabe, who collected building materials over a period of many years and trained carpenters and joiners in Tokyo for three years. The two-story wooden structure is a fireproof storehouse.   The interior is characterized by the use of ebony, ebony, and ironwood for all the alcove sections. Many of the paintings, calligraphies, and antiques in the interior are by authors closely associated with the region.   It was used as a villa of the Okabe family until 1952, as a venue for entertaining related parties and for displaying draperies. After that, it was used as a kappo restaurant "Kinrinso" until June 1988. In August of the same year, the city rented the building and decided to preserve it as the Okabe Memorial Museum "Kinrinso" in order to pass it on to future generations as a historical and cultural heritage of 100 years of Moka City's modern era.   It was designated as Tochigi Prefecture Tangible Cultural Property (building) on January 14, 2000, and together with the buildings of the Bussan Kaikan and Cotton Studio (now Cotton Hall), was donated to Moka City by the Okabe family in January 2001.  

Oshu kaido Nikko kaido TOCHIGI
Rinnoji Temple’s Gohan-shiki (rice-forcing) Festival

Rinnoji Temple’s Gohan-shiki (rice-forcing) Festival

A Dramatic Ceremony Draws Laughter and Gasps The Gohan-shiki is a unique ceremony that has been handed down only in Nikko area. Nikko was opened as a sacred mountain for the syncretization of Shintoism and Buddhism, and mountain asceticism by mountain ascetics flourished, with the ascetics bringing back offerings made to the main deity in the mountain and sharing them with people in the village.   The entire ceremony consists of approximately three parts: the "Santen Gogyo Ku" and "Saito Daima Gomaku," the "Gohan Gonyo Ceremony," and the "Garamaki".   After the "Santen Gogyo Ku" and "Saito Daima Gomaku,"the hall becomes bright, the recipients line up on the platform, and the "ceremony of receiving rice with strength" begins. The ceremony proceeds in the following order: "Gojinshu (sacred wine)," "Prayer," "Gohan (rice)," "Naseen (rice dishes)," "Kinko (food)," and "Koyo (offering). One of the most spectacular parts of the ceremony is when a monk dressed in a mountain priest costume presents three heaping piles of rice to a kamishimo-dressed recipient, who is told to "eat 75 bowls of rice without leaving any leftovers". The comical sight of the recipient being forced to eat the rice and having it placed on his head is sure to draw laughter from the audience.   After successfully completing this ceremony, the recipients will conclude the ceremony by sowing the blessings they have received in the ceremony to the general public, in accordance with the Buddhist teaching of "not keeping the blessings for oneself but sharing them with others.   In the Edo period, only feudal lords of 100,000 koku or more could serve as a recipient, and the Tokugawa shoguns and other famous feudal lords from all over the country were named as recipient as an "honor for my clan".

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Mamada Hachimangu Shrine

Mamada Hachimangu Shrine

Mamada Hachimangu Shrine is said to have been founded as far back as nearly 1200 years ago during the years of the Tenpyo Era.On Children's Day on May 5 every year, the "Jya Matsuri" (Snake Festival), which is a Tochigi Prefecture Intangible Folk Cultural Asset, is held and enjoyed by a great many people. In the spring cherry trees blossom and ceremonial sumo matches are held in September, as well as a variety of other events making the shrine very popular. The shrine's dohyo was also the filming location for “Thermae Romae II”."

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Kinugawa Onsen “Oni” Festival

Kinugawa Onsen “Oni” Festival

Setsubun Season – Celebrating with “Oni” from Around the World to Pray for Good Fortune and Drive Away Evil The Kinugawa Onsen “Oni” Festival (Shōfuku Oni Matsuri) is a winter celebration that combines the “Oni” in Kinugawa’s name with Japan’s Setsubun traditions. Held annually from late January to late February, the entire Kinugawa Onsen area becomes a festive stage where people and “oni” dance together to bring good luck and ward off evil. With the theme “Demons of the World Gather in Kinugawa – Humans and Oni Join in Festive Exorcism,” the event is both a blessing ceremony and a lively, family-friendly celebration. One of the highlights is the “SL Shōfuku Oni Train,” where participants dressed as oni ride a steam locomotive and interact with adorable local mascot characters like “Kinuta,” “Kinu-chan,” and “Kawa-chan.” Visitors can also enjoy taiko drum performances, monkey shows, chainsaw wood carving, demon-themed food, cultural experiences, and stamp rally games. It’s one of Kinugawa’s most vibrant seasonal events during the Setsubun period.

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Coffee House “yukon”(CHUZENJI KANAYA HOTEL)

Coffee House “yukon”(CHUZENJI KANAYA HOTEL)

Coffee House yukon is located about 4 minutes walk from Chuzenji Kanaya Hotel. It is a store directly managed by Chuzenji Kanaya Hotel, and it is attractive for its location overlooking Lake Chuzenji. You can enjoy dishes such as the Kanaya Hotel Hundred Year Rice Curry, recreated from the hotel's Taisho era recipe. It's recommended for lunch and tea time. Takeout menu is also available, perfect for accompanying your exploration of Oku-Nikko.

Nikko kaido Oshu kaido TOCHIGI
Nikkozan Yumoto Onsenji Temple “16-Character SHAKYO or SHABUTSU (Copying Buddha’s picture) Experience”

Nikkozan Yumoto Onsenji Temple “16-Character SHAKYO or SHABUTSU (Copying Buddha’s picture) Experience”

"Nikkozan Yumoto Onsenji Temple" is a branch temple of the world heritage site "Nikkozan Rinnoji Temple". Its history dates back to 788 when Shodo Shonin, the founder of mountain worship in Nikko, discovered a hot spring and enshrined Yakushirurikou-nyorai (the Buddha of healing) to alleviate suffering. Since the Meiji era, it has been known as a hot spring resort for common people seeking recovery and longevity.   While traditional sutra copying or Buddha tracing involves transcribing the entire sutra or drawing the entire image, Onsenji Temple offers original templates designed to be completed in approximately 15-20 minutes. For the Onsenji 16-character sutra copying, you will trace a section of the Yakushi Sutra written in light ink using a brush pen. For Buddhist image copying, you will trace the outline of a Buddha drawn in light ink using a brush pen.   Both practices allow individuals to connect with the Buddha, receiving their blessings and promoting mental and physical relaxation. The time spent engaging in sutra copying and Buddha tracing, fostering a deeper connection with the Buddha and oneself, is truly invaluable. As a token of your experience, participants who complete sutra copying or Buddha tracing and offer their work will receive a special temple stamp. Note: Brush pens are available for rental.   【About the Hot Spring】 Color of the hot spring water: Milky white Note: The source water is colorless, it turns milky white due to oxidation. * Be cautious as the colorless spring water is very hot. Quality of spring water: Sulfate and hydrogen carbonate hot spring. Therapeutic effects: Cuts, cold extremities, fatigue recovery, and more. Caution: Shampoo and body soap are not provided. Please bring your own if necessary.

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Dining Room “Mizunara” (Chuzenji Kanaya Hotel)

Dining Room “Mizunara” (Chuzenji Kanaya Hotel)

The dining room Mizunara at Chuzenji Kanaya Hotel features large windows overlooking the lake. Wooden pillars and the floor give the dining room a warm tone. Beyond the mizunara oak trees outside, there is Lake Chuzenji. In all seasons, guests can enjoy food cooked with fresh ingredients produced in Tochigi with a view of the nature and wild birds of Okunikko. The restaurant offers a range of dishes that enable local production and local consumption, including Hyakunen Curry Rice prepared based on the 100-year-old recipe of the signature dish of our sister hotel Nikko Kanaya Hotel, Special Tochigi Lunch using locally produced Premium Yashio Trout and locally produced wagyu beef, and Nasunogahara Wagyu Beef Steak Lunch. Have a wonderful time at this open restaurant that feels like a resort.

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Otaki Kasen Yuhodo Path

Otaki Kasen Yuhodo Path

The Ohtaki Kasen Yuhodo is a strolling path that runs for approximately 1 kilometer from the Kinuiwabashi bridge at the upper reaches of the Kinugawa River down to the Kamitakikasen Park. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the riverbank as you listen to the gentle babbling of the Kinugawa River. The Otaki Park is located along the route, and on a clear day you can see all the way to Mt. Keichozan. A free parking lot is located at the foot of the Kinuiwabashi Bridge, allowing you to easily take a refreshing stroll in nature amidst beautiful surroundings."

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Bijin Benten (Akashi Benten, Itsukushima Shrine)

Bijin Benten (Akashi Benten, Itsukushima Shrine)

It was erected in Kansei 5 (1793), and before the Meiji Restoration (Meiji Ishin), it was known as the Akashi Benten Hokora. In the past, there was a pond where Kiyomizu (Pure water) springs in this village, and it is said that she worshiped as a god closely related to the water. "Bijin (Beautiful Woman) Benten" is an alter ego of Ichikishimahime, a Enshrined deities of Itsukushima Shrine. 【Issuing a "Bijin (Beautiful Woman) Certificate"! * Fee Charging】 "Bijin (Beautiful Woman) Certificate" is a charm that issued by Honjyo Itsukushima Shrine (Bijin Benten) that certifies "Beauty". "Beauty" for "Bijin Benten" protects and proves the "kindness of women's hearts" that all women have, not the beauty of appearance."

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