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.

Onsen Ryokan Yamaki is a Japanese style inn built to help guests escape from the daily hustle and bustle and fully relax and heal the body and soul. The ryokan experience here is designed based on the principles of the tea ceremony: harmony, respect, purity, and calmness. These principles, as the ryokan’s philosophy, are also incorporated into its guest rooms, hot springs, meals, and staff hospitality. Calm guest rooms feature the warmth of wood and diatomaceous earth on walls. All guest rooms are designed differently, and some have a scenic cypress bath filled with hot spring water flowing endlessly from its original source. The hot spring here was discovered in 1059. It is called Itamuro hot spring and is famous as the “medicine water of Shimotsuke (old name of the area).” It is said to warm people’s bodies from the core and alleviate fatigue and joint pain. The inn also offers esthetic treatment using essential oil (reservation needed). Please enjoy the hot spring and the treatment to relax and slowly unwind from the long day of your trip. For dinner, the inn serves a Japanese multi-course meal designed based on one of its guiding principles of “respect” for local production and consumption. The dinner menu is developed to serve you a healthy meal prepared with wild plants, vegetables harvested from nearby areas, and seasonal ingredients. Please savor the out-of-the-ordinary time of healing and relaxation produced by Onsen Ryokan Yamaki. 【About the hot spring】 Water color: clear Spring water type: simple alkaline spring water Efficacy: alleviates sensitivity to cold, fatigue, nerve pain, and sore muscles, improves health, and so on

The Mountain Station Takahara facility is located in an excellent spot to start exploring Happogahara and Mt. Takahara. It is visited by a wide variety of people, including those who have come to do serious mountain hiking, those who enjoy casual nature walks, and those who have come to visit the nearby mystical waterfall, Oshiraji Falls.   Visitors can also use the facility as a hub for enjoying seasonal activities thoughout the year, such as strolling through the azaleas in the spring, visiting waterfalls in the summer, viewing autumn foliage in the autumn, and snowshoe hiking in the winter.   The facility's restaurant offers Yaita's local specialty, "apple curry" and ever-popular soft-serve ice cream. From late April to mid-November, visitors can enjoy Oshiraji ramen and Oshiraji soft-serve ice cream themed on the clear blue of the Oshiraji Falls, made with local Yaita City ingredients and local specialty products.   The campsite, which celebrated its grand opening in 2023, is located at an altitude of 1,049m, where the air is clear all year round. On clear days, visitors can enjoy camping under the starry sky with Milky Way.

This huge statue of the goddess Kannon was carved into the wall of a former Oya stone quarry and stands 27 meters tall. It was entirely hand carved as a prayer for those who have fallen in battle and as a hope for world peace. There are well maintained paths and stairs around the statue and from the top you can see all across Oya. If you are visiting Heiwa Kannon, you might also want to check out the Oyaji Temple and the local history museum that are nearby."

This traditional and sacred festival is the biggest one of Nikko Toshogu Shrine. On May 17, the Shrine holds the yabusame ritual in which you can see archers’ arts of piloting the horses and shooting arrows on horsebacks.   On May 18, the city has the procession called Hyakumono-Zoroe Sennin Gyoretsu, in which some 1,000 men dressed in samurai warrior outfits march to reproduce the scene where Ieyasu’s grave was being transferred from distant Mount Kunousan in Shizuoka Prefecture to Nikko.

On the evening of August 15， some four thousand floating lanterns (tourou) light up the surface of the waters at Gyoyagawa Mizube Park， imbued with the spirit of prayers to the ancestors and lending the surrounding area a magical atmosphere.

Visitors can enjoy the yuba making process， experience pulling up tofu skin， and tasting. *Japanese language only. Please come with an interpreter. *Approx. 30 minutes experience *Booking by Phone or FAX， 7 days before your visit niizuma@nikkoyuba.net

Feel nature, savor memorable dishes, and enjoy the space of a luxurious and relaxing retreat at Mukunone. The grounds of Mukunone consist of three areas: AUBERGE featuring villa accommodation and a restaurant that serves dishes prepared with a wide variety of seasonal ingredients and specialty food of Nasu; B&B for a casual overnight stay and breakfast; and Mizuniwa featuring its one and only landscape designed by the architect Junya Ishigami. In this precious space, you can spend time connecting with magnificent nature and reflecting on yourself. 【About Mizuniwa】 Mizuniwa is a spectacular architectural and art piece created with the precise calculation and sensibility of the architect Junya Ishigami. It is a place with a picturesque landscape that makes you want to close your eyes and take deep breaths. Trees keep growing and the stream continues to flow. With these continuous changes, Mizuniwa is a forever unfinished beautiful landscape. *Mizuniwa is open to the public (reservation required).

Nature Planet's leisurely paddling style is the perfect way to refresh yourself after a long day.   Enjoy the time flowing slowly while freeing yourself from the stresses of everyday life.   This is a canoe touring for beginners that allows you to enjoy nature in each of the four seasons.   The canoes used for the tour are highly stable recreational kayaks (double-sided paddling type), and single boats (for one person) and tandem boats (for two or three people) are available.   The field is a dam lake with no current, so even first-time canoeists can participate safely.   Need to make a reservation ■Eligibility: Healthy people between 3 and 70 years old. ■Number of applicants: 2~30 people. ■What to bring and wear: ①Wear clothes that are easy to move in and can get wet (preferably synthetic fibers). Underwear that can get wet is also recommended. ②Shoes that can get wet (sneakers or sports sandals with a fixed heel) ※Sneakers or sports sandals with a fixed heel are not acceptable. ③Towel and change of clothes. ④Other things that are good to have: Drink (plastic bottle or something with a lid that can be closed), hat, rain wear (top and bottom separates), eyeglass band (eyeglass wearers should wear eyeglass bands), sunscreen  

"Shinonome Flower Festival" is held at Shinonome Park from late March to early April. The sight of approximately 250 cherry trees lined up along both banks of the Kurokawa River all blooming at once is spectacular.   From the Shinonome Sakura Bridge, which is located in the park and connects the east and west banks of the Kurokawa River, visitors can enjoy a magnificent view of Mt. Nantai and blooming cherry trees. the Shinonome Sakuradai on both banks of the Kurokawa River is one of the 100 most scenic spots in Tochigi.   The nearby roadside rest stops, the Mibu Exchange Center "Miraikan", the Mibu Toy Museum, and the Toy Town Bandai Museum, also hold a variety of events in conjunction with the Shinonome Flower Festival.  

Join a tour of the factory manufacturing the popular local rice cracker “Nikko Jingoro Senbei”! This traditional Senbei is named after Jingoro Hidari， an artist who made the famous wood carving of the sleeping cat at the Nikko Toshogu Shrine.

Yaita Onsen Makoto-no-Yu is a hot spring with abundance of top quality water flowing straight from the hot spring source. Every minute, approximately 370L of hot spring water gushes from 1,300m underground at a temperature of around 64℃. In addition to the selection of indoor and spacious outdoor baths, there is also a footbath, a restaurant, a cafe, barbecue facilities, and even a spot where you can make "onsen tamago", eggs boiled using hot spring water. The villas and newly opened mountain glamping facilities are the perfect place to escape the hectic fray of city life and relax in comfort while unwinding from the stresses of day-to-day life.

This roadside station is located on the side of National Route 461 in Otawara City， Tochigi Prefecture. It is notable for the fan-shaped roofs of each of its buildings. It features a wide variety of facilities including a farmer's market where visitors can buy fresh seasonal produce， a restaurant where they can enjoy their limited issue Yoichi Bento boxes， and more. The station， which is visited by many tourists， also features the Yoichi Denshokan， a museum dedicated to the samurai warrior Nasu no Yoichi."

This large gardening shop complex is located on 400，000 meters of hilly land known by locals as "Moroyama." Its shop offers flowering plants， as well as garden trees， and landscaping and gardening supplies， with a particular focus on satsuki azalea. Some of its many facilities include a plum grove， the Wild Bird Forest， a tourist strawberry farm， and a hilltop barbequing space. It is a great place to enjoy spending a day surrounded by flowers and trees."

This park is famous for its cherry blossoms, azaleas, hydrangeas, and other flowers. Some of the park's attractions include a Japanese garden, a French garden, and a garden with all the prefectural trees from across the country. Visitors can also enjoy a sweeping view of Nasunogahara from the top of the hill. The best time to see the park's roughly 1300 Yoshino cherry trees is from early to mid-April each year."

The new dessert launched in 2011.Looks like a crepe， but has a spongey texture. The fillings vary depending on the store you go to.  Not just seet flavors， like cream or fruit， but also soba or meat. This is a popular gourmet food available as you walk around the hot springs area."