Why not enjoy cycling through the historic town of Mashiko and its natural surroundings? The local railway journey to Mashiko passes through picturesque countryside. On arrival the town of Mashiko offers bike rental to tourists at several bike stations including Yoshimura Farm， Michi-no-Eki Mashiko and the Mashikoyaki Pottery Sales Centre. Mashiko station is also available for returns only. Hire a bike and explore the streets of the old town lined with cafes and art galleries. All the rental bikes are Pedelecs (electrically assisted pedal cycles) and perfect for cycling around this hilly town. Enjoy exploring the town’s narrow streets and find your hidden gems!

Come and take a look at the manufacturing process of familiar sweets such as “Chocoball” and “Angel Pie”. The factory tour is popular so reservations are essential!

Furumine Shrine was built to worship the legendary hero Yamato Takeru 1，300 years ago. The shrine is where the monk Shodo Shonin， founder of the temples in Nikko， was trained. The shrine is also known for the enshrined Tengu， a messenger from the gods who protects people from bad luck. People come here to pray for good luck， fire protection， safe voyage， rich harvests， traffic safety， business success and family health as the god is believed to make all these wishes come true.

Held in early October each year, the Utamaro Festival celebrates the legacy of Kitagawa Utamaro, a renowned ukiyo-e artist of the mid-Edo period who had close ties to Tochigi City. Many of his works were created here, and the city, with its well-preserved Edo-period architecture, is often called “Little Edo.” The festival’s highlight is the Utamaro Dōchū parade, where performers dressed in gorgeous kimono proceed slowly along Kuranomachi Ōdōri Street, recreating the elegance of the Edo era. The festivities also feature music performances, fireworks, street illuminations, and a handmade market, immersing the entire town in a joyful celebration of culture and tradition. Notably, Kitagawa Utamaro will also be featured in the 2025 NHK Taiga drama Unbound, bringing renewed attention and respect to this ukiyo-e master. Visiting the Utamaro Festival offers a rare opportunity to experience the fusion of historical culture and modern creativity. Strolling through the lantern-lit streets of Kuranomachi, you can enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of the parade and illuminations while discovering the timeless charm of Japanese traditional arts—an unforgettable highlight of any autumn trip.

The floats, intricately carved with flowers, birds, lions, and other designs, are well worth seeing. The climax of the festival can be said to be the Buttsuke (a musical ensemble) performance by nine floats with golden lanterns.

The Takase Kanko Yana is a weir on the fresh waters of the Ara River.Come try fresh sweetfish cuisine while looking at the clear waters of the nearby Nakagawa River. You can even try your hand at catching sweetfish with their Yana traps. Enjoy robata-yaki in the tatami rooms and food cooked directly in front of you. The restaurant is open from June to November each year in accordance with the sweetfish fishing season."

The Local History Exhibition and Reference Room displays valuable artifacts related to the history and culture of Kanuma City, including the carved floats that are the pride of Kanuma City. In the Carved Floats Exhibition Room, there are two carved floats on display which are used in the Kanuma Imamiya Shrine Festival Yatai Event. They are UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Senjusan park is a beautiful sight to see come spring with its almost 300 sakura cherry trees and 1,000 rhododendron bushes. The park also has amusements for children including a ferris wheel and electric train, making this a popular spot for family outings as well as field trips for kindergartens and elementary schools. 

This 1000-meter-high and 28 kilometer-long scenic route connects Kinugawa Onsen with Shiohara Onsen. It has many scenic spot with natural beauty to enjoy such as Taikooroshino Falls and Shirataki Falls. The views from the Fujimidai observatory are also excellent. The fall foliage is especially beautiful around mid-October to early November each year. The Kinugawa Onsen and Kawaji Onsen hot springs districts are also located nearby. A toll is required to access the road."

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.☆

Accessible via a 2.5-hour drive from Tokyo or a free shuttle bus service operated from the Kinugawa Onsen station throughout the season. The ski resort is family-friendly and suitable for beginners. It provides a richly varied 11 trails to suit visitors of any ability level， from lower slopes for families and beginners， a child-friendly area for snow play to a cross course and a mogul run for experts.

A popular ski and snowboard resort with great accessibility from Tokyo. Well-equipped to cater for all levels, the resort boasts 12 trails including a full-scale 3km downhill, a half pipe and a slalom trail for the advanced, plus trails for beginners and children and a child-friendly area for sleighs and snow play. The resort also offers seasonal delights such as slopes of lilies in summer and coloured leaves in autumn that can each be viewed from the ropeway.

A 982-hectare forest in northern Yaita City. The expansive grounds have a campground， a hiking trail， an insect museum， and more. The Field was established for prefectural residents to enjoy the richness of nature. Its abundance of plants and birds makes it ideal for nature walks. Besides managing the forest， the head office cares for protected wildlife that's been injured."

Torafugu are cultivated using onsen water that wells up in the town of Nakagawa. It is known that pufferfish raised in hot spring water have approximately 30% extra umami (fifth basic food taste) ingredients. The taste of these puffer fish is even richer than those produced in the sea. This means there is no doubt that you can savor a taste overflowing with luxury! You can try onsen torafugu in the onsen facilities and restaurants in the town. Please appreciate the taste of torafugu when you visit Nakagawa!

Oshiraji Falls are known as the “falls of illusion”. Oshiraji is the term for unbaked white ceramics. From the tourist information centre “Yama-no-Eki Takahara”， drive 5 minutes in the direction of Nasu-Shiobara and then take the footpath for another 5 minutes. You will find a crystal clear blue pool created by the falls. The view is a breath-taking harmonisation of the mysterious blue of the water in combination with the green mountains and sunlight filtering down through the trees. Come here in the wet season for a splendid view of the waterfall. Please note that mobile phone service can be limited in the area. The ground can be slippery in some places， please wear appropriate shoes.

Water is an important ingredient making up 80 per cent of Sake. Tochigi has abundant clear spring water perfect for Sake， thanks to the range of mountains in the north and its one and only fresh stream near Tokyo. Skilled brewers produce a range of Sakes with unique flavours in various parts of Tochigi. Sake tasting and a tours of the production process are available at these breweries. You can also purchase Sake， cups for Sake and cosmetics and sweets made with Sake.

In the temple town of Nikko's World Heritage Site, Shrines and Temples of Nikko, there are many attractive restaurants that can be enjoyed even at night. They offer a wide variety of menus, from traditional Japanese cuisine to creative dishes, and offer exquisite dishes made with fresh local ingredients. Please spend a special time with local sake and specialty products in a warm atmosphere.

Tochigi is Japan’s largest producer of strawberries. The prefecture has the perfect environment for fresh and sweet strawberries， blessed with abundant sunshine， clear spring water， fertile land and an inland climate with a large difference between high and low temperatures. Strawberry picking is a popular leisure in strawberry farms across the prefecture. Starting with “Tochiotome”， the nation’s superstar brand of strawberry， come and sample some of the many varieties available， some of which are only grown in the prefecture. “Skyberry”， the brand-new premium variety created as a successor of “Tochiotome”， is increasingly popular. The perfect flavours and amazingly large-fruit are utterly delicious!