Tochigi travel guide: Choosing Nikko, Kinugawa, Utsunomiya or Ashikaga
Choose a Tochigi area by interest, from Nikko's World Heritage shrines to Kinugawa hot springs, Oya's underground quarry and Ashikaga's flower park and historic school.
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Tochigi Prefecture offers more than Nikko. In the north are World Heritage sites and onsen; the central area has an underground stone quarry; and the south has gardens and an old school. This page groups Tochigi by travel interests and links to transport, attractions and related articles. For a Nikko day trip from Tokyo, see the Nikko day trip; it is not repeated here.
What would you like to do?
| Experience | Where to go | Features in official information | Detailed pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Heritage shrines and temples | Nikko (日光) | Listed as World Heritage in 1999, including Nikko Toshogu, Futarasan Shrine and Rinnoji, with 103 buildings in total | Nikko day trip, Tochigi attractions by area |
| Hot spring town and free foot baths | Kinugawa Onsen (鬼怒川温泉) | Free foot baths in front of the station and near Kuroganebashi Bridge | Kinugawa Onsen area guide |
| Underground spaces | Oya in Utsunomiya (大谷) | Oya History Museum is a former underground stone quarry | Tochigi attractions by area |
| Flower garden and historic school | Ashikaga (足利) | Seasonal flowers at Ashikaga Flower Park and the nationally designated Ashikaga School Historic Site | Ashikaga Flower Park and Ashikaga School |
Four areas within the prefecture
The Tochigi Prefectural Government’s rural tourism page divides municipalities into four groups (the official page does not name these groups; the descriptions below are based on their municipalities):
| Area | Cities and towns |
|---|---|
| Nikko and Nasu area | Nikko, Otawara, Yaita, Nasushiobara, Shioya and Nasu |
| Utsunomiya and Kanuma area | Utsunomiya, Kanuma, Sakura, Nasukarasuyama, Kaminokawa, Takanezawa and Nakagawa |
| Moka and Mashiko area | Moka, Mashiko, Motegi, Ichikai and Haga |
| Ashikaga, Tochigi and Sano area | Ashikaga, Tochigi, Sano, Oyama, Shimotsuke, Mibu and Nogi |
The official page gives no tourism-feature descriptions for each group, so none are added here.
On this site
- Tochigi transport guide: Tobu-Nikko, Kinugawa, Utsunomiya and Ashikaga
- Tochigi attractions by area: World Heritage sites, underground quarry, gardens and foot baths
Notes
- Attraction fees and hours vary by date; each page includes official sources and dates checked
- For comparisons of passes departing Tokyo, see Tokyo-area day-trip passes; for nationwide information, see Japan travel essentials
Sources
- 栃木縣政府｜農村旅遊 (www.agrinet.pref.tochigi.lg.jp, checked 2026-10-28)
- 聯合國教科文組織世界遺產中心｜日光的社寺 (whc.unesco.org, checked 2026-10-28)
- 大谷資料館｜交通與入館資訊 (www.oya909.co.jp, checked 2026-10-28)
- 足利市｜史跡足利學校 (www.city.ashikaga.tochigi.jp, checked 2026-10-28)
More about Tochigi travel guide: Choosing Nikko, Kinugawa, Utsunomiya or Ashikaga
- Tochigi attractions: World Heritage sites, quarry, foot baths and gardensCompare Nikko World Heritage sites, Oya History Museum, Ashikaga Flower Park and Ashikaga School, including conflicting official Oya admission prices and closing dates.
- Tochigi transport: Nikko passes, Kinugawa, Ashikaga and Oya Museum accessCompare NIKKO PASS coverage and exclusions, the bus to Oya History Museum from Utsunomiya and the correct station for Ashikaga Flower Park, using official routes.