Tokyo Day Trip: Utsunomiya Gyoza and Oya Stone Museum

If you’re looking for a less common day trip from the Tokyo area and love gyoza, consider heading up to Utsunomiya in nearby Tochigi prefecture. It’s best known for gyoza but the Oya History Museum and Oya Temple, carved right into the cliff side, are truly unique places and a nice change of pace from the more typical temples and shrines you may visit in Japan.

Note: Japan is still not open for tourism. We are currently residing in Japan and did this as a day trip last summer. I hope this trip report is helpful for future planning or others who are also currently residing in Japan.

– [Matcha: Utsunomiya Travel Guide ](https://matcha-jp.com/en/7550)

– [JapanGuide: Utsunomiya ](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3860.html)

– [JNTO: Utsunomiya (available in multiple languages) ](https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/kanto/tochigi/utsunomiya-area/)

– [Welcome to Utsunomiya City ](https://www.city.utsunomiya.tochigi.jp/foreigin_language/english/index.html)

[The Standard Bakers: ](https://goo.gl/maps/Me7NVEL2zrVgCyGz7): If coming on a weekend, I recommend starting here in the morning for some yummy bread/pastries. They open at 8:30 AM on Sat/Sun. You have to eat outside but there are a few small tables or you can find a bench/spot of shade. They do have an attached farm to table restaurant that serves lunch and dinner with indoor seating. If you are driving, there’s a large and free (!) parking lot right across the street from The Standard Bakers. If taking the bus, get off at the [Oyakannonnomae bus stop. ](https://goo.gl/maps/tSBqfytqjRDCihxk6)

[Heiwa Kannon Statue: ](https://goo.gl/maps/pr7eVRWtEWn4ZYVf9) Proceed to walk up the stone pedestrian path to this large Kannon statue that has been carved into the cliff side. The photos don’t do it justice, this is huge! The Heiwa Kannon (Goddess of Peace) is a massive statue of the Kannon Bodhisattva located aboveground at the former mining site of the Oya Stone. It was carved entirely by hand to calm the spirits of the people who lost their lives in World War II.

[Oya Temple: ](https://goo.gl/maps/iCeHFHELKoh43RTf8) Continue walking up the path to the nearby Oya Temple which has been built into a hollowed cave in the cliff side. There are ten Buddhist statues carved in stone enshrined in the main hall. The figures are said to be the oldest of their kind in Japan, including the Senju (thousand-armed) Kannon and a Shakyamuni Buddha triad. Even if you’ve seen tons of other temples during your trip, this one will stand out as it’s truly unique.

You can then walk along the road to the next stop, the Oya History Museum or take the bus from the [Oyakannonnomae bus stop ](https://goo.gl/maps/tSBqfytqjRDCihxk6) to the [Shirokannoniruguchi bus stop ](https://goo.gl/maps/xtoHgZUwaD8Fyr2bA) which is a 5 minute walk from the entrance of the Oya History Museum.

[Oya History Museum: ](https://goo.gl/maps/zxMhof1zuWQNy5pu6) The name is misleading – this place is soooooo cool! It’s a subterranean quarry with sculptures and lighting inside that has been used as a movie set and for fashion and car launch shows. During WWII they even built planes inside – it’s that big. If you visit in the summer it feels really nice inside as it is literally cool, in some spots even cold, and is a great way to get out of the midday sun, heat, and humidity. Just outside the entrance you can also stop off for some yummy gelato at [Rockside Market. ](https://goo.gl/maps/FAXdLfQdGEEaoULH6) You can then catch the bus back to the station area and have some yummy Gyoza for dinner.

Utsunomiya Gyoza: Utsunomiya is Japan’s top destination for gyoza, boasting over 200 gyoza restaurants serving up this savory treat that originated in Chinese cuisine. There are soooo many restaurants to try here. We just found one close to the station but if you aren’t sure which to try head to [Kirasse. ](https://goo.gl/maps/pVCpErjWuVDUQiecA)This facility showcases signature Utsunomiya potstickers, and guests can compare the taste of various restaurants.

You can’t go wrong with any gyoza in Utsunomiya , but most locals will tell you that two shops compete to be the best in town: Masashi and MinMin. Many consider [Masashi ](https://goo.gl/maps/7cbaJ7ocbegeW6Vt9) the classic Utsunomiya shop. It’s fast, simple, and delicious. Masashi only has two items on the menu: fried or boiled gyoza. There’s only water to drink, and many love Masashi’s simplicity. [MinMin ](https://goo.gl/maps/5sFHeR3zeLMDuWhP7) goes for a slightly more modern take. The gyoza here still keeps classic features such as thin skins and multi-piece sets. They have three kinds of gyoza on the menu: fried, boiled, and deep fried. At MinMin, you can order beer and other beverages to go with your gyoza.

Getting There: If you reside in Japan, it’s easy to drive to Utsunomiya as it’s right off the expressway and there is a large and free (!) parking lot right if you map to [The Standard Bakers ](https://goo.gl/maps/Me7NVEL2zrVgCyGz7) which is then walking distance to the Kannon, Oya Tempke, and Oya History Museum.

If using public transit, Utsunomiya is right on the Shinkansen line so if you have one of the following Japan Rail Passes there’s no extra cost to get here if you travel on a date your pass is valid for. It’s just Southeast of Nikko so you could stop off here on your way to or back from Nikko pretty easily. Take the JR Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo (Tokyo or Ueno Station) to Utsunomiya. The one way trip takes around 50 minutes, costs about 4500 yen one way (9,000 yen roundtrip) or via regular trains it takes two hours and is 1,980 yen one way. So don’t get a rail pass just for this trip, as it won’t pay off, but if you already have one for other travel plans it’s worthwhile to use to take the Shinkansen here. For more see the [JapanGuide: Utsunomiya Access page. ](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3861.html)

– [JR Tokyo Wide Pass: ](https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/pass/tokyowidepass.html) If you’re just visiting the Tokyo area, consider the JR Tokyo Wide 3-day pass as a good option for far flung day trips. It’s open to any foreign passport holder in Japan, including foreign residents.

– Any of the other [JR East Passes](https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/pass/) will include Utsunomiya. The JR East Tohoku Pass and JR East Nagano/Niigata pass are both also open to all foreign passport holders; including foreign residents of Japan.

– The [Full Countrywide JR Pass ](https://japanrailpass.net/en/)

Tip: After arriving at Utsunomiya station or Tobu Utsunomiya Station, purchase a 1-day combination ticket (大谷観光一日乗車券, Ōya Kankō Ichinichi Jōshaken), which covers the bus round trip between Utsunomiya Station and the Oya History Museum as well as admission to the museum and the Oya Temple, is available for a discounted 1850 yen at the tourist information office or Kanto Bus ticket office outside JR Utsunomiya Station or at the Utsunomiya Tobu Hotel Grande near Tobu Utsunomiya Station.

There are other things to see/do in Utsunomiya too but these are the places we visited on our day trip. I hope you will also get to enjoy the sites a s Gyoza of Utsunomiya during your time in Japan.