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  • Suggested Itineraries
  • Central Area
  • Eastern Area

Three-day Japanese cultural experience – Gozen-ryori, steam locomotives, and pottery.

Schedule

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 1

Tokyo station

  1. Tokyo Station → JR Tohoku Shinkansen (for Nasu) (or via select Yamabiko-bound trains) 40-min ride to Oyama Station → 22-min ride via the Mito line to Shimodate Station → SL Mooka (40-min ride, mostly runs on weekends）

Steam Locomotives in Mooka

1

The locomotive nicknamed “Cotton Way”

Since its debut as the nation’s first local line in 1912， the Mooka line has operated daily. Two models of Mooka steam locomotive run on weekends and holidays when many tourists come to see them working as they have for 100 years. In spring， the railway track is almost wrapped in pink cherry blossoms and the ground a shade of yellow with the spreading rapeseed field. The colour contrast attracts many photographers.

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  1. Mashiko station → Rental bike

Lunch at Mashiko

2
  1. Rental bike (10 min)

Pottery Experience @ Pottery Fuwari

3

Experience a private Mashiko-ware pottery-making workshop.

Try your hand at hand building and wheel-throwing with guidance in English. Lessons are offered to one group at a time, ensuring the ultimate private pottery experience.（Please make reservations via our website)

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  1. Rental bike

Mashiko Café Stroll

4

Discover Mashiko's stylish cafés.

Mashiko is dotted with a number of relaxing cafés serving treats and drinks in Mashiko-ware. Many of these cafés are off the beaten path, so they often go unnoticed by those who haven’t done their research.

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  1. Rental bike

Stay in Mashiko

5

Day 2

  1. Rental bike

Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art / Ceramic Art Messe Mashiko

6
The Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art features works by the late Mr. Shoji Hamada， who was a designated Living National Treasure， as well as works by other ceramists associated with the town of Mashiko.

On the same site， there are also the Sasajima Kihei Hall， which has permanent exhibitions of works by the printmaker Kihei Sasajima， who studied under Shiko Munakata， and the Mashiko Arts & Crafts Residence， which hosts artists-in-residence from all over the world as part of an international exchange program.

Shoji Hamada's House， which has been designated as a Cultural Property by the town of Mashiko， includes a reconstruction of the climbing kiln that Mr. Hamada used.

You can also pick a cup you like and enjoy tea or coffee at salon located on the premises of the museum.
There is also a museum shop in the salon where you can buy Mashiko pottery and more."
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  1. Rental bike

Lunch at Mashiko

7
  1. Rental bike → Mashiko station → Fixed-route bus (70 min) → JRUtsunomiya Station bus stop → Rental bike (10 min)

Utsunomiya Joshi Park

8
Utsunomiya Joshi Park is home to Utsunomiya Castle， reconstructed as it stood between 1600 and 1867.
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  1. Rental bike → JR Utsunomiya Station

Utsunomiya Cocktail Club

9
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.
☆
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  1. Walk

Stay in Utsunomiya

10

Day 3

  1. Walk → Utsunomiya Station → Fixed-route bus (30 min) to Oyakannonmae bus stop → Walk (5 min)

Oya Underground Tour

11

Explore secret underground spaces.

Experience Oya’s usually inaccessible underground stone quarry on a special underground cruise that takes place in total darkness .
（Please make reservations via our website)

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  1. Walk (5 min) → Fixed-route bus (25 min) to Utsunomiya Station → Utsunomiya line to Mibu Station → Walk.

“Otono-sama” Cuisine”Ohime-sama” Cuisine

12

Enjoy recreations of the cuisine of Japan’s nobility from 200 years ago

“Otono-sama” (Lords’) cuisine and “Ohime-sama”(Princess’) cuisine are based on the menus of the Edo era’s Daimyo (feudal lords). Enjoy recreations of these foods that have been adapted over 200 years and made with a unique diversity of ingredients. This cuisine is highly regarded for its healthy ingredients and playful presentation. It’s currently offered at 13 restaurants in the town of Mibumachi renowned for developing a rich menu over three years.

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  1. Taxi

Mibu-machi Toy Museum

13

Enjoy the model trains and interactive games!

The Mibu-machi Toy Museum provides displays of model trains on an elaborate landscape diorama along with a model train driving experience. 18 world heritage sites including the temples and shrines of Nikko are placed on the N-gauge (25m2) diorama. The driver’s seat on the HO-gauge (37m2) provides excellent views and is equipped with a sound system to give visitors a realistic railway experience.

The museum has an interactive app-based game with which you can unlock fun quizzes and characters on your device. Collect answers and points within the specified time limit to break the hidden seal in the castle! The app is the perfect way for the whole family to play and learn about the museum.

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  1. Taxi (7 min) to Omochano-Machi → Utsunomiya line (15 min ride) to Tochigi Station → Tobu-Nikko line. (1 hr 10 min by Limited express Kegon/Liberty Kegon/Kirifuri/Kinu/Liberty Kinu/Liberty Kairitsu trains)

Asakusa Station

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  3. Three-day Japanese cultural experience – Gozen-ryori, steam locomotives, and pottery.