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Utsunomiya Day Trip: Oya Stone & Gyoza dumpling Adventure !

Utsunomiya Day Trip: Oya Stone & Gyoza dumpling Adventure !

Car Tour (driver & guide)

Joined 2025

Andy L.

5.00 / 5

(6 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

Tochigi

Chinese (Simplified) (Native), Chinese (Traditional) (Native), English (Native), Japanese

8 hours

Private tour (only you and Andy L.)

Up to 4 people

Utsunomiya is notable for its stonework and gyoza dumpling. It is less than an hour (45mins) from Tokyo on the Shinkansen!

When traveling to Utsunomiya from Tokyo with a JR pass, all you need to change trains at Tokyo Station which is in the center of the Tokyo city. Super easy!

Utsunomiya, while famous for its gyoza, offers a surprising array of attractions site seeing places. This trip will focusing on a mix of culture, history, and, of course, food - gyoza dumpling!

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

09:00 AM

Meeting Point

At the hotel in Utsunomiya area or Utsunomiya train station

- Pick up point can either at the hotel or Utsunomiya train station. I will contact you on mobile. This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

10:00 AM

Explore the Oya Stone District

Oya History Museum.

This is a must-see site seeing place! The Oya History Museum is a massive underground former quarry for Oya stone. It's an incredible, almost otherworldly experience with huge caverns and exhibits on the history of mining. The temperature here is consistently cool, which is a nice escape on a warm day.

Tip: Wear comfortable shoes as there's a fair bit of walking involved.

11:30 AM

Oya-ji Temple (Oya Kannon) & Heiwa Kannon.

Located near the Oya History Museum, Oya-ji Temple is a historic Buddhist temple with a part of it carved into a cliff face, featuring Japan's oldest stone Buddhas.

Just a short walk from Oya-ji is the Heiwa Kannon, a towering 27-meter tall statue dedicated to peace. You can climb to the top for panoramic views of the Oya town.

12:30 PM

Lunch in Oya.

There are cafes and small eateries in the Oya area, such as ROCKSIDE MARKET (adjacent to the Oya History Museum), which offers coffee and meals. This could be a good spot for lunch or we can eat around the local area before heading back towards the city center.

02:00 PM

Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park & Matsugamine Catholic Church.

The Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park offers a glimpse into the city's past, with reconstructed parts of the castle.

Nearby, the Matsugamine Catholic Church is a beautiful building constructed with Oya stone, showcasing a unique architectural style.

03:00 PM

Utsunomiya Futaarayama Shrine.

This major Shinto shrine is located in central Utsunomiya and has a history of over 1,600 years. It's a peaceful and historically significant site, perfect for a leisurely stroll.

03:30 PM

Gyoza Dumpling Hopping!

Utsunomiya is synonymous with gyoza, boasting over 300 gyoza restaurants! This is the perfect time to indulge.

"Gyoza Street" is a great starting point, with many restaurants clustered together.

Some popular and well-regarded gyoza spots include:

Utsunomiya Minmin Main Branch: A famous, long-established restaurant. Expect a wait, but it's often considered a classic.

Utsunomiya Gyoza Specialty Restaurant Goku: Known for its juicy "Jumbo Gyoza."

Rassai Main Store: Offers a "dumpling theme park" experience where you can compare different types of gyoza.

Kirasse: A gyoza food court where you can try gyoza from multiple famous restaurants in one go.

Tip: Try different types of gyoza – pan-fried (yaki-gyoza), deep-fried (age-gyoza), and steamed (sui-gyoza).

Let's enjoy our day trip in Utsunomiya!

Ending Point

At your hotel or Utsunomiya train station

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

Guide fee

Hotel or Train station pick up services

Vehicle Transportation via K-car (Suzuki Alto works)

Gasoline fee

Toll fee

A Photos Video album of your trip

What‘s not included

Lunch cost

Entrance fee of Oya museum - adult 800yens , children 400yens

Tour Important Information

* This tour involves abit of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.

* This tour is wheelchair accessible.

* Please let me know in advance if you have any food allergies or other dietary restrictions.

-----IMPORTANT INFORMATION-----

I can offer pickup and drop-off within Tokyo 23wards, however extra cost will be added, please message me for details.

Please send a direct message to the tour guide for confirming my availability period before booking.

Important message from the supplier

My schedule can be flexible, up to my deadline of works.

I can guide you in any area of Japan, please contact me in advance!

Cancellation Policy

Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time

Joined 2025

Andy L.

5.00 / 5

(6 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Andy L.

Hello! I’m Your Friendly Guide to Japan’s Kanto Region

I’m based in the beautiful Tochigi Prefecture and absolutely love sharing Japan’s amazing culture, history, and hidden spots with visitors like you. Before doing tour guiding, I was a public school teacher, so I’m great at making stories come alive and helping you really connect with the places we visit.

I speak Japanese at an advanced level (N2), and I’ve spent a lot of time exploring Japan—from living a year in the peaceful town of Kamishihoro in Hokkaido to wandering the bustling streets of Tokyo. This means I can give you insider tips and deep insights that go beyond the usual tourist trails.

*What I Offer*

I mainly guide around the Kanto area, which includes Tokyo, Yokohama, Saitama, Ibaraki, Gunma, and of course, Tochigi. Here are some of the fun tours I can take you on:

- **Utsunomiya Cultural Immersion:** Spend a day discovering the unique charm and tasty eats of Utsunomiya.

- **Tokyo All-in-One:** Explore both East and West Tokyo in a single day for a full city experience.

- **Anime & Pop Culture Tours:** Tailor-made adventures based on your favorite shows, games, and characters.

- **Kanto Day Trips:** Visit iconic spots like Nikko’s stunning temples or Kamakura’s historic sites.

I also love guiding in other parts of Japan, especially Kyoto—I’ve seen every World Heritage Site there! Plus, I often run tours in Osaka, Nara, Nagoya, Hikone, and more, all easy to reach by train.

*Customize Your Journey*

Every tour is flexible and designed just for you. To make your trip even more memorable, I’ll create a free, beautifully crafted photo album with music from your tour—perfect for sharing or keeping as a souvenir.

Ready to explore Japan in a fun, relaxed way with someone who’s passionate about showing you the real stories behind every place? Let’s chat and start planning your perfect adventure!

Reviews

Aj A.

5 / 5

Apr 13, 2026

Initial D tour on Mountain Haruna Gunma

Apr 13, 2026

Gunma

8 hours

“Initial D tour”

5/5 great communication leading up to start of the trip. Pick up and drop off from my hotel helped make it stress free to start and finish. I got to see all the locations I've always wanted to for so long, very happy about that. Customized the trip to my liking Andy is very chilled and laid back which was perfect nothing was an issue took me to a great spot to try local food and did a bit of shopping to find the anime stuff I was after. Very happy would highly recommend

Andy L.

Hi AJ, thank you so much for the 5-star review! I’m really glad I could help you check those long-awaited initial D locations off your list. It was a pleasure customizing the day for you, and I’m happy we managed to track down the specific anime items you were looking for! Helping make the trip stress-free is always my goal, so I'm glad the pick-up and drop-off worked out well. Hope to see you again for another tour in the future! Andy

Michael L.

5 / 5

Apr 10, 2026

Adventure road trip to Mt. Fuji from Yokohama

Apr 10, 2026

Yokohama

9 hours

“GREAT DAY TRIP TO MT. FUJI”

Andy was a delightful tour guide. Believe it or not, one of our many highlights along the way was a stop at a highway rest stop. Being from the USA we were amazed at how different this place was compared to ones at home. Then on to Mt. Fuji. We were awestruck when the grand mountain first presented itself to us. Absolutely beautiful. The closer we got the more magnificent it was. Our stop at the village of Oshino Hakkai was very interesting. Just seeing the ancient structures and imagining the life they lived back in the day was inspiring. From there Andy took us to several spots for photo ops. Andy asked us what we would like to eat and we requested something "local" to immerse ourselves in customary style and food. He picked a spot that fulfilled both. It was fun to immerse ourselves in the Japanese culture. Andy was still willing to take us to at least one other place, but with our bellies full, we were ready to head back to our hotel in Yokohama and savor our memories from the day. Andy was an excellent guide, conversationalist, driver and new friend. We would highly recommend him for any tour he offers. We are sure you will not be dissapointed. Mike and Sue

Andy L.

Dear Mike and Sue, Thank you so much for your kind words! It was truly a pleasure spending the day with you. I’m so glad you enjoyed the unique charm of our highway rest stops—they really are a world of their own! Seeing your reactions to Mt. Fuji and the history of Oshino Hakkai made the trip special for me as well. I hope you’re still savoring those memories back home in the USA. I’d love to welcome you back for another adventure anytime! Andy

Jeaney Y.

5 / 5

Apr 7, 2026

Private Car Tour from Takasaki: Ikaho Onsen & Local Gunma Highlights

Apr 7, 2026

Gunma

6 hours

“Customised Gunma highlights from Ikaho to Kusatsu”

Andy kindly substituted for another guide on short notice, to which we are grateful for. This tour is excellent in covering both areas from Ikaho to Kusatsu Onsen, with plenty of interesting sights along the way including delicious udon with a long history, mountain scenery and Yamba Dam. Its a relaxing way to sightsee in otherwise would've been just been a point to point journey. Thank you Andy, for your patience and care towards both tours!

Andy L.

Hi Jeaney, Thank you so much for your kind words! It was a pleasure to step in and ensure you had a great experience moving between Ikaho and Kusatsu. I'm so glad you enjoyed the mountain scenery and the historic udon—those 'point-to-point' journeys are often the best time to discover hidden gems like the Yamba Dam. It was a joy to spend that time with you, and I truly appreciate your appreciation for my care and patience. Hope to see you in Japan again!