# 🎌 From Miniature Worlds to the Gyoza Capital: A Raw Guide to Kinugawa & Utsunomiya (Tochigi Pt.

# 🎌 From Miniature Worlds to the Gyoza Capital: A Raw Guide to Kinugawa & Utsunomiya (Tochigi Pt. 2)

After two blissful, quiet days soaking in the hidden sulfur hot springs of Nasu, we hopped back in our rental car and drove south toward the more famous tourist areas of Tochigi Prefecture: Kinugawa 鬼怒川 and Utsunomiya 宇都宮.

While Nasu felt like a well-kept secret for locals, Kinugawa is undeniably a massive tourist magnet. The vibe shifted immediately, but the journey was packed with stunning river views, quirky miniature theme parks, and a nostalgic trip back in time.

Here is the raw, honest truth about our time exploring the rest of Tochigi.

🏨 The Stay: Hotel Sunshine Kinugawa

Cost: ~$800 (for 1 night / 2 rooms)

Verdict: 3 / 5 Stars ★★★☆☆

For our night in Kinugawa, we booked two premium tatami rooms on the top floor of Hotel Sunshine Kinugawa. The package included an all-you-can-eat dinner and breakfast buffet.

The Good: The views of the Kinugawa River after the rain were absolutely spectacular. The deep green mountains and the rushing water right outside our window were gorgeous. (Pro Tip: If you visit here after October, you can watch the vibrant autumn maple leaves fall directly into the river — an absolute must-see!)

The Honest Letdown: Given the premium price tag, the hotel itself felt quite aged. Compared to the pristine, quiet sulfur baths we had in Nasu, the onsen facilities here were messy and incredibly crowded. The buffet was decent, but overall, it didn’t quite live up to the premium cost.

> 🛏️ *If you want to check out the river views for yourself, you can view current rates for Hotel Sunshine Kinugawa on [Trip.com]

🚂 Tobu World Square & The SL Taiju Steam Train

After checking out, we visited one of the most unique parks in Japan: Tobu World Square.

This park features incredibly detailed, 1/25th scale miniature versions of the world’s most famous buildings and UNESCO heritage sites. It’s a quirky, fun way to “travel the world” in a single afternoon.

The absolute highlight of the area, however, was witnessing the SL Taiju. This is a famous, fully restored old steam locomotive operated by Tobu Railway that runs right through the area (stopping at the Tobu World Square station). Seeing this massive, black steam train chugging past, blowing thick smoke into the air, instantly transports you back to the Showa era. It is a deeply nostalgic and powerful sight.

> 🎟️ *Skip the ticket lines for Tobu World Square by booking in advance on [Trip.com]

🥟 Utsunomiya: The Gyoza Capital of Japan

For the final leg of our Tochigi road trip, we drove into the prefecture’s capital: Utsunomiya.

Utsunomiya isn’t exactly a fancy tourist city, but it is incredibly convenient. We dropped off our rental car and stayed at the Candeo Hotels Utsunomiya, right next to the station.

The Hotel: This stay was a fantastic value. Located just a 3-minute walk from the Shinkansen station with shops directly downstairs, it couldn’t be more convenient. They offer a fantastic artificial public bath (both indoor and outdoor) on the top floor. For half the price of a similar hotel in Tokyo, this was an incredible place to rest our travel-weary legs.

> 🛏️ *Check out the convenient station-side rooms at Candeo Hotels Utsunomiya on [Trip.com]

The Food: Utsunomiya is famous across Japan as the “City of Gyoza,” boasting hundreds of dumpling restaurants. Naturally, we had to try the most famous local dish.

The Verdict? It wasn’t bad, but honestly, it was nothing truly special. It tasted like standard, decent gyoza. Sometimes the hype is just hype!

🛫 Wrapping Up

After Utsunomiya, we took the quick Shinkansen ride back to Tokyo for one final night before flying home to Taiwan. Escaping the Tokyo crowds for a road trip through Tochigi was the best decision we made on this trip.

Up Next: We are trading the Japanese mountains for the skies! Stay tuned for my next flight review, where I’ll be flying Business Class on Starlux Airlines’ A350–900, featuring their exclusive, highly-anticipated Snoopy co-branded service. You won’t want to miss it!

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