We pick you up at your hotel in Nikko town or at Lake Chuzenji. This private tour of about 8 hours visits the Oya area near Utsunomiya, famous for its soft green stone, and the city known as the gyoza capital of Japan.

Around 10:00 we arrive at the Oya History Museum. You walk down into a huge underground quarry, as big as a stadium, with tall stone walls and soft light. It stays cool all year. Allow about one hour.

Next, Oya-ji temple is only a few minutes away. Here a Buddha image was carved straight into the rock face, more than 1,000 years ago. Your guide explains the temple and its small treasure hall. Then we walk past the large Peace Kannon statue cut into the cliff nearby.

Around midday we drive into Utsunomiya city for a gyoza lunch at a well-known local shop. You can try fried and boiled dumplings. Vegetable gyoza is sometimes available, but halal food is not guaranteed.

In the afternoon you can choose a short walk in central Utsunomiya, see Futarayama Shrine on its hill, or visit a stone shop to see how Oya stone is used. Around 15:30 we drive back to Nikko and arrive at your hotel at about 17:00.

Your plan is customizable: you can change the order, skip the city walk, take more time in the quarry, or swap in a nearby stop such as Rokko Gyoza Street, if it fits the time and stays in the Oya and Utsunomiya area.

This is a private tour. Only your group.

If the Oya History Museum is closed on your date, your driver-guide takes you to a similar place nearby instead. The tour price does not change. If you prefer, we can instead spend more time at Oya-ji and the Peace Kannon, and visit Futarayama Shrine in Utsunomiya.