Oct 19, 2014 - 1 min read

Nasushiobara: Where Royalty Relax

Food, activities, onsen, history and culture

By Louise Archer

Community writer

Autumn in the Nasu Highlands is a truly magnificent time, with wonderful drives through the Nasu mountains, cable cars and leisurely walks through the daily changing color

Mt. Nasu, our local active "Volcano", letting of a bit of steam. Mt Nasu in one of Japan's top 100 mountains, surrounded by walking trails and stunning views

Beautiful traditional ryokan (inns) abound in the region. This one is close to the station, but there are many in the mountains easily accessible by car or even bus

Nasu Garden Outlet has nothing to do with Gardens; its our local outlet mall.  All the major brands, all in one place. Buses from Nasu station run regularly every day

Seiji Fujishiro Gallery & Museum: The celebrated Kiri-e (Japanese art of paper cutting) artist has a stunning gallery in Nasu Highlands

Tobu World Square has over 100 1:25 scale models of famous buildings from around the world including UNESCO World Cultural and Heritage Sites, more than 20,000 Bonsai trees and over 140,000 little people engaged in all sorts of activities

Nasu Animal safari park -  700 animals of 70 different species.  Drive your car or take the animal bus. Lots of things to do and see

Nasu Highland Amusement park: Roller coasters and rides for all the family

Minamigaoka Dairy: Action packed ranch with everything from animal rides, trout fishing, a petting zoo and local produce

The Stained Glass Museum is decorated with authentic stained glass from the 1800's and is styled like a English Manor house.  It's also a popular spot for weddings

Heisei no Mori is an area of forest that used to belong to the nearby Imperial Villa. It was gifted to the people and is now a diverse, natural forest area open to the public

Kinugawa Onsen area is easily accessible from Nasu, with many onsen hotels and public onsen as well as local sights

Sessho-seki or "Killing Stone" is the site of part of a famous Japanese story. Allegedly the stone kills anything that touches it

On the way up to Sesshou Seki, the path is lined with small statues. These statues were placed here to represent lost babies

Nasukogen Yuai no Mori is a roadside station that sells regional produce and crafts. There is food, crafts, wood, pottery and glassware in extensive grounds with outdoor sculptures

Local produce is available everywhere in the Nasu region. Weekend markets, local produce shops and roadside shops provide lots of great gifts and take-homes

Local produce includes many products made from blueberries: Wine, drink, salt, chocolate and shochu!

Shikanoyu is an example of the rustic, historical onsen that abound in the Nasu Yumoto region.

Nasu is famous for its onsen. The abundance of rustic, charming, original onsen in the region is amazing. It would take years to try them all: Milky, salty, iron, all different types, both indoor and outdoor, often for just a few hundred yen admission

To be called an onsen, the water must be from a natural volcanic source and naturally heated, or more often it is cooled to a safe temperature to sit in

The walking trails have some stunning views and are pretty all year round

Lots of boardwalks make it easier to cross some of the rougher or marshy areas

Penny Lane Bakery and Cafe is a locally famous Beatles themed cafe with amazing pastries and wonderful gardens to relax in while you sip your coffee and eat your goodies

Nasushiobara is one of the places where the Imperial family has a villa, coming here to relax and get away from the hustle of the city. Nasu and the surrounding area has so much to see and do. It is especially stunning in autumn with the colors of the foliage, but the views are amazing all year round. There are many hiking trails and lots of onsen to soak in after a day spent in the outdoors. Easily accessible from Tokyo by Shinkansen, there are buses regularly going to most of the major spots and hire cars available at the station. Here are around 20 interesting places to enjoy!

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Louise Archer

By Louise Archer

Community writer

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Mandy Bartok

Mandy Bartok 9 years ago

I was just in Tochigi, Louise, but you really make me want to go back! It looks lovely in autumn.

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