Every year Japan celebrates Golden Week. It starts from April 29th which was the former Emperor Showa’s birthday. It is celebrated so that people can look back on the hardship and recovery of the Showa period and think about the future of Japan.
Every city celebrates various festivals during this week. There are pop-up stores almost everywhere. People can take advantage of huge sale and discounts from different stores. Families get reunited or they take a vacation in another prefecture.
There are many tourist destinations to visit in Utsunomiya. There’s the famous Oya History Museum – Subterranean Cave that was formed through mining. You can explore series of caverns that were carved into the ground. It is advised to bring a jacket when you visit this museum as the temperature has become stable at 10 degrees Celsius all year round. There’s also the historic Oya Temple which is over a thousand-year-old Buddhist temple that was built in the volcanic Oya stone cliffs.
If you’re traveling with your young ones, you should visit the Tochinoki Family Land, an amusement park with various thrill rides that kids will surely like. Utsunomiya Zoo is a great choice as well. Kids will absolutely enjoy feeding and petting small animals and family rides in the zoo. If you like something historic, you can visit Matsugamine Catholic Church, a Romanesque structure built from Oya stones.
These are only a few places to explore in Utsunomiya. Taking a break from work while enjoying the company of your loved ones are the essence of long holidays in Japan. You’ll definitely feel refreshed and recharged once you go back to work.
