Utsunomiya

Utsunomiya is located in south-central Tochigi Prefecture in the northern Kantō plains. It is approximately 100 km (60 mi) north of Tokyo. The historic town of Nikkō is approximately 25 km (15 mi) northwest of Utsunomiya. The average elevation of the city is 100 metres (330 ft). Tochigi Prefecture Kaminokawa Kanuma Mibu Mooka Nikkō Sakura Shimotsuke Shioya Takanezawa Utsunomiya has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot and humid summers and cool winters. The average annual temperature in Utsunomiya is 14.3 °C (57.7 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,524.7 mm (60.03 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.0 °C (78.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around 2.8 °C (37.0 °F). Per Japanese census data, the population of Utsunomiya has recently plateaued after decades of strong growth.

Following the Second World War, Japanese soldiers who returned from Manchuria brought home to Utsunomiya gyoza recipes that originated from China. Soon after, the soldiers began to open dumpling (gyoza) restaurants around Utsunomiya. After the Utsunomiya city officials started to realize the popularity of gyoza in 1990, the Utsunomiya Gyoza Association was created. The creation of this association only made gyoza's popularity grow in the city. Utsunomiya gyoza is famous country-wide, so it attracts many tourists, as well as brings in a significant amount of revenue into the city. The city has 30 restaurants that specialize in serving gyoza. Utsunomiya is allegedly the highest consumer city of gyoza in Japan. There is also a 1.5-metre (5 ft) statue in the shape of the gyoza outside of Utsunomiya's JR station. Utsunomiya's annual Gyoza Dumplings Festival occurs at the Castle Ruins Park. …

Utsunomiya is the commercial and industrial center of Tochigi Prefecture. Utsunomiya is home to a Canon optical manufacturing plant, a Japan Tobacco plant, Honda design centers, and various other industrial concerns in the Kiyohara Industrial Park. In addition, one of the largest malls in the north Kantō region, Bell Mall is located near central Utsunomiya. There are six industrial complexes located in Utsunomiya, in addition to Kiyohara Industrial Park, one of the largest parks in Japan.

site of Utsunomiya Castle site of Tobuyama Castle Ōya-ji – a Buddhist temple including a museum with artifacts dating back to the Jōmon Period. Official Utsunomiya City Tourism Website

Utsunomiya is served by the high-speed Tohoku Shinkansen line from Tokyo, as well as a number of suburban lines operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and the private railway operator Tobu Railway. JR East – Tohoku Shinkansen Utsunomiya JR East – Tohoku Main Line (Utsunomiya Line/Shōnan-Shinjuku Line/Ueno-Tokyo Line) Suzumenomiya - Utsunomiya - Okamoto JR East – Nikkō Line Tsuruta - Utsunomiya JR East – Karasuyama Line Utsunomiya - Karasuyama Tobu Railway - Tobu Utsunomiya Line Nishi-Kawada - Esojima - Minami-Utsunomiya - Tōbu Utsunomiya Construction of a light rail transit system, Utsunomiya Light Rail, connecting Utsunomiya railway station with the neighbouring town of Haga was approved in 2016, with completion scheduled for December 2019. …