Where I am.

  So I live in Tochigi, but I reside in Utsunomiya city. Last year I lived about thirty minutes north in Sakura city near the Ujiie station. Through my work and just living I've traveled around and found things I'll do my best to share these through pictures and maps so that others can find these neat places as well.
   As a preliminary if anyone wants more information about a place or is interested in any activity in the area feel free to contact me and I'll see what sort of places I can see that are into it.

Utsunomiya
  This city is connected by the JR and the Tobu lines, unless you are directly downtown though it is easiest if you have a car around here. There are tons of buses that go around the city though that help you get where you need to go and biking around is also a very easy solution. There are several department stores for shopping and nice covered shopping street. What I've found is that every hobby is within a few hours drive (at most) from here. Anything from ballet and ballroom dancing to rock climbing and horseback riding is readily available within the city. Snowboarding, hiking, and surfing are just a short road trip in the proper direction. Even skydiving and paragliding are also quite close.

  If you are having fits of homesickness there are several websites for those snacks/foods you are craving as well as several import stores easily accessed here too. It all depends on the type of food/ snack/ drink you are looking for.
              www.theflyingpig.com- the online ordering/ shipping for the Costco near Tokyo
              www.themeatguy.jp- an online meat ordering site strictly for the harder to find things

  If you would like information on the stores in the city itself send me an email.

  There are two books I've had great fun with so far. It also helps that several friends share in my interests in these places. Any large bookstore should have a Tochigi Cafe Guide and Tochigi Onsen Guide. I find onsen good to spend time in a calming enviroment with friends. It is often also quite helpful to find somewhere to go when I would like to relax and happen to be in a different town as the onsen are spread all over Tochigi and have directions, prices, and the dates they are open.

  Cafes are often the same idea, they are instant food options and often very high quality food and coffee. When in a town that I don't know or don't have something to do one afternoon it is fun to pick one in a different city and just go. Almost always I will find something fun or interesting along the way. It is also a good place to sit and talk, I enjoy taking people to nice cafes in my city as they are exceedingly good food and pleasant atmosphere.

  Often the best ways to find out about interesting things going on in an area is through your friends, coworkers, and posters that are plastered all over. While traveling I always check the posters on the walls for local events that are happening and if I know about a certain festival or activity in the area I'll often ask about it for a clearer date. Sometimes I'll get lucky and it will be the following weekend. 

  Some places I look to be going over:
   Ashikaga
       Flower Park
       School/University and Nearby temple
       Cliff Shrine near Isuhara-benten-ike


    Oya
      Kannon
      Oyaji Temple
      Mine Museum
      Romantic Mura (Village)

 These are just some of the places that I really think are interesting and neat for various reasons. Hope to see you soon.