JAPAN PICS
Utsunomiya City, Tochigi
“È–ØŒ§‰F“s‹{Žs
Table of Contents

  Miyanohashi (‹{‚Ì‹´)
  "Gyoza" [Ch. chiaotzu] (éLŽq)
JAPAN PICS GENERAL INDEX
Hokkaido District
  
Do-o (Hokkaido Central)
  
   Naganuma Town (The Tsuchinotomi Society Tour)
2006
   Otaru City (The Tsuchinotomi Society Tour)
2006
   Sapporo City (The Tsuchinotomi Society Tour)
2006
   Sapporo City ("Nihon-no-Matsuri" 2006)
2006
Iwate of the Tohoku District
  
   Esashi, Oshu City
2004-2011
   Hachimantai City
2006
   Hanamaki City
2005-2007
   Hiraizumi Town
2003-2007
   Ichinoseki City
2004-2010
   Iwaizumi Town
2005
   Kitakami City
2005
   Miyako City
2009-2011
   Mizusawa, Oshu City
2004-2012
   Morioka City
2004-2012
   Ninohe City
2007
   Rikuzentakata City
2008-2011
   Shizukuishi Town
2007
   Tono City
2003
Other Tohoku Regions
  
Aomori
  
   Hachinohe City (The Tsuchinotomi Society Tour)
2006
Miyagi
  
   Matsushima Town
2006
   Tome City
2005
Yamagata
  
   Yamadera, Yamagata City
2005
Kanto District
  
Ibaraki
  
   Joso City
2007
   Kashima City
2006
   Mito City
2008
   Shimotsuma City
2007
Kanagawa
  
   Kamakura City
2005-2007
Tochigi
  
   Nikko City
2002-2007
   Utsunomiya City
2007
Tokyo
  
   Tokyo Central
2002-2012
Yamanashi
  
   Kofu City
2007
Chubu District
  
Aichi
  
   Nagoya City
2008
   Toyokawa City
2009
Fukui
  
   Eiheiji Town
2009
   Fukui City
2009-2011
   Obama City
2009
   Tsuruga City
2009-2011
Gifu
  
   Gujo-Hachiman
2009
   Sekigahara Town
2008
Ishikawa
  
   Kanazawa City
2008
Nagano
  
   Nagano City
2007
   Matsumoto City
2007
Shizuoka
  
   Fuji City
2009-2010
Kansai (Kinki) District
  
Hyogo
  
   Ako City
2008
   Himeji City
2008
   Kobe City
2008-2012
   Nishinomiya City
2012
   Tamba City
2010
Kyoto
  
   Kyoto City Central
2005-2012
   Kyoto City East
2005-2012
   Kyoto City North
2005-2011
   Kyoto City South
2006-2012
   Kyoto City West
2005-2012
   Ayabe City
2010
   Maizuru City
2010
   Miyazu City
2012
   Uji City
2006
   Yahata City
2006
Mie
  
   Iga City
2011
   Ise City
2009
Nara
  
   Asuka Area
2006
   Ikaruga Town
2005
   Nara City Central
2006-2010
   Nishinokyo, Nara City
2005-2010
   Sakurai City
2011
   Tenri City
2011-2012
   Yoshino Town
2010
Osaka
  
   Hirakata City
2005-2012
   Osaka City Central
2007-2011
   Sakai City
2010
Shiga
  
   Azuchi-cho, Omihachiman City
2008-2010
   Hikone City
2008
   Koka City
2011
   Nagahama City
2008-2011
   Otsu City
2006-2009
Wakayama
  
   Koya Town
2009
   Wakayama City
2011
Chugoku District
  
Hiroshima
  
   Hiroshima City
2002-2012
   Miyajima, Hatsukaichi City
2002-2012
   Onomichi City
2002
Okayama
  
   Kurashiki City
2008
   Okayama City
2008
Shimane
  
   Izumo City
2011
   Oda City
2012
   Tsuwano Town
2012
Yamaguchi
  
   Hagi City
2012
   Iwakuni City
2012
   Shimonoseki City
2010-2012
   Yamaguchi City
2010-2012
Shikoku District
  
Ehime
  
   Matsuyama City
2011
Kagawa
  
   Kotohira Town
2011
   Takamatsu City
2011
Kochi
  
   Kochi City
2011
Kyushu District
  
Fukuoka
  
   Dazaifu City
2010
   Fukuoka City
2010
   Kitakyushu City
2010-2012
Kagoshima
  
   Hioki City
2010
   Kagoshima City
2010
Nagasaki
  
   Nagasaki City
2010
Oita
  
   Oita City
2010

Utsunomiya City, Tochigi
28 January 2007

  Utsunomiya City has the prefecture office of Tochigi Prefecture, north of the Kanto Plains.  It was founded by Toyokiirhiko-no-mikoto (–Lé“ü•F–½) who desired to "pacify" the Ezochi (‰ÚˆÎ’n; lit. the land of barbarians), or now called the Tohoku District.  The name "Utsunomiya" (‰F“s‹{) is derived from the fact that Soen Fujiwara (“¡Œ´@‰~, 1043-1112), a powerful politician in the late Heian Period, settled in this land and change his family name to "Utsunomiya" which was the title of Nikko-jinjya or the present Futarasan-jinjya Shrine.  Since then the 22 generations of Utsunomiya clan ruled this area over 500 years.  During the Edo Period Utsunomiya Town prospered as the shrine town of Tosho-gu Shrine, as the major post town of the Oshu-kaido Road (‰œBŠX“¹) and as the bourg of many clans (finally of the Toda clan).  Utsunomiya Town was called "Little Edo" (¬]ŒË) during the Edo Period.  It became the city in April 1896.  The present city which has been developing as an industrial city called "Utsunomiya Technopolis," covers 312.16 sq km and has the population of 459,210 (September 1, 2006).  Now it is also famous for varieties of "Gyoza" (éLŽq), originally from the Chinese dish "Chiaotzu."

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Miyanohashi
     Miyanohashi (‹{‚Ì‹´) is located west of JR Utsunomiya Station.
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(Sunday 28 January) JR Utsunomiya Station viewed from Miyanohashi Bridge
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(Sunday 28 January) Miyanohashi Bridge
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(Sunday 28 January) The Tagawa River (“cì) viewed from Miyanohashi Bridge
  
     
Gyoza
     Recently Utsunomiya is very famous for "gyoza" (éLŽq), originally from the Chinese dish "chiaotzu."  Utsnomiya Gyoza was diffused by repatriates from Manchuria (Northern China).  It started from one Gyoza stall (‰®‘ä) in 1953.
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(Sunday 28 January) Statue of Gyoza (éLŽq‘œ) made of the local Oya Stone in front of the east entrance of JR Utsunomiya Station
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(Sunday 28 January) Umai-ya (‰F–¡‰Æ), a Gyoza restaurant in Ekimae-dori Street
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(Sunday 28 January) "Stamina Kenta" (ƒXƒ^ƒ~ƒiŒ’‘¾), a Gyoza restaurant off Ekimae-dori Street
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(Sunday 28 January) Utsunomiya Minmin (‰F“s‹{‚Ý‚ñ‚Ý‚ñ), the most popular Gyoza retaurant of Utsunomiya: "Gempo Miyajima-cho Honten" (4-2-3 Baba-dori).  "Minmin" first opened here in July 1958.  The founder learned the Chinese "Chiaotzu" in Beijing.  There are 10 branches in Utsunomiya.
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(Sunday 28 January) Utsunomiya Minmin, "Gempo Miyajima-cho Honten" (4-2-3 Baba-dori)
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(Sunday 28 January) Utsunomiya Minmin, "Gempo Miyajima-cho Honten" (4-2-3 Baba-dori)
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(Sunday 28 January) Utsunomiya Minmin, "Gempo Miyajima-cho Honten" (4-2-3 Baba-dori).  This is my dinner!  It costs 320 yen!  However, I am still waiting "Sui-Gyoza" (…éLŽq; Gyoza soup).
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(Sunday 28 January) Utsunomiya Minmin, "Gempo Miyajima-cho Honten" (4-2-3 Baba-dori).  This is the whole of my dinner!  It costs 540 yen in all!



        


Copyright (c) 2007 Eishiro Ito.  All rights reserved.