Tochigi-Ji-Guide in English
Ryomo Area
a place with opportunities to become familiar with history, nature and food
Places of historic interest, including Ashikaga School, abound here. The natural environment is also well preserved, with beautiful flowers of each season blossom one after another. New tourist attractions here include Sano ramen noodles and the Sano Premium Outlet.
Sightseeing spot navigation
Ashikaga School
Ashikaga School is said to be the oldest university in Japan. Although opinions are divided on its founders, a convincing theory goes that it was established by the Second Ashikaga Shogun Yoshikane as the family’s school in the early Kamakura Period. This outstanding institution in medieval Japan became known in Europe when missionary Francisco Xavier praised it as Japan’s largest and most famous university in the Kanto Region.
Ashikaga Flower Park
This theme park of flowers boasts the large site of 82,000 square meters. The trellis of large wisterias over 130 years in age and the 80-meter-long tunnel of white wisteria are truly dazzling. There are 160 wisterias over 80 years in age and 1,500 Kurume Azaleas.
Bannaji Temple
Founded by the Second Ashikaga Shogun Yoshikane in 1196, this temple retains the vestige of samurai residences in the Kamakura Period. It was designated by the Japanese Government as a National Historic Site that was once was the residence of the Ashikaga family. Its main hall, bell tower and scripture house are designated as National Important Cultural Assets.
Sano Ramen
Sano has come to be widely known to Chinese noodle lovers as the “city of ramen.” The secret of the supreme taste is in the spring water from the Izurubara Benten Pond, which has been chosen as one of the 100 places producing good-quality water. Noodles made from high-quality wheat and the noodle making techniques using green bamboo logs also work to enrich and enhance the taste. The city has more than 210 ramen restaurants, each competing to study and produce supreme ramen.
Sano Premium Outlet
This large shopping mall, opened in 2003, is the third Premium Outlet chain store to be established in Japan. The buildings, modeled after those in U.S. east coast cities, house some 80 domestic and international brand-name shops. Expensive brand articles are offered at a discount.