Oyama
Introduction
Oyama is a city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, and one of the larger communities in the prefecture. It sits within a total area of roughly 172 square kilometres, with a population density that reflects a settled, built-up character rather than open countryside.
For travellers, Oyama works as a stop in the wider Tochigi region rather than a destination in its own right. The city's size means you'll find the range of services and transport links you'd expect from a substantial Japanese city, while Utsunomiya, the prefectural capital, lies within the same prefecture if you're planning to move on.
Before you go
Before you go, be aware that practical planning information for this destination is limited: the local tourist association maintains a guide site, but it is available in Japanese only. If you do not read Japanese, you will need to rely on other sources for orientation and trip preparation. Given how thin the official information is, it is worth sorting out your transport and accommodation arrangements before arrival rather than expecting to find extensive English-language guidance on the ground.Getting there
Oyama sits on the Tōhoku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Aomori, served by the Nasuno and Yamabiko all-stations services. There is one train per hour from Tokyo, with more frequent departures in the peak-direction rush; the trip takes about 42 minutes. A minor thrill of the station itself is standing on the Shinkansen platform as through-trains barrel past at full throttle on the middle tracks, away from either platform. The town is also a junction for three conventional JR lines: the Tohoku Line running north-south between Utsunomiya and Ueno, the Mito Line heading east to the historic city of Mito, and the Ryōmō Line heading west to Takasaki, where the Jōetsu Shinkansen toward Niigata splits from the Nagano Shinkansen. Local trains from Ueno on the Tohoku Line — the section also called the Utsunomiya Line — take 75 minutes, with some rush-hour rapid services cutting that to as little as 60. By road, Oyama lies at the crossing of National Route 50, running east-west between Mito and Takasaki, and National Route 4, running north-south between Tokyo and Aomori.Getting around
Oyama is compact enough that you can cover much of the station area — hotels, shops and the immediate surroundings — on foot, and the rail network does the heavy lifting for anything farther afield. The city sits at the crossing point of several JR lines, so you can reach a wide range of destinations without backtracking through Tokyo: the JR Mito Line heads east to Mito, the JR Ryōmō Line heads west to Takasaki (where the Jōetsu and Nagano Shinkansen split off), and the JR Tohoku (Utsunomiya) Line runs north–south between Utsunomiya and Ueno. Buy JR tickets at the station, and note that a Japan Rail Pass covers all JR trains at no extra cost.
The source does not describe a local bus network, tram system or metro, so plan on trains and your own two feet. Taxis are available at the station and are the simplest way to cover short trips too far to walk, particularly with luggage or for somewhere off the main rail corridors; ride-hailing apps are not documented, so treat taxis as the dependable option and arrange one at the station rank or by phone. If you are driving, Oyama lies at the intersection of National Route 50 (east–west between Mito and Takasaki) and National Route 4 (north–south between Tokyo and Aomori), though for most visitors arriving from Tokyo the train is the simpler and faster choice.
Where to stay
Most of Oyama's accommodation clusters around JR Oyama station, so you can pick your side of the tracks and walk to your room. On the east side, Excel Inn Oyama sits right outside the East Exit and offers bilingual Japanese-English hotel literature, a computer with internet access in the ground-floor lobby, and a free breakfast service that runs into the mid-morning. Also on the east side, within about five minutes' walk of the East Exit, are Hotel Sun Royal Oyama and Toyoko Inn Oyama-eki Higashi-guchi No.1, while Ai Hotel Oyama is a short distance away in Chuo-cho. The west exit puts you within a minute of Kokusai Daiichi Hotel, which provides free high-speed ADSL internet access from its rooms, and about five minutes from Super Hotel Oyama in Shiroyama-cho. If you're arriving by car rather than train, Oyama Grand Hotel lies further out near the intersection of National Routes 4 and 50, roughly 25 minutes from the Sano-Fujioka exit on the Tohoku Expressway, and offers both Western and Japanese-style rooms.Food & drink
For a quick bite between trains, head to the ground-floor food court below the Val department store at the West Exit. The ramen shop there is generous with pepper and garlic, and the soba shop serves fresh wasabi you grate yourself, with little bags to take away the leftover stubs.
- Bistro de Princess, Shiroyama-cho, a few blocks west of the station's West Exit on the right just before a pedestrian overpass: an omakase French-style bistro run by an eccentric chef who trained at the Akasaka Prince Hotel. At lunch it's prix fixe; at dinner you tell the chef your party size and budget per person and leave the rest to him, and he may ask about ages, genders or eating restrictions. Budget more if you ask him to choose the wine.
- Cafe Colorado, across the street from the Roble department store out the West Exit, serves sandwich plates and is closed on Wednesdays.
- Yuzen-ya, between Toys-R-Us and Family Mart on Route 50: a foreigner-friendly, family-friendly, family-run izakaya with a wide variety of meals, appetizers and drinks.
For coffee between trains, Beck's is inside the station, Starbucks sits just outside the West Exit wickets at the entrance to Val department store, a quieter Tully's is on the second floor at the outer edge of Roble department store next to Val, and the more traditional Cafe Colorado is across from Roble. For something stronger, Natty Pub on Ekihigashi-dori, straight out the East Exit and right at the second light, is a reggae bar with tropical treats.
What to see and do
The source material for Oyama offers no entries under either See or Do, so there is nothing to describe here. Check back once details on sights and activities have been added.Three days in Oyama
Day one: Arrive in Oyama, a city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, and use it as your base. It is served by the Tōhoku Shinkansen, with Tokyo to the south and Aomori far to the north; the Nasuno and Yamabiko services stop here. There are also JR lines: the Tohoku Line toward Ueno, the Mito Line toward Mito, and the Ryōmō Line toward Takasaki. The Jōetsu Shinkansen runs toward Niigata and the Nagano Shinkansen toward Nagano. Local trains on the Utsunomiya Line are another option, and you can reach the city by National Route as well. Buy JR tickets as needed for your onward travel.
Day two: Use the JR Mito Line or JR Ryōmō Line to explore the surrounding area, or head to Utsunomiya. Before you travel, check connections, since English information may be limited.
Day three: Continue by local trains or Shinkansen toward Utsunomiya, Mito, Takasaki, or beyond, depending on your route.