Travel Guide of Tochigi city for coffee addicts
by Nick Harrison
About this Travel Guide (Tochigi city coffee guide) by Nick
Want to taste some excellent artisan coffee in Japan? This Tochigi city coffee guide is geared towards that one thing that most people need to start their day! Coffee! If you are a coffee addict and love experiencing different coffee shops, Tochigi city has you covered! In recent years, Tochigi has become known as a Coffee Town with many independent cafes serving their very best! So in this guide, I’m sharing my favourites with you that you should not miss.
Who is this travel guide for?
This travel guide is for coffee addicts and anyone who loves relaxing in coffee shops and watching the world go by with a nice cup of joe!
Cost of a cup of coffee?
¥400 – 800 per cup of coffee
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Enjoy when
Words cannot espresso how much you mean to me.
Goridou Coffee Facrtory
This quaint little coffee shop is by far one of the best places if you love watching people go by and day dreaming. It sits on the corner of main street and the building is as traditional as you can get. The owner takes great pride in his coffee. The great thing about this place is they also make their own cola! It tastes amazing and is perfect if you have company that isn’t a coffee drinker.
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Better latte than never
Nikko Coffee Kuranomachi
Not too far from Goridou is Nikko Coffee a newcomer to Tochigi City but by no means lacking experience. They currently have their first shop in Nikko (North of Tochigi) and due to large success have expanded to Tochigi City. Along with coffee, they also serve meals which change with the season and use local produce. I recommend trying their shaved ice dessert that uses a high quality of ice which is said to not give someone brain freeze! Interesting
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Enjoy when
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It's a brew-tiful day
1 Cafe
1Cafe has a lot of good points going for it. It is located very close to Tochigi station and has a take out counter, perfect for those that are on a tight schedule of sightseeing. They also serve delicious bagels, I highly recommend the bagel with a Japanese influence, the Anzu (sweet bean paste) butter bagel. Another fantastic part of this Cafe is that there is a cake shop next door which allows you to take their cakes and eat it within 1Cafe! Now that’s top-notch service at its best!
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Where have you bean all my life?
Toukousha
Rather than a coffee shop, this is a place that has a large selection of coffee beans. So for those that are on a longer stay in Japan and like to brew their own coffee then I am sure you can find a blend that suits you in This store. Another great part of this store is that it has a large selection of souvenirs made of pottery. A number of my guests coming to Tochigi love the large selections of Chopstick place holders. (As seen in the photo)
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My favorite places to eat in Tochigi
Kayabuki
Located in Utsunomiya (an hour’s drive from Tochigi), this is a Izakaya bar unlike any you have experienced. It has all the formalities of a regular Izakaya bar except monkeys work there! Yes, real monkeys. They bring you your washcloth on arrival and even occasionally take part in the clinking of glasses as you raise a glass to cheers one another. Visited by every major news outlet in the world, be sure to check this place out!
Location : Google Map
Wakura Cafe
Although this did not make my list, wakura cafe is another of my favorites, which also serves delicious dessert. I love coming here to read travel books with a nice cup of cafe latte!
There are scenic paintings of local areas on the wall and it is very quiet. It’s a perfect place to sit quietly and plan your next adventure as well as an ideal date spot. Location : Google Map
Itinerary (My other ideas for a day trip)
Morning
- Take a boat ride along Uzuma River
- Visit Yokoyama Folk Museum
- Okada Memorial Museum
Afternoon
- Hike or cycle up Ohira mountain
- Daishi Kaikan floats museum
- Ohira adventure
Evening
- Karaoke Kan
- Ohira mountain
- Round 1 amusements
Lunch
- Kuran no machi dining
- cafe bazaar
- Daido ramen
Dinner
- HIGH TIMES
- Howdy`s Cafe
- Marco Pollo
Stay
- La Porte
- Kanahan Ryokan
- Tochigi Grand Hotel
Find out more about Tochigi Ciy here!
Local writer: Nick Harrison
Originally from London in the UK, Nick moved to Japan in 2008. He lives in Tochigi city with his Japanese wife and 4year old son. Nick enjoys watching movies from all genres, checking out new attractions and places with his family and meeting new people. When he is not working he enjoys travelling around Japan and looking for the next fun thing to share about Japan with the world.
See all of Nick’s guides: Nick Harrison Travel Guides