🗺️ Ohtani Memorial Museum大谷資料館

Half a century ago, the area around Oya Town in Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture, was a large underground quarry where "Oya Stone" was mined, which was used as building material for the original "Imperial Hotel." The Oya Museum tells the history of mining through the display of tools from the manual mining era, as well as information about the changes in mechanization and transportation methods. The underground excavation site within the museum is a vast space, covering approximately 20,000 square meters, with an average depth of 30 meters underground, and the deepest point reaching 60 meters. Once illuminated, the interior resembles a grand palace filled with mystery. Additionally, various exhibition areas showcase art pieces and feature light sculpture projections, making it a perfect spot for photography. Many movies, TV dramas, and music videos have been filmed here, and it is also used as a venue for concerts and weddings. Inside the Oya Museum, there is a stylish café and a handicraft shop, allowing visitors to relax with a cup of coffee after touring the museum or to explore local traditional crafts from Tochigi Prefecture.

You can learn about the history of mining Ōya stone. The average temperature in midsummer is only a cool 12°C. Many movies, TV dramas, and music videos have been filmed here. The facility has a café where you can enjoy light meals such as French crepes. In the craft shop within the facility, traditional folk crafts from Tochigi Prefecture, as well as home decor and miscellaneous goods, are sold.