Utsunomiya: Cold Noodles, Colder Air, and a Whole Lotta 'Huh?'
okay, so utsunomiya. i didn’t choose utsunomiya, exactly. it was a layover city, a blip on the radar between gigs. i’m a touring session drummer, right? always chasing the next soundcheck, the next dimly lit stage. and honestly? i needed a break from ramen. don’t get me wrong, i love a good bowl, but after three weeks of it, my internal organs were starting to resemble noodles themselves.
this place…it’s got a vibe. a very specific vibe. it’s not trying to be cute, you know? it’s just…existing. and it’s cold. like, properly, bone-chillingly cold. i just checked and it’s…a persistent dampness clinging to everything, hope you’re into that sort of thing. the weather report said 6.77 degrees Celsius, but “feels like” 4.75. which, honestly, feels accurate. my fingers are currently protesting the existence of drumsticks.
so, i wandered. i always wander. it’s how i find the good stuff. the *parks are surprisingly empty, even for a weekday. the people are…reserved. polite, absolutely, but not exactly chatty. i tried asking for directions to a decent coffee shop (a drummer needs fuel, people!) and got a series of very precise, very unhelpful gestures. i eventually found a place, though. https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Coffee%20Shops&find_loc=Utsunomiya%2C%20Tochigi%2C%20Japan - it was…functional. let’s leave it at that.
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"apparently, the gyoza here is legendary. like, people will fight you for the last one. i overheard that at the train station."
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gyoza. okay, i can get behind gyoza. i found a little hole-in-the-wall place near the station (i think? my sense of direction is permanently damaged from years of touring). it was packed. shoulder-to-shoulder, steam everywhere. and the gyoza was good. seriously good. crispy, juicy, perfect. i’m pretty sure i saw a guy weep with joy after finishing his plate.
my hotel is…basic. but it has a heater, which is a win. the walls are paper thin, though. i can hear the guy next door practicing his karaoke. and it’s not good karaoke. it’s the kind of karaoke that makes you question all your life choices. if you get bored, Nikko is just a short train ride away, apparently. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g303206-Nikko_Tochigi_Prefecture_Kanto-Vacations.html i’m tempted, but honestly, i’m too tired to move.
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"don’t trust the maps. they’re…optimistic. a local warned me about that. said i’d end up in a rice paddy."
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and the neighbors? well, they mostly ignore me. which is fine. i’m a transient blur in their lives. a drummer passing through. i did see one old woman tending her garden, though. she gave me a very stern look when i accidentally stepped on her lawn*. fair enough.
someone told me that there’s a really weird museum dedicated to yuba (tofu skin) here. i haven’t checked it out yet. honestly, the thought of spending an afternoon looking at tofu skin is…exhausting. but hey, maybe it’s amazing. who knows? that’s the beauty of travel, right? the unexpected. the slightly bizarre. the cold noodles and colder air. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3802.html might have more info if you're feeling adventurous. i'm off to find another gyoza place. and maybe earplugs.
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