Tochigi Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the
island of Honshu, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.
Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized
by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture. Nikkō is
approximately one hour by train from Tokyo, and approximately 35 km west of
the capital Utsunomiya. Other famous parts of Tochigi include a
region called Nasu known for onsen and local sake and ski resorts. The Imperial
family has a villa in Nasu. Nasu-Shiobara is a major Shinkansen
station. Another onsen resort is at Kinugawa
Onsen. Prefectural overview
Situated among the inland prefectures of the northern part of the Kantō region,
Tochigi is contiguous with Ibaraki, Gunma, Saitama, and Fukushima
Prefectures. The climate of Tochigi may be classified
as a humid temperate zone with broad variations in temperature. Winters are
arid with dry winds, while summers are humid with frequent thunderstorms.
The population of Tochigi as of November 2010 is approximately 2,005,096.
Located in the center of the prefecture is the largest open plain in the Kantō
region. Shirane, Nantai and Nasudake mountain are in the northern part of the
area. Kinugawa, Nakagawa, and Watarase River originate in this region, which
flow across the Kanto plain before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. Tochigi
is the 20th largest prefecture in Japan with a total area of 6,408 square km.
As of 1 April 2012, 21% of the total land area of the prefecture was
designated as Natural Parks, namely Nikkō National Park, Oze National Park,
and eight Prefectural Natural Parks. History
Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Tochigi was known as Shimotsuke Province.
In the early 15th century, Ashikaga Gakko, Japan's oldest school of higher
education, was re-established, holding over 3,000 students by the 16th century.
Saint Francis Xavier introduced Ashikaga to the world as the best university in
Japan. In the early 17th century, Japan was
unified by the shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu. After his death, Tōshō-gū shrine was
built in Nikko on what the shoguns thought of as holy ground to protect and
worship Ieyasu. The establishment of the Nikkō Tōshō-gū in 1617 brought Nikkō to
national attention. The Tokugawa Shogunate developed the Nikkō Kaidō and
required lavish processions to worship Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa line
of shoguns. In the late 19th century the Tokugawa
Shogunate fell and the new government established the prefectures. The
prefectural capital was established in the city of Tochigi after the
unification of Utsunomiya Prefecture and Tochigi Prefecture in 1873. By 1884,
however, the capital was transferred to Utsunomiya.
In March 2011, following the Fukushima I nuclear accidents, levels of
radioactivity in Utsunomiya were 33 times higher than normal.
Municipalities The chief city of Utsunomiya is famous
for its many gyoza specialist shops. Also located in Utsunomiya, Tochigi
Prefecture has one of the largest shopping malls in the North Kantō
region, Bell Mall. = Cities=
Fourteen cities are located in Tochigi Prefecture:
= Towns= These are the towns in each district:
= Mergers= Industry and agriculture
Located close to Tōkyō, Tochigi is home to many corporations and industrial
zones, including the Kiyohara Industrial Complex, one of the largest inland
industrial complexes in the country. Industrial manufacturing accounts for
36.6% of the prefecture's total output. Vehicle parts and accessories are the
primary products, followed by vehicles, radios and televisions, pharmaceuticals,
and wireless communication equipment. Below are goods manufactured in Tochigi
with the highest market share in Japan: (The 2004 industrial analysis report
published by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
The annual gross agricultural output in Tochigi is about 274 billion yen. Rice,
vegetables, and livestock are produced in the region. Tochigi is also known for
strawberries, Chinese chives, and Japanese pears sold throughout Japan and
exported to other countries. Approximately 55% of Tochigi is covered
by forests. Mushrooms, such as Shiitake mushrooms, make up half of the forest
industry, with an output of approximately 5.6 billion yen.
Education Tochigi is home to many universities and
colleges including those for science and technology, literature, medicine,
education, and art. Below is an alphabetical list of some of the
universities located in Tochigi. Ashikaga Institute of Technology
Bunsei University of Art, Utsunomiya Dokkyo University School of Medicine,
Mibu Hakuoh University, Oyama
International University of Health and Welfare, Otawara
Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke Oyama National College of Technology
Sakushin Gakuin University, Utsunomiya Sano College
Teikyo University, Utsunomiya Tochigi College of Industry and
Technology, Utsunomiya Tochigi College of Industry and
Technology, Nasu Tochigi College of Industry and
Technology, Ashikaga Utsunomiya Kyowa University, Utsunomiya
and Nasushiobara Utsunomiya University
People Sports
The sports teams listed below are based in Tochigi.
= Football= Tochigi S.C.
= Ice hockey= Nikkō Ice Bucks
= Basketball= Tochigi Brex
= Motorsport= Twin Ring Motegi circuit
Nikko Circuit Tourism
Nikkō National Park is famous for its UNESCO World Heritage Site which was
registered as the 10th World Heritage Site in 1999. This encompasses Rinnō-ji,
Nikkō Tōshō-gū, Mount Nantai, and Futarasan Shrine. The Kegon Falls, also
in Nikkō, is popular with tourists. To travel between the city and the falls,
automobiles and buses take the Irohazaka, a road with dozens of
switchbacks. In addition, 400-year-old Japanese Cedars line the famous Cedar
Avenue of Nikkō for roughly 35 km, making it the longest tree-lined avenue
in the world. A more recent and modern attraction is
the Twin Ring Motegi Circuit race course, which hosts the only IndyCar
race outside the United States. The track also hosts many other race events
including Formula One and motorcycle races as well as festivals and fireworks
events. Tochigi has many traditional festivals
and events such as Nikkō Tōshō-gū's 1000 Samurai Procession and Horseback Archery
Festival, and the city of Tochigi's Autumn Festival where doll floats are
pulled around the city once every five years.
Other attractions include: Nikkō Tōshō-gū
Rinnō-ji Futarasan Shrine
Kegon Falls Lake Chuzenji
Kirifuri Falls Mashiko
Shiobara Hot Spring Nasu resort area
Kinugawa Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura
Transportation and access = Roads=
Traversing the prefecture along the north-south axis and connecting to the
rest of the country are the Tōhoku Expressway and the new and old Route 4.
From east to west spans Route 50, connecting southern Tochigi with Ibaraki
and Gunma Prefectures. Also connecting Tochigi, Gunma, and
Ibaraki is the Kita-Kantō Expressway, with the 18.5 km that connect the
Tochigi-Tsuga Interchange and the Utsunomiya-Kaminokawa Interchange.
Portions of the Kita-Kantō Expressway are still being constructed and is set
to be fully completed by 2011. The highway will link the region's other
main transport arteries, the Tōhoku, the Jōban and the Kan-Etsu Expressways,
providing a link to the international port of Hitachinaka in Ibaraki.
= Rail= The Tōhoku Shinkansen and the JR
Utsunomiya Line are the main railways running north and south in Tochigi.
Shinkansen runs from Tokyo Station to Oyama in south Tochigi in 43 minutes.
Utsunomiya can be reached by rail in as little as 48 minutes, and many parts of
Tochigi are within commuting range of central Tokyo. To the east and west, the
Mito and Ryōmō Lines connect Tochigi to Ibaraki and Gunma.
Freight is served by the Utsunomiya Freight Terminal.
East Japan Railway Company Tōhoku Shinkansen
Shōnan-Shinjuku Line Utsunomiya Line
Nikkō Line Ryōmō Line
Mito Line Karasuyama Line
Tobu Isesaki Line
Nikko Line Kinugawa Line
Utsunomiya Line Sano Line
Mooka Railway Yagan Railway
Watarase Keikoku Line = Air travel=
Fukushima Airport is approximately an hour's drive from Utsunomiya on the
Tōhoku Expressway. International and national air transportation is through
Narita International Airport to the east of Tokyo, approximately three hours by
vehicle from Utsunomiya. Notes
References Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe
Roth.. Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN
978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128 External links
Official Tochigi Prefecture website Tochigi International Association
website Tochigi travel guide from Wikivoyage