 Tochigi Prefecture (栃木県) Travel Guide
Tochigi Prefecture (栃木県) is a prefecture of Japan in the Kanto Region, on the island of Honshu. The prefectural capital is the city of Utsunomiya.
A landlocked prefecture, Tochigi is bordered by Fukushima Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the west, Saitama Prefecture to the south and Ibaraki Prefecture to the east. It is the 20th biggest prefecture in the country, out of 47, covering 6,408 sq km. It also ranks 20th in terms of population, which is 2 million (2011 estimate).
Sugajinja Shrine, Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture
Author: Tatsundo h (public domain)
The northern part of Tochigi Prefecture is mountainous, with peaks such as Shirane (2,578m), Nantai (2,484m), and Nasudake (1,917m). The center part is a large open plain.
The development of Tochigi Prefecture can be traced to the late 7th century, when it was part of the Shimotsuke Province. The introduction of Buddhism led to it becoming the Buddist capital of the Kanto Region. The oldest university in Japan, Ashikaga University, was established there in the 15th century. During the feudal period, the shoguns built the city of Nikko as a sacred site of worship.
When Tochigi Prefecture was established in the late 19th century, the prefectural capital was originally the city of Tochigi, but it was transferred to the city of Utsunomiya when the prefecture merged with Utsunomiya Prefecture.
Ashikaga Flower Park, Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture
Author: 京浜にけ (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
Going to Tochigi Prefecture
The Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train makes stops at Oyama, Utsunomiya and Nasushiobara in Tochigi Prefecture on its way to the Tohoku Region. If your destination is Nikko or Kinugawa, the private Tobu Line connects you from Asakusa Station in Tokyo at a cheaper rate.
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Cities of Tochigi Prefecture
- Utsunomiya - capital
- Ashikaga
- Kinugawa
- Mashiko
- Mooka
- Oyama
- Sano
- Tochigi
Tourist Attractions of Tochigi Prefecture
- Kirifuri Highlands
- Nikko
- Yumoto
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