is a landlocked

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

located in the

Kantō region The is a geography, geographical region of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures of Japan, prefectures: Chiba Prefecture, Chiba, Gunma Prefe ...

Honshu , historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the list of islands by area, seventh-largest island in the world, and the list of islands by ...

. Tochigi Prefecture has a population of 1,897,649 (1 June 2023) and has a geographic area of 6,408 km² (2,474

sq mi The square mile (abbreviated as sq mi and sometimes as mi2)Rowlett, Russ (September 1, 2004) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved February 22, 2012. is an imperial and US unit of measure for area. One square mile is equa ...

). Tochigi Prefecture borders

Fukushima Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Fukushima Prefecture has a population of 1,771,100 () and has a geographic area of . Fukushima Prefecture borders Miyagi Prefecture and Yamagata Prefecture ...

to the north,

Gunma Prefecture is a landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of . Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fuk ...

to the west,

Saitama Prefecture is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (January 1, 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 Square kilometre, km2 ( ...

to the south, and

Ibaraki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Ibaraki Prefecture has a population of 2,828,086 (1 July 2023) and has a geographic area of . Ibaraki Prefecture borders Fukushima Prefecture to the north, ...

to the southeast.

Utsunomiya is the capital and largest city of Tochigi Prefecture in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 513,584, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Utsunomiya is famous for its ''gyoza'' ...

is the capital and largest city of Tochigi Prefecture, with other major cities including Oyama, Tochigi, and Ashikaga. Tochigi Prefecture is one of only eight

landlocked A landlocked country is a country that has no territory connected to an ocean or whose coastlines lie solely on endorheic basins. Currently, there are 44 landlocked countries, two of them doubly landlocked (Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan), and t ...

prefectures and its mountainous northern region is a popular tourist region in Japan. The Nasu area is known for its

onsen In Japan, are hot springs and the bathing facilities and Ryokan (inn), traditional inns around them. There are approximately 25,000 hot spring sources throughout Japan, and approximately 3,000 ''onsen'' establishments use naturally hot water ...

s, local

sake Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...

, and

ski Skis are runners, attached to the user's feet, designed to glide over snow. Typically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partially secured heel. For climbing slopes, ski skins c ...

resorts, the villa of the

Imperial Family A royal family is the immediate family of monarch, monarchs and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or emperor, empress, and the term papal family describes the family of ...

, and the station of the

Shinkansen The , colloquially known in English as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. It was initially built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital, to aid economic growth and development. Beyond lon ...

railway line. The city of

Nikkō is a Cities of Japan, city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city's population was 80,239, in 36,531 households. The population density was 55 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Nikkō is a popular destination for Japanese and ...

, with its ancient

Shintō shrine A Stuart D. B. Picken, 1994. p. xxiii is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more , the deities of the Shinto religion. The Also called the . is where a shrine's patron is or are enshrined.Iwanami Japanese dictiona ...

s and

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

s, is a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

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 6,408.09 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 is a national park in the Kantō region, on the main island of Honshū in Japan. The park spreads over three prefectures: Tochigi, Gunma and Fukushima, and was established in 1934. History The establishment of Nikkō National Park dates to ...

Oze National Park , is an area consisting of open greenland in Fukushima, Tochigi, Gunma and Niigata Prefectures in Japan. The park is 372 km2 in area and is the 29th national park in Japan. Opened on 30 August 2007, the park's area includes the marshes ...

, and eight Prefectural Natural Parks.

History

Before the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

, Tochigi was known as

Shimotsuke Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today Tochigi Prefecture.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''SHimotsuke''" in . Shimotsuke was bordered by Kōzuke Province, Kōzuke, Hitachi Province, ...

. In the early 15th century, the

Ashikaga Gakkō is Japan's oldest standing academic building. It is located in the city of Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, about 70 kilometres north of Tokyo. It was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1928. History There are various theories and ...

, Japan's oldest school of higher education, was re-established in the prefecture, holding over 3,000 students by the 16th century. Saint

Francis Xavier Francis Xavier, Jesuits, SJ (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; ; ; ; ; ; 7 April 15063 December 1552), venerated as Saint Francis Xavier, was a Kingdom of Navarre, Navarrese cleric and missionary. He co-founded the Society of Jesus ...

introduced Ashikaga to the world as the best university in Japan. In the early 17th century, Japan was unified under the

shōgun , officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...

Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Ieyasu (born Matsudaira Takechiyo; 31 January 1543 – 1 June 1616) was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was the third of the three "Gr ...

. After his death, the Nikko Tōshō-gū shrine was built in

in 1617 on what the shōguns thought of as holy ground to protect and worship Ieyasu. Its establishment brought Nikkō to national attention. Ieyasu's successors as

Tokugawa shogun The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...

developed the

Nikkō Kaidō The was one of the centrally administered Edo Five Routes, five routes of the Edo period. It was built to connect the ''de facto'' capital of Japan at Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with the temple-shrine complex of the Mangan-ji and Tōshōsha (now cal ...

(日光街道, part of the major road connecting Nikkō with

Edo Edo (), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the '' de facto'' capital of Japan from 1603 as the seat of the Tokugawa shogu ...

) and acquired lavish processions to worship Ieyasu. In the late 19th century, the Tokugawa shogunate fell and the new government established the

prefectures A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...

. 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 Daiichi nuclear disaster The Fukushima nuclear accident was a major nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan, which began on 11 March 2011. The cause of the accident was the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which r ...

, levels of

radioactivity Radioactive decay (also known as nuclear decay, radioactivity, radioactive disintegration, or nuclear disintegration) is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is conside ...

in Utsunomiya were 33 times higher than normal.

Geography

The chief city of Utsunomiya is famous for its many

gyoza ''Jiaozi'' or Gyoza (; ) are a type of Chinese dumpling. ''Jiaozi'' typically consist of a ground meat or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together. ''Jiaozi'' can be ...

specialist shops. Also located in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture has one of the largest shopping malls in the North Kantō region, Bell Mall. File:Suginamiki2.jpg, Nikkō Cedar Avenue File:Kegon.jpg, The Kegon Falls in Nikkō File:Irohazaka (52506196693).jpg, Iroha Slope, a view of attraction spot in

File:Ruins of Sakuyama castle (Tochigi, Japan).jpg, Autumn view over the ruins of Sakuyama castle in Gotenyama park,

Ōtawara is a Cities of Japan, city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 72,189 in 30,136 households, and a population density of 210 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . The city's name may also b ...

city, Tochigi prefecture File:Otawara, Tochigi, Japan.jpg, Otawara File:Central Utsunomiya, southeast side.jpg,

Cities

Fourteen cities are located in Tochigi Prefecture: * Ashikaga * Kanuma * Mooka *

Nasukarasuyama file:Tochigi Ryumon-Waterfall.jpg, Ryumon Falls is a Cities of Japan, city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 25,783 in 10,509 households, and a population density of 150 persons per km2. The total ar ...

Nasushiobara 270px, Shiobara Onsen is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 115,794 in 48,437 households, and a population density of 67 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Nasushioba ...

* Oyama *

Sakura The cherry blossom, or sakura, is the flower of trees in ''Prunus'' subgenus '' Cerasus''. ''Sakura'' usually refers to flowers of ornamental cherry trees, such as cultivars of ''Prunus serrulata'', not trees grown for their fruit (although ...

* Sano * Shimotsuke * Tochigi *

(capital) *

Yaita 270px, Mount Takahara is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 31,859 in 13,173 households, and a population density of 67 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Geography Yaita is loc ...

Towns

These are the towns in each

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

: * Haga District ** Haga ** Ichikai **

Mashiko 270px, Kiln in Mashiko is a town located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 21,841 in 7914 households, and a population density of 240 persons per km2. The total area of the town is . Mashiko is known for its ...

** Motegi * Kawachi District ** Kaminokawa * Nasu District ** Nakagawa ** Nasu * Shimotsuga District ** Mibu ** Nogi * Shioya District ** Shioya ** Takanezawa

Mergers

List of governors of Tochigi Prefecture (from 1947)

Industry and agriculture

Tochigi prefecture population pyramid in 2020

Located close to Tōkyō, Tochigi is home to many corporations and industrial zones, including the

Kiyohara The was a powerful clan of the far north of Japan during the Heian period, descended from Prince Toneri, son of Emperor Tenmu (631–686). Kiyohara no Fusanori (9th century) had two sons: the elder was the ancestor of the samurai branch fam ...

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 The shiitake (; ''Chinese/black mushroom'' or ''Lentinula edodes'') is a macrofungus native to East Asia, which is cultivated and consumed around the globe. Taxonomy The fungus was first described scientifically as '' Agaricus edodes'' by ...

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 Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...

and

technology Technology is the application of Conceptual model, conceptual knowledge to achieve practical goals, especially in a reproducible way. The word ''technology'' can also mean the products resulting from such efforts, including both tangible too ...

literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, poems. It includes both print and Electroni ...

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

, and

art Art is a diverse range of cultural activity centered around ''works'' utilizing creative or imaginative talents, which are expected to evoke a worthwhile experience, generally through an expression of emotional power, conceptual ideas, tec ...

. Below is an alphabetical list of some of the universities located in Tochigi. *

Ashikaga Institute of Technology is a private university in Ashikaga, Tochigi, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from ...

* Bunsei University of Art,

* Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Mibu *

Hakuoh University is a private university in city of Oyama in Tochigi, Japan. The name Hakuoh, means 'white seagull', and the motto ''Plus ultra'', or 'Further beyond'. History Hakuoh University was founded by lifelong educator Dr. Kazuyoshi Kamioka in 1986 an ...

, Oyama *

International University of Health and Welfare is a private university in Ōtawara, Tochigi, Japan, established in 1995. Campuses Ohtawara Campus in Tochigi Prefecture * School of Health Sciences * School of Health and Welfare * School of Pharmacy Narita Campus in Chiba Prefecture * Scho ...

, Otawara *

Jichi Medical University is a private university in Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan, established in 1972. In 2008 the Gates Foundation The Gates Foundation is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it ...

, Shimotsuke * Oyama National College of Technology * Sakushin Gakuin University,

* Sano College *

Teikyo University is a private university headquartered in the Itabashi, Tokyo, Itabashi ward of Tokyo, Japan. It was established in 1931 as Teikyo shogyo, Commercial High School (帝京商業高等学校). It became Teikyo University in 1966. It is part of Teik ...

* Tochigi College of Industry and Technology (Central),

* Tochigi College of Industry and Technology (North), Nasu * Tochigi College of Industry and Technology (South), Ashikaga *

Utsunomiya Kyowa University is a private university in Nasushiobara, Tochigi, Japan, established in 1999. The present name was adopted in 2006. Utsunomiya Junior College is a private junior college in Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan Japan is an island country in East A ...

and

Utsunomiya University is a Japanese national university, national university in Japan. The main campus is located in Miné-machi, and the engineering campus at Yōtō, in Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture. History Utsunomiya University was estab ...

People

Sports

The sports teams and events listed below are based in Tochigi. Utsunomiya city gymnasium arena h

Association football

Tochigi City FC Tochigi City Football Club (栃木シティフットボールクラブ, ''Tochigi Shiti Futtobōrukurabu''), commonly known as Tochigi City (栃木シティ, ''Tochigi Shiti Efushi'') is a Japanese football club based in Tochigi City, Tochigi P ...

( Tochigi) *

Tochigi SC , commonly referred to as Tochigi SC (栃木SC, ''Tochigi Esushi'') is a Japanese football club based in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. They set to play in the J3 League after relegation from J2 in 2024, Japan's third tier of profession ...

(

)

Ice hockey

Nikkō Ice Bucks The is an Asia League Ice Hockey team based in Nikkō, Tochigi, Japan. Logo design: The word ICEBUCKS in English, ICE in white and BUCKS in orange, with the words "HC TOCHIGI" in orange on the puck in the foreground. Mascot: An orange and white ...

(

)

Basketball

Utsunomiya Brex Utsunomiya Brex is a Japanese professional basketball team based in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. After winning the JBL 2 in 2008, the team played in the National Basketball League (Japan), National Basketball League. Previous team names include: T ...

Motorsport

Twin Ring Motegi Mobility Resort Motegi (モビリティリゾートもてぎ) is a motorsport venue located in Motegi, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Originally Twin Ring Motegi (ツインリンクもてぎ), the venue's name came from the facility having two race ...

circuit * Nikkō Circuit

Cycling

Tour de Tochigi The Tour de Tochigi is a road cycling race held annually since 2017. It is part of UCI Asia Tour The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing competitions which were introduced in 2005 by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) ...

, a cat 2.2 three-day road race of the

UCI UCI most commonly refers to: * University of California, Irvine, a public university in Irvine, California, United States * Union Cycliste Internationale, the world governing body for the sport of cycling UCI may also refer to: * Uganda Cancer In ...

Asia Tour

Tourism

Nikkō National Park is famous for its

which was registered as the 10th World Heritage Site in 1999. This encompasses Rinnō-ji,

Nikkō Tōshō-gū is a Tōshō-gū Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Together with Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji, it forms the Shrines and Temples of Nikkō UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 42 structures of the shrine included in the ...

Mount Nantai is a stratovolcano in the Nikkō National Park in Tochigi Prefecture, in central Honshū, the main island of Japan. The mountain is high. A prominent landmark, it can be seen on clear days from as far as Saitama, a city away. Alongside ...

, and Futarasan Shrine. The

Kegon Falls The Huayan school of Buddhism (, Wade–Giles: ''Hua-Yen,'' "Flower Garland," from the Sanskrit "''Avataṃsaka''") is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907).Yü, Chün-fang (2020). ''Chinese Bu ...

, 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 (about 13,000 in total) line the famous Cedar Avenue of Nikkō for roughly 35 km, making it the longest tree-lined avenue in the world.Gardening World Records
. Retrieved on 2 November 2008. AUnComposite

20100727 Nikko Tosho-gu Three wise monkeys 5965

A more recent and modern attraction is the

Circuit race course, which hosts the only

IndyCar IndyCar, LLC (stylized as INDYCAR), is an auto racing sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization sanctions two racing series: the premier IndyCar Series with the Indianapolis ...

race outside the United States. The track also hosts many other race events including

Super Formula The Japanese Super Formula Championship is a formula racing series held primarily in Japan. It is considered to be the pinnacle of single-seater racing in Japan or Asia as a whole, making it one of the top motorsport series in the region. The s ...

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: * Ashikaga Flower Park * Cannabis Museum *

Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura is a Japanese cultural theme park in the Kinugawa Onsen area of Nikkō, Tochigi. The park resurrects and showcases the life and culture of the Edo period. Edo Wonderland spans a site area of 122.3 acres (49.5 hectares). The park's design is ...

* Futarasan Shrine *

* Kinugawa (hot spring) * Kirifuri Falls *

Lake Chūzenji , also called Sea of Happiness, is a scenic lake in Nikkō National Park in the city of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It was created 20,000 years ago when Mount Nantai (2484 m) erupted and blocked the river. The lake has a surface ar ...

* Mashiko * Nakagawa Aquatic Park * Nasu Animal Kingdom * Nasu resort area *

Rinnō-ji is a Tendai Buddhist temple in the city of Nikkō, Tochigi, Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. History The site was established in 766 by the Buddhist monk Shōdō Shōnin (735–817). Due to its geographic isolation, deep in the mountai ...

* Shiobara Hot Spring *

Tobu World Square is a theme park in Kinugawa Onsen, Nikkō, Tochigi, Japan. The theme park contains over a hundred 1:25 scale models of famous buildings, including UNESCO-designated World Cultural and Heritage Sites, complete with 140,000 1:25 miniature people. ...

Transportation and access

Roads

Traversing the prefecture along the north–south axis and connecting to the rest of the country are the

Tōhoku Expressway The is a south-north national expressway, and the longest expressway in Japan at . Its southern terminus is in Kawaguchi, Saitama in the Greater Tokyo Area, at the Tokyo Gaikan Expressway and Kawaguchi Route near Araijuku Station, and its no ...

and the new and old Route 4. From east to west spans

Route 50 The following highways are numbered 50: International * European route E50 Brazil * BR-050 Canada * Alberta Highway 50 * Manitoba Highway 50 * Newfoundland and Labrador Route 50 * Ontario Highway 50 (Also referred to as Peel Regional Road 5 ...

, connecting southern Tochigi with Ibaraki and Gunma Prefectures. Also connecting Tochigi, Gunma, and Ibaraki is the

Kita-Kantō Expressway The (lit. North Kantō Expressway) is a 4-laned national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company. Overview The route connects the capitals of the three northern prefectures in the Kantō region: Maeb ...

, 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 Expressway The is a national expressways of Japan, expressway in Japan. It is owned and managed by East Nippon Expressway Company. Naming is the ''kanji'' acronym of and the old comprising modern-day Niigata Prefecture. Officially, the Kan-Etsu consist ...

s, providing a link to the international port of Hitachinaka in Ibaraki.

Rail

The

Tōhoku Shinkansen The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line that runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island, Honshu. Operated by the East Japan Railway Company, it links Tokyo in the south to Aomori in the north, with ...

and the JR

Utsunomiya Line The Utsunomiya Line () is the name given to a section of the Tōhoku Main Line between Tokyo Station in Tokyo and Kuroiso Station in Nasushiobara, Tochigi, Japan. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) network. Services Serv ...

are the main railways running north and south in Tochigi. Shinkansen runs from

Tokyo Station Tōkyō Station (, ) is a major railway station in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The original station is located in Chiyoda's Marunouchi business district near the Tokyo Imperial Palace, Imperial Palace grounds. The newer Eastern extension is not far ...

to in south Tochigi in 43 minutes. 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 The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...

Karasuyama Line The is a railway line in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects in the town of Takanezawa, Tochigi, Takanezawa with in Nasukarasuyama, Tochigi, Nasukarasuyama. Services Trains run a ...

Mito Line The is a railway line connecting Oyama Station in Tochigi Prefecture and Tomobe Station in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. The line is long and is owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Joban Line E501 series and E531 ser ...

Nikkō Line The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) which connects to . Both the Tobu and JR East railway stations in Nikkō are located within walking distance of each other. Station list * Trains can pass each other at ...

Ryōmō Line The is a Japanese railway line connecting Oyama, Tochigi, Oyama in Tochigi Prefecture with Maebashi, Gunma, Maebashi in Gunma Prefecture. long, the line is owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The name refers to the ...

** Shōnan-Shinjuku Line **

(

Tōhoku Main Line The Tōhoku Main Line () is a railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The line starts from Tokyo Station in Chiyoda, Tokyo and passes through such cities as Saitama, Saitama, Saitama, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Uts ...

) *

Mooka Railway The is a Japanese railway line connecting Shimodate Station, in Chikusei, Ibaraki and Motegi Station in Motegi, Tochigi. It is the only railway line operated by the . The third-sector company took over the former JR East line in 1988. In additi ...

* Tobu **

Isesaki Line The is a Japanese railway line operated by the private railway company Tobu Railway, extending from Tōbu-Dōbutsu-Kōen Station in Saitama to Isesaki Station in Gunma Prefecture. The Isesaki Line can refer to the entire section between Asakusa ...

** Kinugawa Line **

Sano Line Sano may refer to: Geography *Sano, Kentucky, U.S. *Sano, Tochigi, Japan *Monte Sano Mountain, a mountain in Alabama, United States **Monte Sano State Park *Wai Sano, a volcano in Flores, Indonesia Fiction * Sano (''Rurouni Kenshin''), a charact ...

* Utsunomiya Light Rail **LIGHTLINE (Utsunomiya Haga Light Rail Line) *

Watarase Keikoku Line The is a Japanese railway line connecting Kiryū Station in Kiryū, Gunma and Matō Station in Nikkō, Tochigi. This is the only railway line that the third-sector company operates. The company and line are also known as or . The company ...

Yagan Railway The is a Public-Private Partnerships In Japan, third-sector Japanese railway company whose major shareholders include the Tochigi Prefecture, Tochigi and Fukushima Prefecture, Fukushima prefectural governments. It operates a single railway lin ...

Air travel

Fukushima Airport is an airport in Sukagawa, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The airport is located southeast of Kōriyama Station. It has served as the regional airport hub since its opening in 1993, the closest alternative being Sendai International Airport. F ...

is approximately an hour's drive from

on the

. International and national air transportation is through

Narita International Airport , also known as Tokyo-Narita International Airport or simply Narita Airport, formerly and originally known as , is the secondary international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the only other one being Haneda Airport (HND). It is about e ...

to the east of Tokyo, approximately three hours by vehicle from Utsunomiya.

Notes

References

Sources

* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth (2005)
''Japan Encyclopedia''
Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. ; .

External links

Tochigi Prefecture Official Website

{{Coord, 36, 31, N, 139, 49, E, region:JP-09_scale:500000, display=title Kantō region Prefectures of Japan