Tochigi

Tochigi is a prefecture in the Kanto region on Honshu, the main island of Japan, with mountains in the north and flat plains in the south. The capital Utsunomiya sits in the center, while smaller cities and rural areas spread across the territory and form a mosaic of inhabited valleys and forested hills.

The prefecture emerged during the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century from the former Shimotsuke Province. Initially, the city of Tochigi served as the administrative center, but in 1884 Utsunomiya took over this role due to its more central location and better transport connections.

The name Tochigi comes from a city that once served as the administrative center of the prefecture before the role moved to Utsunomiya. Today, many places in the region preserve their traditional appearance with wooden houses and old streets that guide visitors through earlier eras and show how trade routes shaped daily life.

The prefecture is well connected by train from the rest of Japan, with many travelers arriving via stations like Nasushiobara that link to the high-speed rail line. Once there, local trains and buses make getting around easier, while driving is often more practical in the more rural areas.

In the north of the prefecture lies Nikko, a mountain area known for its old shrines and where visitors can hike through dense forests to waterfalls and lakes. The contrast between the quiet mountain trails and the plains farther south gives the region two very different faces.