Tochigi Prefecture located north of Tokyo is blessed by nature. Aside from being THE Strawberry Kingdom of Japan, it is also home to Ashikaga Flower Park where thousands of flowers thrive. Foodies will be glad to know that Tochigi is home to gyoza city Utsunomiya, Wagyu Beef, Sano Ramen, etc.
Table of Contents Table of Contents
- Exploring Tochigi Prefecture
- Top Attractions for a Quick Getaway
- Specialties of Tochigi-ken
- More from Tochigi
- Takeaway
Exploring Tochigi Prefecture
The Economic Importance of Tochigi
Tochigi Prefecture plays a vital role in Japan's production and manufacturing industries, thus earning the title of "Manufacturing Prefecture" in Japan thanks to its contributions and advancements in the pharmaceutical, medical, automobile, and agriculture sectors.
Tochigi-ken even has their own agriculture project called “Food Valley Tochigi”. The project focuses on promoting the prefecture’s agriculture industry with an aim to become the leading prefecture when it comes to farm produce. Tochigi-ken is also famous for its numerous historical and cultural sites along with its popular onsens which makes the prefecture a tourist hotspot.
※ Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., "Tochigi" ※ Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), "Tochigi"
Geography and Climate of Tochigi-ken
Tochigi Prefecture is found within the northern part of the Kanto Region in Japan. The prefecture is bordered by the Yamizo mountains on its eastern side. Mt. Shirane & Mt. Nantai borders its northwestern side, whilst the western side is mostly highlands. It is landlocked but it has a river that runs between the eastern and western sides called the Kinu River. Tochigi-ken experiences many thunderstorms in the summer and plenty of snowfall in the winter.
Tochigi's Cultural Heritage Sites
Tochigi is also big on tourism because of its numerous historical and cultural sites with some dating back more than a millennium ago. Most of these are located within Nikko where 103 historical buildings can be found including shrines, temples, and the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu called Toshogu Shrine. These historical buildings are collectively recognized as the Shrines and Temples of Nikko, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
※ UNESCO World Heritage Centre, "Shrines and Temples of Nikko"
Writer's Pick
Top Attractions for a Quick Getaway
Tochigi-ken is the perfect place for a quick getaway from the busy city life. Why? Because it is only 1.5 hours away from Tokyo.
Nikko National Park
If you are looking for a place to reconnect yourself to nature, then the Nikko National Park is the best place for you to visit. This nature park spans from Tochigi to Gunma and Fukushima Prefectures. Here, you can find mountains like Mt. Nasudake and Mt. Nikko-Shirane, vast lands like the Kirifuri Highland and Happogahara Plateau, the Kinu-numa Swamp, and majestic waters like the Oku-Nikko High moor, Lake Chuzenji & its Kegon no Taki Falls, and the Kinugawa River Valley. You can also find various flora and fauna teeming throughout its many forests like the Nasu Heisei no Mori.
Oya History Museum
The capital of Tochigi-ken, Utsunomiya, has a town called Oyamachi that is famous for its Oya Stone. This museum is actually an old area mining site for the Oya Stone which has been transformed into a museum exhibiting its history from the Edo Period. The old mine’s spaciousness and unique atmosphere makes it a popular spot for hosting events such as concerts, exhibitions and even weddings. It feels like you’ve been transported to the setting of a historical-fiction adventure film!
What is Oya Stone?
Oya stone is a magmatic rock made from solidified magma and volcanic ash. It’s mainly used for construction. Oya Stone is unique to this area of Japan. It’s fire resistant and it comes in a range of earthy colours which allows for more options and variety in terms of building with.
Access: 5-mins walk from Shiryokan Iriguchi Bus Stop
Entrance Fee: 800 yen (Adult)
※ Oya History Museum, “Access Info”
Nikko Toshogu Shrine
This historical shrine is dedicated to one of Japan's Great Unifiers and the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu. The shrine enshrines him as its deity. The present shrine was rebuilt by Tokugawa’s grandson, Tokugawa Iemitsu who was also the 3rd Shogun.
Nikko Toshogu Shrine is a treasure trove of Important Cultural Properties and National Treasures like:
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Stone Torii
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Gojunoto (Five Story Pagoda)
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Front Gate, Sanjinko (Storehouses)
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Main Shrine
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Karamon
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Yomeimon Gate
Access:
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30-mins walk from Tobu Nikko Station, or
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Take a 10-mins bus from Tobu Nikko Station to Taiyuin Futarasan Jinja-mae Bus Stop, then walk for 4 minutes
Entrance Fees (Adult):
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Shrine - 1,300 yen
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Treasure House - 500 yen
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Museum of Art - 800
※ Nikko Toshogu Shrine, “Hours & Admission” “Access”
Ashikaga Flower Park
With Wisterias 藤 (Fuji) as its highlight attraction, Ashikaga Flower Park is a colourful painting brought to life. The Great Wisteria Tree, Ofuji, a 150 year wisteria tree is the star in this park. Throughout the year, various other flowers bloom in the park. From Christmas roses and winter clematis in early spring, sakura and rhododendrons in spring, water lilies and hydrangeas in summer, and roses and purple amethyst sage in autumn. Their winter illumination is THE GRANDEST in Japan, featuring a great number of lightbulbs and winning 1st Place 6 times consecutively in the Nationwide Illumination Rankings.
Access: 3-mins walk from JR Ashikaga Flower Park Station
Entrance Fee: Range of 400 yen to 1,900 yen (Adult), depending on season and availability.
※ Ashikaga Flower Park
Strawberry Picking
Tochigi Prefecture is famous for its strawberries, so it only makes sense that one of its top attractions is strawberry picking. You can do so at Ichigo no Sato strawberry farm. The prices range from 1,300 ~ 2,100 yen / 30-mins depending on strawberry type and seasonal availability. There are 4 types of strawberries available including the most popular Tochiotome strawberries, and Tochigi exclusive Tochihime.
The farm also offers cooking classes on how to bake fruit cakes and tarts. You can also skip the fruit-picking and jump to eating at the restaurant and cafe facilities. Aside from strawberries, you can also pick cherries, grapes, blueberries, and peaches when they’re in season.
Access: 25-mins by bus from Koyama Station
※ Ichigo no Sato
Specialties of Tochigi-ken
There's no better way to understand the cultivation of history and culture in a place other than tasting its cuisine and delicacies. Here are notable foods to try in Tochigi-ken:
Kampyo
Tochigi-ken specializes in producing Kampyo which are dried parts of the yugao or fukube gourd. Its flavor overpowers fishy taste in dishes like stews, marinades, and sushi which it is commonly used in. Almost all of the Kampyo sold in Japan comes from Tochigi.
Tochigi Wagyu Beef
Tochigi Wagyu is one of several kinds of Wagyu beef available in Japan. It does not lose out in quality, taste, and texture when compared to its fellow competitors. Just recently in 2020, Tochigi Wagyu beef achieved worldwide recognition. Starting with Tochigi Meat Center, the international export of Tochigi Wagyu has begun.
※ Tochigi Agricultural Product Marketing Association, "Beef - Tochigi Wagyu"
Nikko's Yuba
Yuba or tofu skin is one of the special delicacies in Japan and it is highly produced in Nikko, Tochigi-ken. It could be eaten raw as sashimi or added as toppings to soups and noodle dishes. It’s popular as a healthy food, but also just really delicious to eat cooked in its various ways.
Sano Ramen
Sano City in Tochigi-ken created their own ramen, called Sano Ramen. It is a local favourite with a unique noodle-making technique using a bamboo stick to give the ramen noodles a smooth texture. It’s topped with regular ramen toppings of chashu, bamboo shoots, spring onions, naruto fishcake and served in shoyu-based soup. Unlike other types of ramen that can be heavy, Sano Ramen can be enjoyed daily due to its lightness. For the best Sano Ramen, try Oguraya or Ittetsu.
Nasu Kohgen Beer
Within Nasu town in Tochigi lies Mt. Nasudake with the lower highland area called Nasu Kogen. Nasu Kogen is also a popular hot spring spot in the area with several onsen ryokans, nature spots, and more. Around this area is where Nasu Kohgen Beer Brewery lies, the creator of internationally certified Nasu Kohgen Beer. The bestseller is the Nine-Tailed Fox with 11% alcohol content, so prepare a designated driver if you’re visiting by car.
Gyoza
Tochigi-ken is famous for being the strawberry kingdom of Japan, but capital city Utsunomiya is known for being “Gyoza City”. Exploring your local supermarket, you may just find frozen gyoza from Utsunomiya. But gyoza tastes best freshly fried, so make sure to drop by for the best gyoza. The city even celebrates the Gyoza Festival in the first weekend of November. Although a foodie trip trying gyoza at the most famous gyoza restaurants is recommended, not many have the time. In such a case, try going to Kirasse - a gyoza food court where the top selling gyoza sellers in the city run stalls.
※ JNTO, “Utsunomiya Dumplings”
More from Tochigi
Strawberry Kingdom of Tochigi
Tochigi-ken has its own Strawberry Research Center that had developed 3 special kinds of strawberries namely:
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Tochiotome - the most popular in Japan
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Sky Berry - can surpass the size of a chicken egg
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Tochihime - only available in selected farms in Tochigi
Cheese Garden Nasu Honten (must try!)
If you're tired from all your adventures in Tochigi or if you're just looking for some casual tea time, then visit the Cheese Garden Nasu Honten. Here they serve various kinds of cheeses, tea, sweets, and cakes like their best-seller, the Goyotei Cheesecake or the classic Oyoya Cheesecake.
Takeaway
Tochigi Prefecture is the perfect place to visit if you don’t want to stray too far from Tokyo. Indeed, part of Tochigi is actually considered as the Greater Tokyo area. From hiking and natural spots like Nikko National Park, to religious historical sites like Toshogu Shrine, and endless amounts of scrumptious foods, Tochigi is a traveler’s paradise with a little bit of everything for everyone.
