Tochigi
Nikko's shrines and temples, strawberries, gyoza and hot springs, all within easy reach of Tokyo: Tochigi packs a lot into one landlocked prefecture.
Map outlines: Natural Earth
-
1
Nikko Toshogu Shrine
Tokugawa Ieyasu's shrine, heart of the World Heritage Nikko shrines and temples. Admire Yomeimon's carvings, the Three Monkeys and the Sleeping Cat.
-
2
Kegon Falls
Oku-Nikko's famous waterfall, where Lake Chuzenji plunges about 97m down a sheer cliff. Take the lift down to the viewing platform and feel its power up close.
-
3
Oya History Museum
A vast underground space left by about 70 years of quarrying. Walk through a former quarry of about 20,000㎡, 30m deep on average, at this Utsunomiya museum.
Plains in the south, high mountains in the north
Tochigi Prefecture is in the Kanto region, about 100 km north of Tokyo, and is one of Japan's eight prefectures with no coastline. The south and east are flat country at the edge of the Kanto Plain, while the north rises into mountains more than 2,000 m high. The main rivers, the Kinu, the Naka and the Watarase, flow across the plain.
The official tourism website divides the prefecture into five areas: Nasu, a highland resort famous across Japan for its hot springs; Nikko, with its shrines, temples, lakes and waterfalls; the central area around the prefectural capital, Utsunomiya; the east, known for traditional crafts; and the south, closest to Tokyo and a historic trading area.
Nikko: shrines, temples, sacred peaks and a famous waterfall
Nikko is what draws most visitors. The Shrines and Temples of Nikko have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, with 103 structures at three main sites: Toshogu, Futarasan Shrine and Rinnoji Temple. Toshogu enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the shogunate that ruled Japan from 1603 to 1867, and was completed in 1636 by the third shogun, Iemitsu. Futarasan Shrine is dedicated to the Nikko Sanzan, three sacred mountains: Mount Nantai, Mount Nyoho and Mount Taro.
The Nikko area also has Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls, widely regarded as one of Japan's most spectacular waterfalls. Before Tochigi took its present name in 1873, the whole region was called Shimotsuke Province, and its history reaches beyond Nikko. The Ashikaga Gakko, revived in the 15th century, is considered Japan's oldest institution of higher learning.
Strawberries, gyoza and yuba
Tochigi is known as Japan's 'Strawberry Kingdom'. It is the country's top strawberry producer, and the Tochiotome variety is known for being very sweet and juicy. Strawberry picking starts around December. The prefectural capital, Utsunomiya, is famous for gyoza, pan-fried dumplings filled with meat, vegetables and garlic, and holds a gyoza festival in autumn.
In Nikko, look out for yuba (tofu skin). It has been used for centuries in the Buddhist vegetarian cooking of the local temples and now appears in local ramen, sushi and sweets too. Tochigi is also Japan's top producer of kanpyo (strips shaved from a bottle gourd and dried) and of udo, a wild mountain vegetable. For crafts, Mashiko is a pottery town well known even outside Japan, and Yuki-tsumugi is a traditional hand-woven silk fabric.
A different reason to visit each season
In spring, cherry blossoms and wisteria bloom, parks such as Ashikaga Flower Park are coloured by one wave of flowers after another, and a 16 km avenue of cherry trees between Utsunomiya and Nikko blossoms from around late March to early April. Summer brings cool mountain air.
Autumn leaves are at their best from October to November around Lake Chuzenji and at Nasu's Momiji-dani Grand Suspension Bridge. Autumn is also festival season: the Kanuma Autumn Festival, held since the early 17th century, is on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. In winter, snow settles in the north, ski resorts open from Nasu to Nikko, and Ashikaga Flower Park puts on one of Japan's largest illuminations, using more than 5 million light bulbs.
Getting there and getting around
Tochigi is less than an hour from Tokyo by train. The Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo or Ueno Station stops at Oyama and Utsunomiya, and limited express trains run directly from Asakusa and Shinjuku to Tobu-Nikko Station. The official website points visitors to rail passes such as the JR Tokyo Wide Pass and the JR East Pass, and recommends a hire car for reaching more remote areas. Check the latest routes and timetables before you set off.