Tochigi Prefecture - Prefettura di Tochigi

Tochigi Prefecture (栃 木 県 Tochigi-ken) is a prefecture of Japan.

To know

Tochigi Prefecture is a rural part of Japan with hot springs, mountains, and numerous hiking opportunities.

Geographical notes

It is located on the northern Tohoku line of the Shinkansen and the highway. Ustunomiya it is the largest city.

Background

Before the Meiji Restoration, Tochigi was known as Shimotsuke Province.

In the early 15th century, Ashikaga Gakkō, Japan's oldest school of higher education, was re-established with over 3,000 students by the 16th century. Francesco Xavier presented Ashikaga to the world as the best university in Japan.

At the beginning of the 17th century, Japan was unified by the shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu. After his death, the Tōshō-gū shrine was built in Nikkō on what the shōgun they considered sacred ground to protect and worship Ieyasu. The establishment of the Nikkō Tōshō-gū in 1617 he brought Nikkō to national attention. The Tokugawa shogunate developed the Nikkō Kaidō (日光 街道, part of the main road that connects Nikkō with Edo) and required lavish processions to worship Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shōgun line.

At the end of the 19th century, the Tokugawa shogunate fell and the new government established the prefectures. The capital of the prefecture was founded in the city of Tochigi after the unification of Utsunomiya prefecture and Tochigi prefecture in 1873. In 1884, however, the capital was moved to Utsunomiya.

In March 2011, following the nuclear disaster of Fukushima Daiichi, the radioactivity levels at Utsunomiya were 33 times higher than normal.

Territories and tourist destinations

Urban centers

Other destinations

How to get

By plane

The airport of Fukushima it's about an hour's drive from Utsunomiya on Tōhoku Expressway. International and domestic air transport takes place through the international airport of Narita east of Tokyo, about a three-hour drive from Utsunomiya.

By car

The Tohoku Expressway runs north and south, while the North Kanto Expressway runs east to west. The main national roads in the Tochigi prefecture are the national highway No. 4 and the national highway n. 50.

On the train

The Tohoku Shinkansen passes through Oyama, Utsunomiya is Nasushiobara on its way to northern Tohoku. From Koyama, the Ryomo line runs west.

The private line Tōbu from Asakusa, Tokyo offers a cheaper alternative to achieve Kinugawa is Nikko.

How to get around

What see

The temples of Nikko are undoubtedly the main attractions of the prefecture. Kegon Falls, near Nikkō, are popular with tourists. To travel between the city and the falls, cars and buses take theIrohazaka, a road with dozens of hairpin bends. Additionally, there are 400-year-old Japanese cedars lining Nikkō's famous Cedar Avenue for about 35km, making it the longest tree-lined avenue in the world.

Nasu is a popular tourist destination. It features hot springs, restaurants, shops, themed attractions and at the top of the mountain the town offers excellent walks. Here you can ski in winter. The emperor also has a house which is open to the public.

A more recent attraction is the racecourse Twin Ring Motegi Circuit, which hosts the only IndyCar race outside of the United States. The track also hosts many other events including Formula One and motorcycle races as well as festivals and pyrotechnic events.

What to do

Who has energy can do excursions or ski in the mountains. Those without it can recharge in the numerous hot Springs.

You can go horseback riding. You can also breathe good clean air.

Tochigi has many traditional festivals and events such as the 1000 samurai procession of Nikkō Tōshō-gū and the horse archery festival and autumn festival town of Tochigi where doll carts are driven around town once every five years.

At the table

Kanpyō (干 瓢) is a well-known product of the prefecture, made from a pumpkin called yūgao (夕顔, literally "evening face"). The squash is thinly sliced ​​and dried, then reconstituted in water when used. The final product is a brown pickle-like substance, perhaps most often encountered as a filling in sushi rolls. Tochigi produces 90% of the kanpyō Japanese and is also the largest Japanese producer of strawberries.

Gyouza is a famous food a Utsunomiya. They are dumplings with a variety of ingredients, most commonly garlic and pork. There are many tasty shops Gyouza at Utsunomiya. You can taste not only yaki-gyouza (grilled in a pan) but also age-gyouza (fried) e sui-gyouza (steamed). Tochigi is the prefecture that consumes the most Gyouza in Japan.

Tochigi Wa-gyu is Japanese bred beef. This is an expensive marbled beef that can be served as a steak, burger, thinly sliced ​​for dishes sukiyaki or shabu-shabu and appreciated by the locals.

Soba is udon: Soba is a pasta made from buckwheat and other grains. Handmade soba or udon (thick flour noodles) are served in bowls with local vegetables and meat or dried with gravy.

Tochigi is also the largest Japanese producer of strawberries.

Safety

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Tochigi Prefecture
• Commons contains images or other files on Tochigi Prefecture