Tochigi Prefecture

Japanese: 栃木[県] - とちぎ

A prefecture in the northern part of the Kanto region. The prefectural capital is Utsunomiya City. It has an area of 6,408.09 ^km2 and a population of 2,007,683 (2010). It has the largest area of the seven Kanto prefectures, but the lowest population density. [History] Formerly Shimotsuke Province, Tochigi was an important base for the strategy of the Tohoku region in ancient times. In the Middle Ages, the Utsunomiya and Oyama clans served as shugo (military governors), and it was also the base of the Ashikaga clan. In the early modern period, the Ashio copper mine was developed, and Nikko Toshogu Shrine was built, and the country was divided into tenryo (shrine territory), hatamoto (main vassal territory), shinryo (shrine territory), and various feudal domains. In addition, the post towns on the Oshu road and Nikko Reiheishi Kaido road, and water transportation on the Kinugawa and Watarase rivers developed. In 1871, Utsunomiya and Tochigi prefectures were established, and in 1873 they were merged to become Tochigi Prefecture, with the prefectural capital in Tochigi City, but in 1884 the prefectural capital was moved to Utsunomiya City. [Nature] The area is roughly divided into three parts: the Western Mountains, the Eastern Mountains, and the Central Plain. The Western Mountains are divided into the Taishaku Mountains in the northwest, which form the border with Fukushima Prefecture, and the Ashio Mountains in the west, which form the border with Gunma Prefecture. Between the two mountain ranges lies the Nasu Volcanic Zone, which includes the Nasu, Takahara, and Nikko volcanoes. The Eastern Mountains are the Yamizo Mountains, which run north and south along the border with Ibaraki Prefecture. The Central Plain is made up of the Nasunohara Plateau, where the Naka River flows south, the lowlands of the Kinu River basin, and the coastal lowlands where the Watarase River flows east. The latter two are located in the northern part of the Kanto Plain, where major cities and transportation networks are concentrated. The Central Plain is topographically connected to the Nakadori region of Fukushima Prefecture, and has long served as a corridor to the Tohoku region. The climate is inland, with large temperature differences. The winter monsoon winds, known as the "Nasu oroshi" or "Nantai oroshi," are intense in the mountains and their surrounding areas. In summer, lightning and hailstorms are frequent. [Industry] The population by industry is divided into 6.8% for the first generation, 32.6% for the second generation, and 59.5% for the third generation (2005). Rice is the mainstay of agriculture, but after World War II, strawberries were cultivated as a second crop in rice paddies, resulting in a nationally leading harvest of 28,600 tons (2003), and the production of tomatoes and cucumbers grown in greenhouses is one of the largest in the country. Dairy farming is also popular in the Nasu Plains in the north. Traditional specialties include tobacco from the Yamizo Mountains, and beer barley and kanpyo (dried gourd) from Utsunomiya and south. Forest land accounts for 54% of the total area (2003), and produces a variety of timber. Mining has not produced any significant mineral resources since the Ashio Copper Mine closed in 1973, but limestone and dolomite, mainly in Kuzu, Oya stone in Utsunomiya, and Kanuma soil in Kanuma City are distinctive. Industry, especially since the 1960s, has seen large electrical, mechanical, and metal factories move into Utsunomiya and Oyama, and heavy chemical industry dominates. However, the value of manufactured goods shipped was 7,704.4 billion yen (2003), the lowest in the Kanto region. Ashikaga and Sano are also active in silk and cotton textiles and chemical and synthetic textiles, Tochigi and Imaichi (now Nikko), brewing, and Kanuma woodworking. Nikko, Nasu, Shiobara, and the upper reaches of the Kinugawa River belong to Nikko National Park, and are popular tourist destinations near the Keihin area. In 1999, the Nikko area was registered on the World Heritage List for the Nikko Shrines and Temples. [Transportation] The Tohoku Main Line, Tohoku Shinkansen, Tohoku Expressway, and National Route 4, which connect to the Chubu Plain, run north-south through the prefecture, while the Ryomo Line, Kita-Kanto Expressway, and National Route 50 run east-west through the prefecture. The Yagan Railway runs to the north, the Karasuyama Line, Nikko Line, and Tobu Railway lines to the central region, the Ryomo Line and Watarase Keikoku Railway to the southwest, and the Moka Railway and Mito Line to the southeast.
→ Related topics Kanto region

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

関東地方北部の県。県庁所在地は宇都宮市。6408.09km²。200万7683人（2010）。面積は関東７都県のうち最大で，人口密度は最小。〔沿革〕　かつての下野(しもつけ)国にあたり，古代には東北地方経略の根拠地として重要であった。中世には宇都宮，小山らの諸氏が守護となり，また足利氏の本拠でもあった。近世には足尾銅山の開発，日光東照宮の造営が行われ，国内は天領，旗本領，神領や諸藩領に分かれた。また奥州道中，日光例幣使街道の宿場町，鬼怒川，渡良瀬川の水運も発達。1871年宇都宮，栃木の２県がおかれ，1873年統合し栃木県となり栃木市に県庁がおかれたが，1884年県庁は宇都宮市に移った。〔自然〕　ほぼ西部山地，東部山地，中部平地に３分される。西部山地は福島県境をなす北西部の帝釈(たいしゃく)山脈と群馬県境をなす西部の足尾山地に分かれ，両山地の間には那須火山帯がのび，那須，高原，日光の火山群がある。東部山地は茨城県境を南北に走る八溝(やみぞ)山地。中部平地は北から那珂川が南流する那須野原台地と低地からなる鬼怒川流域，渡良瀬川が東流する沿岸の低地からなり，後２者は関東平野の北部にあたり主要な都市，交通網が集中する。この中部平地は，地形的に福島県中通り地方に続くため，古くから東北地方への通廊の役を果たしてきた。気候は内陸性で，温度の差が大きい。冬の季節風は〈那須おろし〉〈男体おろし〉と呼ばれ，山地やその縁辺部に激しい。夏は落雷や降雹(ひょう)にしばしば見舞われる。〔産業〕　産業別人口構成は第１次6.8％，第２次32.6％，第３次59.5％（2005）。農業は米作主体であるが，第２次大戦後水田裏作として栽培されたイチゴの収穫量は２万8600t（2003）で全国一，施設園芸のトマト，キュウリの生産は全国有数となっている。北部の那須野原では酪農も盛ん。伝統的な特産物に八溝山地のタバコ，宇都宮以南のビール麦，かんぴょうがある。林野面積は総面積の54％（2003）を占め，諸用材を産する。鉱業は，1973年の足尾銅山閉山後有力な鉱産はないが，葛生を中心とする石灰石，ドロマイト，宇都宮の大谷石，鹿沼市の鹿沼土などが特色。工業は，とくに1960年代以降宇都宮，小山などに電気，機械，金属の大工場が進出し重化学工業が主体であるが，製造品出荷額では７兆7044億円（2003）で，関東地方では最も低い。足利，佐野の古くからの絹織物・綿織物と化繊・合繊織物，栃木，今市（現・日光市）の醸造，鹿沼の木工も活発である。日光，那須，塩原，鬼怒川上流などの地域は日光国立公園に属し，京浜に近い観光地としてにぎわう。1999年には日光地区が日光の社寺として世界遺産条約の文化遺産リストに登録された。〔交通〕　中部平地に通じる東北本線，東北新幹線，東北自動車道，国道４号線が県の南北の，両毛線と北関東自動車道，国道50号線が東西の交通の幹線をなしている。北部に野岩鉄道，中部に烏山線，日光線と東武鉄道各線，南西部に両毛線，わたらせ渓谷鉄道，南東部に真岡(もおか)鉄道と水戸線が通じる。
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