Area Characteristics
Tochigi Prefecture is located in the northern part of the Kanto region and is an area with plenty of popular tourist spots including the World Heritage site of Nikko, Kinugawa known for its onsen, and Nasu and Shiobara which are famous for their natural environments. The prefecture is divided into 4 zones with the northern and western areas filled with tourist spots such as Nikko National Park and Oze National Park, and the southern and eastern areas populated with facilities for contemporary history and culture, and the city of Utsunomiya which is attractive for its food. It is this contrast within the prefecture that is very appealing.
Major Sites
In Nikko, the popular areas include the World Heritage sites of Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine, Nikko Futara-san Shrine and Rinno-ji Temple, along with Shinkyo Bridge, Kegon Falls and Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa Park. There is also a variety of other places to sightsee such as the natural resort areas of Lake Chuzenji, Senjogahara, Mt. Nasu and the Nasu Highlands, in addition to theme parks like Tobu World Square, Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura, and Nasu Animal Kingdom.
Food
In Utsunomiya which has a wealth of dishes, Utsunomiya gyoza and Utsunomiya yakisoba are known all throughout the country. As well, Sano ramen, Sano mimi udon, yakisoba in soup and yakisoba burgers are all very popular. A particular Nikko delicacy is yuba (tofu skin). Local dishes such as the dengaku (tofu/fish cooked in miso) of Aiso and tamago toji (soup with beaten egg on top) are also tasty.
Transportation
Taking the train from Tokyo is the usual way to go with the Tokaido Shinkansen (Bullet Train) reaching Utsunomiya in about 50 minutes while conventional trains take about 2 hours. There are 2 ways to head for Nikko: there is JR from Tokyo via Utsunomiya or taking the Tobu Line from Asakusa Station. It is also possible to travel by car from Tokyo over the 180km to Nikko. And since there are plenty of trains and buses serving the Nikko area, you will want to use them effectively because there will be busy times during events such as the fall colors.
Accommodations
Of course, there are plenty of accommodations around Nikko and Kinugawa with their onsen, but hotels can also be found in areas such as Nasu, Shiobara and Utsunomiya.