Geographical Location

Situated among the inland prefectures of the Northern portion of the Kanto region, Tochigi is contiguous with the four prefectures of Ibaraki, Gunma, Saitama, and Fukushima.

Location of Tochigi Prefecture

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Climate

The climate of Tochigi may be classified as a humid temperate zone in which there are broad variations in temperature. Winters are arid dry winds, while summers are humid and punctuated by frequent thunderstorms.

Utsunomiya Weather

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Population-Area-Municipalities

The population of Tochigi, as of March 1st, 2007, was 2,014,931. It was increasing up until 2005. In 2006, however, it started to decrease. The area of Tochigi prefecture is only approximately 6,400sq.km (20th largest in Japan), but the largest in the Kanto region.

About 500,000 people live in the prefectural capital city of Utsunomiya, with the remainder dispersed over 13 other cities and 17towns.

Tochigi Population

Change of Population

day/month/year	Population
1/10/1990	1,935,168
1/10/1995	1,984,390
1/10/2000	2,004,817
1/10/2005	2,016,631
1/10/2006	2,015,105
1/3/2007	2,014,931

• Residential Alien 32,948(2006)
• Total Fertility Rate 1.37(2005) (ranked 19th in Japan)

Topography

Situated in the center of the prefecture is the largest open plain in the Kanto region. To the north stand the mountains Shirane(2,578m), Nantai(2,484m) and Nasudake(1,917m). Furthermore, originating in this region are the Kinugawa, Nakagawa, and Watarase Rivers, which flow across the Kanto plain before emptying into the Pacific Ocean.

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Data

Income

• Average Income (2004) ¥3,062,000 National Rank=6

Housing

• Home Ownership (2003) 69.0% National Rank=22
• Average Ground Area (2003) 411square meters National Rank=2

Automobile

• Household Vehicle Ownership (2005) 2.25 per household National Rank=8
• Percentage of License Holders (2005) 67.1% National Rank=2
• Percentage of Paved Roads (2005) 61.6% National Rank=15

Population of Cities/Towns

	Name	Population
1	Utsunomiya	505,396
	(Utsunomiya)	(460,574)
	(Kamikawachj)	(9,539)
	(Kawachi)	(35,283)
2	Ashikaga	158,511
3	Tochigi	81,861
4	Sano	123,346
5	Kanuma	103,784
6	Nikko	92,702
7	Oyama	161,166
8	Moka	66,527
9	Otawara	78,666
10	Yaita	35,515
11	Nasushiobara	115,183
12	Sakura	41,835
13	Nasukarasuyama	30,782
14	Shimotsuke	59,363
15	Kaminokawa	31,802
16	Nishikata	6,906
17	Ninomiya	16,518
18	Mashiko	25,033
19	Motegi	16,019
20	Ichikai	12,362
21	Haga	16,391
22	Mibu	39,967
23	Nogi	25,930
24	Ohira	28,890
25	Fujioka	17,765
26	Iwafune	18,854
27	Tsuga	13,529
28	Shioya	13,205
29	Takanezawa	31,034
30	Nasu	26,663
31	Nakagawa	19,426