Tochigi

is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 151,842 in 66,018 households, and a population density of 458 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Because the city escaped war damage during World War II, many historical temples, traditional shops and kura (Japanese traditional storehouses) remain in the city center. The city was awarded the "Utsukushii-machinami Taisho" prize from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in 2009. Geography Tochigi is located in the very southern portion of Tochigi Prefecture, bordering on Ibaraki Prefecture and Gunma Prefecture to the southwest. The city is located in the northern part of the Kanto plain, with a mountain range extending in the northern part of the city. The Tomawa River runs through the city center, the Oshigawa River runs through the eastern part, and the Watarase River runs through the southern part. At the confluence of these three rivers is the Yanaka Reservoir, which is used for sailboating and windsurfing. It was designated a Ramsar Site in June 2012. Surrounding municipalities Tochigi Prefecture Oyama Shimotsuke Kanuma Sano Mibu Nogi Ibaraki Prefecture Koga Gunma Prefecture Itakura Saitama Prefecture Kazo