Geography

Tochigi meets Ibaraki on the east at the Yamizo Mountain Range. North is Fukushima and the Taishaku Mountain Range. West is Gumma and the Ashio Mountain Range. The middle is a wide sloping basin called Nasu Nohara. Running from north to the west is the Nasu Volcanic Chain including Nasu and Nikko. The area contains many famous hot springs and beautiful scenic spots. This inland prefecture experiences drastic seasonal and even daily temperature changes, and often suffers crop damage from frost, wind, thunder, and hail.

Industry & Economy

Agriculture is still the main industry in Tochigi, but secondary industries are gradually being developed. Specialty mining includes copper from the Ashio Mine and Oya stone from the Utsunomiya area. The main agricultural produce includes tobacco from Yamizo Mountain Terrain and dried gourd (90% of the national harvest). The textile industry that once thrived before the War is now being replaced by those tied to electronic, machinery, metal, and heavy chemical industries.

Cultural Background

Along with Cumma prefecture, Tochigi has one of the oldest traditions in the eastern part of the country. The area that depended on Tochigi was called "Shimotsuke," one of the I 3 provinces of the Eastern District. The name originated around the 5th century. A survey showed that people of Tochigi scored highest in having no worries about natural disasters. They are also known to be conservative, modest, rather non-confronting, and have a relatively strict ethical code.

Religious Milieu

After the Toshogu Shrine, which had been built to worship Ieyasu Tokugawa, was transferred to Mt. Nantai near Nikko, the whole area became a sacred religious area. Even before that, the mountain had been associated with "Mountain Religion." Generally speaking, people of the Kanto area have less sense of religion. However, because of this historical background the people of Tochigi possess much stronger religious convictions, often tied to gaining material blessing. Christianity came to the prefecture in the early years of the Meiji era through young Christians from Yokohama. That foundation became the base for a number of the churches that remain today.

The Mission

Some of the churches in the prefecture are struggling. But it is encouraging to see others experiencing good growth. There is potential in the newly developed residential areas, which are relatively free from the old cultural and traditional pressures. The Nasu Plains should also provide good opportunities as the whole area develops. Well-organized plans need to be developed which will pull together various resources for evangelism.