Tochigi

Tochigi is an inland prefecture located at the northern edge of the Kanto region, surrounded by mountains on three sides. Mountainous areas such as Mount Nasu and the Nikko mountain range block cold air from the north and west. The plains in the southern part of the prefecture tend to reach high temperatures in the summer, while winters are severely cold. This temperature difference creates favorable conditions for strawberry cultivation. Rivers such as the Kinugawa, Nakagawa, and Watarasegawa flow southward, forming fertile alluvial land with large planted areas for paddy rice, wheat, and soybeans. Greenhouse horticulture utilizing sandy loam soil has developed on the plateaus around Utsunomiya City, making it a major production area for strawberry brands such as Tochiotome and Skyberry. The area around Nasushiobara City has a climate suitable for pasture grass cultivation and is known as a major dairy farming area in the Kanto region, maintaining high rankings nationally for raw milk production. Agritourism centered around the Nasu Highlands is also active, with experiential agricultural facilities such as tourist strawberry farms and cheese workshops. In addition, the areas around Shimotsuke City and Oyama City are traditional production areas for Kanpyo (dried gourd shavings), where unique processing techniques are still passed down today.

Source: MAFF Crop Statistics (Reiwa 5 / 2023), JMA historical weather data

The structural characteristic of agricultural products in Tochigi is not solely the dominance of strawberries, but rather the coexistence of Kanpyo, a specialized product virtually unique in the country, behind the brand power generated by strawberries. Tochigi handles over 95% of the national share of Kanpyo, making it the de facto exclusive production area. However, because its recognition has relied mainly on commercial and processing distribution channels, consumers have had few opportunities to be aware of the production area. In recent years, due to rising health consciousness and interest in dietary fiber, it is being reevaluated as a dried food ingredient. On the other hand, strawberries have a history of continuing to advance the brand of the production area by repeatedly updating cultivars from Tochiotome to Skyberry. Despite being an inland prefecture, it has a geographical advantage as a transit point between the Tohoku and Kanto regions, and has high competitiveness in logistics. A multi-layered agricultural structure in which highland dairy farming and paddy rice agriculture exist within the same prefecture supports the stability of Tochigi as a production area.