Most of us are not deeply familiar with Tochigi Prefecture, but perhaps you’ve heard of Nikko, Utsunomiya, and Nasu. Located north of Tokyo, Tochigi’s capital city Utsunomiya, is about an hour from Tokyo via the Tohoku Shinkansen, or a 2 hour drive.
Approximately 20% of the prefecture’s total land area has been designated as natural parks and the Watarase Reservoir (location of the Tour de Tochigi Prologue) is a popular destination for sailboating and windsurfing, as well as cycling events and triathlons.