Part of central Honshu, Tochigi Prefecture lies just an hour north of Tokyo via bullet train. A landlocked region whose western and northern boundaries are ridged with mountains, Tochigi is famed for the temple-rich historical environs of Nikko as well as hot springs resort towns like Yumoto and Shiobara. With every kilometer north, the land becomes mountainous and the scenery changes dramatically, and Tochigi’s winding mountain roads eventually give way to sudden sweeping vistas of the Kanto Plain.