Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, Kantō Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Ashikaga is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. The total area of the city is 177.76 square km (68.63 sq mi).

Geography Ashikaga is located in the northern Kanto plain in the far south-western corner of Tochigi Prefecture, bordering on Gunma Prefecture to the north, west and south. The Watarase River flows through the centre of the city. It is located approximately 80 km north of Tokyo.

Surrounding municipalities Tochigi Prefecture • Sano

Gunma Prefecture • Tatebayashi • Kiryū • Ōta • Ōra.

History During the Heian Period, Ashikaga was developed by Minamoto no Yoshikuni, whose descendants later became the Ashikaga clan. The area was noted from this period for its academy, the Ashikaga Gakkō. During the Edo period, it was the centre of Ashikaga Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Meiji restoration, the town of Ashikaga within Ashikaga District, Tochigi was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. It was elevated to city status on January 1, 1921. Ashikaga annexed the neighboring village of Keno on March 3, 1951 and the town of Yamabe on April 1, 1953. This was followed on August 1, 1954 by the villages of Mie and Yamamae, and on November 1, 1954 by the villages of Kitago and Nagusa. On April 1, 1959, Ashikaga annexed the village of Tomita, and the northern half of the village of Yabagawa on July 1, 1960. On October 1, 1962, Ashikaga annexed the towns of Mikuriya and Sakanishi. Ashikaga District was dissolved by this final merger.

Government Ashikaga has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 24 members. Ashikaga contributes four members to the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Tochigi 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy Ashikaga has long been noted for its textile industry, but in recent years, it has also become known as an industrial and commercial city producing various aluminum, machine metal works and products. In the agricultural sector, Ashikaga is noted for its tomatoes.

Education • Ashikaga Institute of Technology • Ashikaga Junior College • Ashikaga has 22 public primary schools and 11 public middle schools operated by the city government and five public high schools operated by the Tochigi Prefectural Board of Education. There are also three private high schools and one private middle school. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the handicapped.

Transport: Rail JR East – Ryōmō Line • Tomita - Ashikaga Flower Park - Ashikaga - Yamamae - Omata

Tōbu Railway – Tobu Isesaki Line • Agata - Fukui - Tōbu-Izumi - Ashikagashi - Yashū-Yamabe

Transport: Road • Kita-Kantō Expressway – Ashikaga Interchange – Izuruhara Parking Area • National Route 50 • National Route 293 • National Route 407

Local attractions • Ashikaga Gakkō (足利学校): referred to as the oldest school in Japan. • Ashikaga Flower Park  (足利フラワーパーク): Japan's oldest and largest wisteria. • Orihime Shrine (織姫神社): This shrine was built in 1879, the guardians of the textile city, Ashikaga. • Banna-ji Temple (鑁阿寺): A temple known for its association with the Ashikaga clan. • Kurita Museum (栗田美術館): This museum has a fine collection of Imari and Nabeshima porcelains. • Watarase River Fireworks display, which takes places on the first Saturday of August attracts thousands of people from around the Kantō area. • Watarasebashi Monument: A stele erected near Watarase Bridge in 2007 in honor of Chisato Moritaka's 1993 song "Watarasebashi". The stele features a speaker that plays the song. • Coco Farm & Winery, located in the foothills on the outskirts of town. Founded around 1950, the vineyards are tended by adults with special needs and staff members living in community. During the third weekend of November, a harvest festival is held with live music and wine tasting. Thousands of visitors attend every year.