During the Edo Period Tochigi was known as Shimotsuke. In 1884, the Tochigi Prefectural Government was established and in 1896, Utsunomiya was established asa city. Although the city was nearly destroyed by the air raids of 1945, it quickly recovered.
In terms of transportation routes, the city has become more convenient with the construction of the Tohoku Expressway in 1977, and since the Tohoku Shinkansen
(bullet train) came first into operation in 1982.
Utsunomiya City is the center of government, finance and culture in Tochigi Prefecture, and continues to grow as an urban center north of the metropolitan Tokyo area.