Introduction

Tochigi Prefecture has a history of fostering valuable and diverse culture. Blessed with abundant natural resources and scenic beauty, it has prospered as an important hub for transportation and commerce since ancient times. The Shrines and Temples of Nikko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the renowned Nikko Toshogu Shrine, represent a significant part of the prefecture’s history. These sites enjoy widespread recognition and attract a large number of tourists from home and abroad, making Nikko one of Japan’s most renowned sightseeing spots.
However, the other cultural heritages that remain in various locations within the prefecture have not received recognition despite the efforts of local residents over many years. Their historical value, and even their existence, have gone unrecognized, and as a result, some are at risk of being lost to future generations.
In addition, even the well-known cultural heritages are currently unable to satisfy all visitors fully and enhance their experience to the fullest extent possible. This is because they tend to fail to provide appropriate information for those seeking deeper knowledge about these sites, looking for special experiences, as well as for foreign tourists interested in learning more about Japanese culture.
Tochigi Digital Museum SHUGYOKU has been designed and created with the aim of improving visitor satisfaction and encouraging travel to a wider range of areas in the prefecture. SHUGYOKU showcases the very best articles from the Tochigi Culture and Art Digital Archive, which preserves prominent cultural and natural resources from various areas and fields within the prefecture. By presenting these articles to the public, it aims to increase their recognition and attract visitors to their sites, while providing in-depth information not only about these resources but also related cultural assets.

About SHUGYOKU

SHUGYOKU is a total information system that allows users to search for and view information about national, prefectural, and other designated cultural properties, well-known artworks, and other resources within Tochigi Prefecture. It provides high-resolution images and descriptions for these resources, as well as information on their locations and availability for public viewing.
Featuring thumbnail images on the front page, it provides an intuitive search experience that allows users to easily find resources by type.
Click “Advanced Search” to use a free word search function and refine your search by checking boxes for various criteria, such as article type and location.
Click “Search from map” to select a city or town on the Tochigi Prefecture map to search for resources. SHUGYOKU is designed to be user-friendly through these and other functions.
* This system will be continually updated to include new information and different languages.

Editorial Guidelines

• The categories for the National, Prefectural, and Other Designated Cultural Properties are based on the types and names defined by the Cultural Affairs Agency and Tochigi Prefecture. Additionally, some extra categories have been included to ensure consistency with the Cultural Resources Categories described later. The descriptions are based on the designated records and research conducted by curators and other staff.
• Tochigi Prefecture’s own categories are used for the Cultural Resources, which have been created with reference to the types used for the National, Prefectural, and Other Designated Cultural Properties. The names and other items used are consistent with those employed by the Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts, as well as other museums and similar facilities. For those names and other items, a different set of rules is applied compared to those used for the National, Prefectural, and Other Designated Cultural Properties.