UTSUNOMIYA CITY宇都宮市
KANUMA CITY鹿沼市
SAKURA CITYさくら市
NAKAGAWA TOWN那珂川町
TAKANEZAWA TOWN高根沢町
KAMINOKAWA TOWN上三川町
NASUKARASUYAMA CITY那須烏山市
NASUSHIOBARA CITY那須塩原市
NASU TOWN那須町
SHIOAYA TOWN塩谷町
YAITA CITY矢板市
OTAWARA CITY大田原市
NIKKO CITY日光市
ASHIKAGA CITY足利市
SANO CITY佐野市
TOCHIGI CITY栃木市
MIBU TOWN壬生町
OYAMA CITY小山市
NOGI TOWN野木町
SHIMOTSUKE CITY下野市
HAGA TOWN芳賀町
ICHIKAI TOWN市貝町
MOOKA CITY真岡市
MASHIKO TOWN益子町
MOTEGI TOWN茂木町
Shioya Town is located in the northern part of Tochigi Prefecture, with an area of approximately 176.06 square kilometers. It borders Nasushiobara City to the north, Yaita City to the east, Sakura City and Utsunomiya City to the south, and Nikko City to the west. As of November 2023, the population is about 10,000, with approximately 4,000 households. About 60% of the town’s total area is covered by forests, and it has a triangular shape, measuring 18 km from east to west and 21 km from north to south. In the north, the Takahara Mountains, which are part of Nikko National Park, stretch across the landscape. The Arakawa River flows through the east, and the Kinugawa River flows through the west, with the central to southern areas being rural farmland. The Shoujinzawa Spring, located at an altitude of 590 meters at the foot of the Takahara Mountains, is famous as one of the 100 Exquisite Waters of Japan, certified by the Director of the Water Quality Conservation Bureau of the Environmental Agency, and is a source of pride for Shioya Town.
In Shioya Town, stone tools thought to date back to the Paleolithic period about 10,000 years ago have been excavated. During the Edo period, the town prospered as a post town along the Nikko Highway. In 1889, during the Meiji era, the area that would later become Shioya Town implemented the municipal system, dividing the northern area into Tamanyu Village, the western area into Funyu Village, and the eastern area into Omiya Village. In 1965, during the Showa era, the town system was implemented, and Shioya Town was born.
The town also has many tourist attractions. “Shoujinzawa Exquisite Water Park” is a plaza where visitors can draw water directly from the famous “Shoujinzawa Spring,” which is a source of pride for Shioya Town. It is a popular spot where you can collect water from the source of the Shoujinzawa Spring. “Sanuki Stone Buddha” is a large rock formation standing 64 meters tall along the Kinugawa River, featuring a relief carving of Dainichi Nyorai, a Buddha, and is designated as a national historic site. The statue is a colossal 18.2 meters tall. Although it has become harder to see in recent years, you can still make out parts of the face. “Kazami Kagura” is a traditional dance performed at Higashi Mamorigami Shrine on the first Sunday of April each year. It is one of Tochigi Prefecture’s designated intangible cultural properties. Kazami Kagura is an ancient ritual dance, consisting of 36 sequences passed down orally, accompanied by flute, drums, and dance.
There are no trains in Shioya, so if you want to take the train, you’ll have to use the stations in the neighboring cities of Yaita and Nikko. National Route 461, which runs through the center of Shioya, is used by many people as a community road connecting Yaita to the east and Nikko to the west. In addition, Kanto Bus and Shioya Kotsu bus routes run on this road, making it convenient for accessing both cities.
There is almost no traffic congestion, so travelling by car is comfortable. There are also buses, which are a convenient means of transport for long distance trips.
There are no trains and few buses, so it is inconvenient without a car. As it is a mountainous area, it may be affected by snowfall.
According to information from a real estate information website, the average rent for a newly built apartment within the city, within a 10-minute walk from the station, is about 60,000 yen for a 1DK and 65,000 yen for a 2K. The average price per tsubo of land is about 40,000 yen per tsubo. In some cases, it is possible to purchase a large plot of land at a relatively reasonable price. For families considering a detached home, the environment makes it easy to secure a large plot of land an attractive option.
Compared to urban areas, the population density is low, allowing you to enjoy a peaceful life. There is less noise and stress, allowing you to live a relaxed life.
It is important to take into consideration commuting to school or work and search for a property and living environment that suits your and your family’s needs.
Within Shioya Town, there are 3 nursery schools, 1 kindergarten, 5 elementary schools, 1 junior high school, and 1 high school. The “Child Medical Expense Subsidy” covers both outpatient and inpatient care for children under the age of 18 (until March 31st following their 18th birthday), with full coverage. As a child allowance, 15,000 yen is provided for children under the age of 3, 10,000 yen for the first and second children over the age of 3 until they enter elementary school, 15,000 yen for the third and subsequent children, and 10,000 yen for junior high school students.
Shioya Town also offers its own unique child-rearing support. Through the “Shioyakko Support Fund,” subsidies for birth and school entrance celebration gifts are provided. For a first child, 50,000 yen is given, and for a second child, 150,000 yen is provided. For the third and subsequent children, 150,000 yen is given at birth, and 100,000 yen is provided when they enter elementary school, private elementary schools, or special needs elementary schools. Additionally, there is the “Hello Baby Program,” where public health nurses visit homes with infants aged 0 to 4 months to check the baby’s weight, monitor development, and offer childcare advice. Another service, “Sick and Convalescent Child Care,” helps parents who are unable to care for their sick or recovering child due to work, allowing children to be cared for at local childcare facilities or hospitals.
Shioya Town also repurposed a closed elementary school, transforming it into a facility where parents and children can interact and play together. This facility, called the “Shioya Town Children’s Future Center (commonly known as Shiorando),” features a library, a table tennis area, and large play equipment like the “MoiMoi.”
We offer generous childcare benefits, including birth bonuses, and actively support child-rearing.
There are few educational institutions, so commuting to school can take a long time depending on where you live.
In Shioya Town, there are several supermarkets, roadside stations, and home improvement stores mainly along National Route 461. While there aren’t many shopping facilities, there are enough stores selling groceries and daily necessities to meet everyday shopping needs. If you travel to neighboring Utsunomiya City, you will find a wider range of shopping options, making it a convenient area if you have access to a car or other transportation. Within Shioya Town, the supermarket “Daiyu Shioya Store” is located along National Route 461. For households without access to transportation, the town offers a trial service for a “mobile supermarket.” From January 15 to March 7, 2024, this mobile service will operate for approximately eight weeks, selling groceries and daily necessities while traveling through the town, making shopping more convenient for residents. At “Michi-no-Eki Yusui-no-Sato Shioya,” you can purchase fresh local produce, and the adjacent rural restaurant “Kamizakura” is popular for its soba noodles made with the town’s famous Shoujinzawa spring water.
The southern part of the town borders Utsunomiya City and there are many shopping facilities, so it is convenient to have a car or other means of transportation.
There aren’t many places to shop within the town, so people often have to go shopping in neighboring areas.
The average annual income in Shioya is 2.76 million yen. 60% of the town’s total area is covered by forests and land, and it has long prospered with agriculture, forestry and livestock farming as its main industries. In recent years, the town has been attracting businesses to the Shioya Industrial Park, and the number of small and medium-sized factories and companies is increasing, so you can expect a certain number of job openings. In addition, there are many job openings in medical, education and nursing care, which are occupations closely related to daily life. In addition, the town is adjacent to areas with developed commercial and industrial bases such as Utsunomiya and Nasushiobara, and has good access, so many households commute to neighboring areas.
There is a wide range of job options available, from agriculture and forestry to manufacturing companies.
Because the area is small, there are few companies, and therefore only a limited number of job openings.
