Scheduled monthly wages in Tochigi average ¥355,400 across all ages, the third-highest level among the seven Kanto prefectures after Tokyo and Kanagawa. Behind a wage curve that rises by ¥190,400 from the early 20s to ages 55–59 is a concentration of automotive and precision-equipment manufacturing that is easy to overlook if Tochigi is seen mainly as a tourism prefecture.
Scheduled monthly wages in Tochigi by age (2023, men and women combined)
| Age group | Scheduled monthly wages |
|---|---|
| 20–24 | ¥241,300 |
| 25–29 | ¥282,800 |
| 30–34 | ¥329,300 |
| 35–39 | ¥353,600 |
| 40–44 | ¥385,900 |
| 45–49 | ¥388,600 |
| 50–54 | ¥419,100 |
| 55–59 | ¥431,700 |
| 60–64 | ¥311,000 |
| All ages | ¥355,400 |
One of northern Kanto's strongest wage curves, reaching ¥431,700 at ages 55–59
Scheduled monthly wages are ¥241,300 at ages 20–24, ¥385,900 at ages 40–44, ¥419,100 at ages 50–54, and ¥431,700 at ages 55–59. The increase from the early 20s to the late 50s reaches ¥190,400 per month.
At ages 60–64, the figure falls to ¥311,000, a decline of ¥120,700 from the previous age group. The overall gender gap is also large: ¥395,500 for men compared with ¥270,700 for women. The same table therefore shows both Tochigi's relatively high prefectural average and challenges around wages for women and workers in their 60s.
Published figures by gender
| Age group | Men | Women | Women ÷ men |
|---|---|---|---|
| All ages | ¥395,500 | ¥270,700 | 68.4% |
| 20–24 | ¥250,700 | ¥230,600 | 92.0% |
| 50–54 | ¥471,300 | ¥296,400 | 62.9% |
| 55–59 | ¥483,700 | ¥294,800 | 61.0% |
The table shows that the gender gap is smaller among younger workers and becomes much wider in the 50s.
Manufacturing in Haga, Kaminokawa, and Moka supports wages without relying on Tokyo
A major force lifting wages in Tochigi is the concentration of automotive and precision-equipment industries around Utsunomiya, Haga, Kaminokawa, and Moka. Major manufacturers such as Honda, Nissan, and Canon, together with related companies, provide long-term employment for engineers and skilled workers, while experienced workers and managers in their 40s and 50s help raise the average. The Utsunomiya Light Rail, which opened in 2023, also connects the east side of Utsunomiya Station with the industrial areas of Haga.
Meanwhile, tourism areas such as Nikko, Nasu, and Kinugawa are central to Tochigi's public image, but accommodation and food services generally tend to pay less than manufacturing. The prefectural average is therefore not a "tourism prefecture" wage figure so much as one strongly influenced by the career wage curves of people working in manufacturing businesses in central and southern Tochigi.
How to read these figures
These statistics measure scheduled monthly wages and do not include bonuses or overtime pay. They are also aggregate figures for all industries and both sexes, so the table alone cannot show differences by industry, position, tenure, or employment status.
What can be confirmed from the published 2023 figures is that wages in Tochigi rise through the late 50s and then decline at ages 60–64, and that the gender gap becomes large in the 50s. Industry-specific and employment-status data would also need to be examined before drawing conclusions about the causes.
Summary: Tochigi's third-place ranking reflects its strength as a manufacturing prefecture
Tochigi has the highest wage level in northern Kanto not because of commuting to Tokyo, but because pay continues to rise into the 50s at major manufacturers located inside the prefecture. The tourism image alone cannot explain an all-age average of ¥355,400.
- ¥355,400 across all ages, third-highest in Kanto
- ¥431,700 at ages 55–59
- A concentration of Honda, Nissan, Canon, and related companies is part of the regional background
- The sharp fall to ¥311,000 at ages 60–64 points to a large difference around retirement age
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2023)
📊 Analysis notes
- Statistics used: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Basic Survey on Wage Structure (Table ID: 0003426933, view on e-Stat)
- Area: Tochigi Prefecture
- Year: 2023
- Data retrieved: June 6, 2026
- Notes: The article primarily organizes published statistical values. Interpreting the background also involves factors outside the table, including industrial composition, position mix, and employment status, so figures that can be directly confirmed from the statistics should be distinguished from interpretation.
Figures in charts and tables were independently compiled and visualized from the statistical data above.