Tochigi Prefecture occupies the northwestern quadrant of the Kanto area, and has historically been a rich agricultural area with rice and mixed produce farms sprawling across the level plains that lie at the base of Japan's central mountain backbone. It also featuyres many large manufacturing centers including the city of Utsunomya, which is the home of Tochigi SC. Tochigi Soccer Club has a fairly short history, having been formed from the modest base of Tochigi Teachers Soccer Group, and taking its current name in 1994.
Despite this modest history, after Tochigi SC adopted an independent corporation structure, in 2005, it advanced quickly up the ranks, joining the J.League in 2009. The team adopted a monkey (Japanese Macaque) named "Tokki" as its mascot, in 2012.
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