Wrapped in cedar forests and cooled by mountain air, Tochigi in Japan invites travelers to slow down and breathe. Here, Nikko’s ornate shrines shimmer in gold beneath towering trees, rivers steam in Kinugawa’s onsen valleys, and quiet trails wind toward the waterfalls of Okunikko. In the north, Nasu’s open ridges reveal vast horizons, while Mashiko’s potters shape earth into…