Sano is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 August 2020, the city had an estimated population of 117,669, in 52,066 households and a population density of 330 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 356.04 square kilometres (137.47 sq mi). The city is known for its Outlet Mall, Sano Yakuyoke Daishi Temple, and its local variety of ramen, Sano Ramen. More recently, Sano has gained international recognition for being the home of cricket in Japan.

Tochigi Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Tochigi Prefecture has a population of 1,897,649 and has a geographic area of 6,408 km². Tochigi Prefecture borders Fukushima Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the west, Saitama Prefecture to the south, and Ibaraki Prefecture to the southeast.