Nikko日光
A mountain town two hours north of Tokyo where Tokugawa Ieyasu's gloriously over-the-top Tōshōgū shrine and its UNESCO companions stand among towering cedars — and, up the hairpin Irohazaka road, the waterfalls and lake of Oku-Nikko. A shrine-and-nature day-trip (or an easy overnight), famous too for its 'yuba' tofu-skin cuisine.
shrines nature history day-trip
Neighbourhoods
Nikko Shrines (World Heritage)
The UNESCO World Heritage precinct in the cedar forest — the dazzling carved gates of Tōshōgū (Ieyasu's mausoleum), the older Futarasan shrine, the great temple of Rinnō-ji and the serene Taiyū-in, all linked by stone paths under giant trees. The reason most people come to Nikko.
Nikko Town & Approach
The town strung along the road from the stations up to the Shinkyō bridge — yuba (tofu-skin) restaurants and old cafés, yokan sweet shops and souvenir stores, the historic Kanaya Hotel, and the haunting Kanmangafuchi Abyss with its row of mossy Jizō statues by the river. Where you eat and stroll between shrine and nature.
Oku-Nikko (Chūzenji & Kegon)
The highland up the twisting Irohazaka road — the thundering Kegon Falls plunging from Lake Chūzenji, the lake itself ringed by mountains, the Akechidaira viewpoint over it all, and the marshes and Ryūzu Falls beyond. Cool in summer and ablaze with colour in autumn; a full day of nature above the shrines.
Where to stay
Nikko Town & Approach
Around the two Nikko stations and the shrine approach — the cheapest, most connected base, with buses up to the shrines and to Oku-Nikko, and the town's yuba restaurants and cafés. Most visitors day-trip, but an overnight lets you see the shrines early.
Oku-Nikko (Chūzenji & Kegon)
Staying by Lake Chūzenji or in the Oku-Nikko hot springs is serene and scenic — best for nature lovers and autumn-leaf season, though it's up the mountain and quieter.
Getting there
Tōbu-Nikkō Station (Tōbu Limited Express 'SPACIA')
The easiest route: the Tōbu Limited Express runs Asakusa → Tōbu-Nikkō in ~2 h. From the station, buses run up to the shrine area (~10 min) and on up the Irohazaka switchbacks to Chūzenji/Kegon (~50 min). The Nikkō Pass covers the buses.
JR Nikkō Station (from Shinjuku via through-service)
JR runs limited-express services from Shinjuku to Nikkō (~2 h) via a connection onto the Tōbu line. A rental car also works well and helps in Oku-Nikkō, but the Irohazaka road is one-way and busy in autumn.
FAQ
What is Nikko best for?
Nikko is best for shrines, nature, history, day-trip. A mountain town two hours north of Tokyo where Tokugawa Ieyasu's gloriously over-the-top Tōshōgū shrine and its UNESCO companions stand among towering cedars — and, up the hairpin Irohazaka road, the waterfalls and lake of Oku-Nikko.