Japan Travel

Nikko day trip from Tokyo: Toshogu Shrine, Kegon Falls, Lake Chuzenji and getting there

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Nikko, in the mountains north of Tokyo, combines Japan's most richly decorated shrine with waterfalls, a high lake and some of the best autumn colour near the capital. It is possible as a day trip, but it is a long one, so it pays to plan.

Getting there

  • Tobu Railway from Asakusa is the usual route. Limited express trains, including the Spacia X, run to Tobu-Nikko in about two hours. Reserve seats on busy days. Slower trains with a change are cheaper.
  • JR: take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Utsunomiya, then the local JR Nikko Line to JR Nikko station. This route is covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
  • The JR and Tobu stations in Nikko are a couple of minutes' walk apart.
  • Tobu sells Nikko passes that bundle the train from Tokyo with local buses, in versions for the shrine area only or for the wider area up to Lake Chuzenji. Check what each version covers before buying.
From the station, the shrines are about 30 to 40 minutes' walk uphill, or a short bus ride.

Shinkyo Bridge

The red lacquered Shinkyo Bridge crosses the Daiya River at the entrance to the shrine area. It is one of Nikko's symbols. You can photograph it free from the road bridge beside it, or pay to walk across it.

Toshogu Shrine

Nikko Toshogu is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, and the reason Nikko is famous. Unlike the restrained style of many Japanese shrines, it is covered in carving, colour and gold leaf. Look for:
  • the three wise monkeys, "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil", on the sacred stable
  • the Yomeimon gate, carved with hundreds of figures
  • the Sleeping Cat (Nemuri-neko) over a passageway, and the long stone stairway beyond it to Ieyasu's tomb
  • the "crying dragon" ceiling, where a clap echoes
Allow at least an hour and a half. The neighbouring Futarasan Shrine and Rinnoji temple are part of the same World Heritage site and worth adding if you have time. Toshogu is at its busiest in the late morning; arriving early helps.

Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji

A bus climbs the Irohazaka, a famous road of hairpin bends, to the plateau above town, taking roughly 40 to 50 minutes in normal traffic.
  • Kegon Falls drops about 100 metres from Lake Chuzenji into a gorge. A lift takes you down to a viewing platform at the base for a small fee.
  • Lake Chuzenji is a large mountain lake with sightseeing boats, lakeside walks and the former embassy villas that diplomats once used as summer houses.
  • Further up, the Senjogahara marshland and Yudaki falls make a good half-day hike for those staying overnight.

Autumn: beautiful and busy

Autumn colour starts at the top and works down: the high plateau usually peaks in October, the town and shrines around late October into November. Exact timing varies every year, so check a foliage forecast. At peak weekends, the road up the Irohazaka can jam for hours and buses fill up. If you go then:
  • go on a weekday if at all possible
  • head up to the lake first thing, then come down to the shrines in the afternoon
  • or stay one night and split the trip into two days

A day trip plan

  1. Early train from Asakusa, arriving mid-morning.
  2. Shinkyo Bridge, then Toshogu and its neighbours until early afternoon.
  3. Bus up to Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji.
  4. Bus back down in time for an evening train to Tokyo.
Try yuba, the skin that forms on soy milk, a local speciality served in many forms around town.

Tips

  • It is noticeably cooler than Tokyo, especially up at the lake. Bring a layer.
  • Comfortable shoes: there are many stone steps.
  • Kinugawa Onsen, on the Tobu line, adds a hot spring stay if you want an overnight trip.
See our guide to autumn leaves in Japan for other places to combine with Nikko. Have you been, or are you planning it? Share your tips and questions in the comments.

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