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Nikko

Mountain shrine town north of Tokyo — lavish UNESCO shrines, waterfalls, and a crater lake.

GEOGRAPHY—CITIESJPNIKKO

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ABOUT

A sacred mountain site since the 8th century, Nikko is best known for Tosho-gu, the extravagantly carved mausoleum of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, set among towering cedars. Beyond the shrines, the Irohazaka switchback road climbs to Lake Chuzenji and the 97-metre Kegon Falls. A popular day trip from Tokyo, though an overnight lets you enjoy the Oku-Nikko hot springs.

WHERE TO STAY

Compare hotels, ryokan and guesthouses in Nikko (日光) on Booking.com — free cancellation on most stays.

Search Nikko hotels ↗

THINGS TO DO

Guided tours, day trips and experiences in Nikko, booked through GetYourGuide (free cancellation up to 24h before on most).

Nikko World Heritage day trip from Tokyo
Tosho-gu Shrine & Lake Chuzenji tour
Kegon Falls & Irohazaka private tour
Browse all Nikko experiences ↗

CITY DATA

PopulationPOPULATION
Approx. 76,000 (Tochigi Prefecture)
AreaAREA
1,449.83 km²
ClimateCLIMATE
Highland climate — cool summers, cold snowy winters at altitude, annual rainfall: approx. 2,000mm
TransportTRANSPORT
FROM TOKYOTobu limited express "Spacia" from Asakusa ~2 hr, or JR/shinkansen via Utsunomiya ~2 hr
LOCALBuses from Tobu/JR Nikko Station to the shrines (~10 min) and up to Lake Chuzenji (~50 min)
SightsSIGHTS
Tosho-gu Shrine, Rinno-ji, Shinkyo Bridge, Kegon Falls, Lake Chuzenji, Kanmangafuchi Abyss
Local FoodLOCAL FOOD
Yuba (tofu skin) served dozens of ways, and yuba-wrapped soba.

GETTING TO NIKKO

From Tokyo (Asakusa)~1 h 50 m · ≈ ¥3,050
Tobu Limited Express (private railway) — The Tobu line is faster and cheaper than the JR route; a JR Pass only helps as far as Utsunomiya.
From Tokyo (Shinjuku)~2 h · ≈ ¥4,000
JR–Tobu through limited express

Fares are one-way estimates. If you are hopping between several cities by shinkansen, a Japan Rail Pass can come out cheaper than paying per trip — check whether the maths works for your route.

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