Nikkō between spirituality and nature

Nikko (日光市) is located in the northwestern part of Tochigi Prefecture, which is best known for its rich and vast nature and numerous tourist spots including historic shrines and temples.
As the sacred land of mountain worship, many people visit Nikko for its distinctive mystical atmosphere. Nikko was a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship for many centuries before the construction of Toshogu in the 1600s, and Nikko National Park continues to offer scenic mountain scenery, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, wild monkeys, and hiking trails.

Let's go and discover Nikko

Kegon Falls

Kegon Falls is 97 meters high and is a natural landmark representative of Nikko. Legend has it that Kegon Falls was named after Kegon-kyo, which is one of the Buddhist scriptures. With its stream flowing from Lake Chuzenji, Kegon Falls is one of the three great waterfalls in Nikko, next to Kirifurinotaki Falls and Uraminotaki Falls, making the area an important tourist spot.

Lake Chuzenji

Lake Chuzenji, located in Nikko National Park, was formed by a volcanic eruption of the Nantai Mountains many years ago. It is the largest lake in Tochigi Prefecture with a perimeter of about 25 kilometers. On the sides of the lake there are hot springs and public baths where nature takes center stage. The view of Lake Chuzenji changes with each season: the azaleas in early summer and the red leaves in autumn. In short, in every season the natural panorama leaves you speechless.

The Great Falls of Oku-Nikko

Yudaki is a large waterfall with a forked shape and is one of the three large waterfalls of Oku-Nikko, next to Kegon Falls and Ryuzunotak Falls.
From the observation point of the waterfall near the basin, you have a magnificent view of its descent for about 70 meters and nearby a walkway has been built that allows you to get closer to the point where the torrent begins. These are very suggestive views where you can observe and listen to the roar of the water.

Akechidaira: Where the View of Nikko is Even More Beautiful

Akechidaira is famous for its autumn foliage and where Akechidaira observation is the most beautiful in Nikko. The nature of Nikko with Lake Chuzenji, Kegon Falls and Mount Nantai create a breathtaking natural panorama. From the observation point, you can continue to Lake Chuzenji, a perfect place for trekking lovers.

Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine

Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine enshrines Ieyasu, the Sengoku daimyo who led the country in the Edo period by establishing the Japanese shogunate as the first shogun. The history of the shrine dates back to the year 1616 when Ieyasu died and was enshrined as a deity there.
Yomeimon Gate has a luxurious feel and the carvings on it are beautifully colored by skilled craftsmen. The carvings of the three wise monkeys and Nemuri-neko are everywhere and are breathtakingly beautiful.

Nikkozan Rinnoji Temple

Rinno-ji Temple has a rich history spanning over 1,250 years. The main temple, Sanbutsudo Hall, is one of the largest structures in Nikkosan, with three imposing Buddhist statues said to represent Nikko’s three sacred mountains. Not to be missed are the Gomado Hall, with statues of the gods of fortune, and the temple’s treasure house with a number of important cultural properties. The beautiful Shoyoen Garden, in traditional Japanese style, features a path around a pond.

Nikko Futarasan-Jinja Shrine

The center of mountain worship, Futarasan Shrine is considered an ujigamisama, it is considered a guardian of the area. This shrine deifies Mount Nantaisan, a magnificent volcano in Nikko National Park. The famous red Sacred Bridge is one of the most famous places. This shrine is often visited by those who pray for marriage, pregnancy and children.

Mount Nantaisan

Mount Nantaisan is a 2,485 m volcano in Nikko National Park and a place of nature worship. Visitors can walk to Chugushi, a shrine built in the middle ground of Futarasan Shrine, and climb the many stone steps to Okumiya Shrine built at the top.

Senjogahara Plateau

Senjogahara is a large wetland that is home to over 350 species of native plants and wild birds, many of which are protected by the Ramsar Convention. Watching the magnificent scenery while crossing the wooden bridge, which takes about 2 hours, is a truly enjoyable experience.
The best time to visit is from mid-June to early August, when the fields are in full bloom, and in autumn when the tall grasses turn orange and red.

Odashirogahara Plateau

The grassy plains of Odashirogahara seem to have come out of a painting and for nature lovers, this is the place to admire the natural beauty. A 2km trail to admire the colors of nature. In this forest there is a single Japanese birch tree known as the Lady of Odashirogahara.

Yunoko Lake

Lake Yunoko is infinitely beautiful from any angle, offering a scenic one-hour walking trail that takes you past a primeval forest and along the lakeshore.
The perfect time to visit the lake is from late September to mid-October, when the waters reflect the magnificent colors of autumn leaves.

Akechidaira Plateau

The ride up the Akichidaira Ropeway may only take 3 minutes, but the views of Lake Chuzenji, Mount Nantaisan, and Kegon Falls are unforgettable. Visitors board the ropeway at the Akechidaira Plateau, near the top of the scenic, winding Irohazaka Slope. This ride is especially popular in the fall during the changing colors and cherry blossom season, when the valley below is a kaleidoscope of colors.

Iroha-zaka Track

It is one of the most beautiful roads in Nikko: the 48 sharp turns that make up the winding Irohazaka Slope offer drivers a panoramic view around every bend. The first climb takes you up the mountains, and the second climb takes you back down again.

Kirifuri Kogen Plateau

Kirifuri Kogen Highlands is a plateau on the side of Mount Akanagisan that offers a variety of fantastic hiking trails. In late June, many visitors head to this plateau to see the lilies in bloom. For those who like a bit of a workout, the 1,445 Tenku Kairo steps lead to a beautiful viewpoint, where in the winter you can go skiing and snowshoeing.

Nikko Kaido Suginamikimichi

The road to Nikko Toshogu Shrine was planted with many cedar trees as an offering to the shrine. This took years of work and the route has been recognized as the longest tree-lined road in the world.

Kanmangafuchi Abyss

During an eruption of Mount Nantaisan, lava flowed into the Daiyagawa River, creating a beautiful black lava lake called Kanmangafuchi Gorge. On the way to the gorge, you can see the 70 stone statues called jizo, which according to an ancient legend seem to change every time you count them.

Nikko Edomura

Knowing how a city looked in the past is something that intrigues everyone. At Edo Wonderland, the city has been recreated with characteristic ancient Japanese architecture, to take tourists back in time. The Ninja Theater, dressing up in Edo period clothes and much more, make the traveler immerse themselves in the ancient era.

Nikko-yuba

Visitors to Nikko cannot miss out on one of the area's signature delicacies: yuba, or tofu skin. Made by scooping out the top of boiled soy milk, it can be eaten fresh or dried and enjoyed with other dishes.

At Nikko Toshogu Shrine, it is a time of celebration in spring.

Towards the end of May, two events are celebrated: one features mounted archers demonstrating their skills with bows and arrows, and the other features men in traditional samurai warrior attire walking through the streets, recreating the scene when the tomb of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu was transferred from Mount Kunousan in Shizuoka Prefecture to Nikko to become his final resting place./p>

Snow House Festival

The hot spring town of Yunishigawa attracts many visitors every year with its snow house festival. Tiny snow huts called kamakura are lit up from the inside, creating a beautiful atmosphere along the river every night.

Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa

Tamozawa was built in 1632 by Empress Meisho as a place for her relatives to live attached to the palace in Akasaka. In 1898, that three-story section of the freestanding palace was demolished and moved to its current location in Nikko, where it was expanded into a new residence built around the same structure in 1899. Emperor Taisho used it as a summer residence to escape the brutal heat of Tokyo until 1925.
Emperor Showa hid in Tamozawa after being evacuated during World War II. After the war, the villa fell into disuse and was restored and reopened as a museum to the public a few years later.
Tamozawa is one of the largest wooden buildings in Japan and uses many traditional methods of architecture and structure that are not used in modern buildings today, and the purpose and symbolism of these methods are deconstructed throughout, from the ceiling beams to the murals to the tatami and sliding walls.