Nikko: the gilded Toshogu Shrine, Shinkyo Bridge and Kegon Falls
A day trip from Tokyo to the mountains: the shogun's mausoleum with 500 gilded wood carvings (including the three monkeys), the red bridge over the river, and in the afternoon a winding bus ride to a 97-meter waterfall and a walk along Lake Chuzenji to the embassies' summer villas.
A day trip from Tokyo into the mountains of Nikko, on the Tobu train from Asakusa. The morning belongs to the shrines: the red Shinkyo Bridge, and up the avenue Toshogu, the shogun's gilded mausoleum. You eat lunch near the bridge, and in the afternoon you ride the bus up the winding road to Kegon Falls, and from there walk along Lake Chuzenji to the summer villas of the British and Italian embassies. From there you go down to the station in one go, and return to Asakusa for a late meal. About 10 km on foot, plus the 200 steps to the tomb. You ride Tobu buses three times, ¥2,620 in single tickets, so the 'Chuzenji Onsen Free Pass', ¥2,300 for two days, pays off on this day.
This day is part of: Two weeks in Japan: Tokyo, Nikko, Hakone, the Alps, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka
The day on a map
6 stops, in order
- Stops
- 6
- Walking minutes
- 63
- Shinkyo Bridge, then Walk 13 min
- Nikko Toshogu, then Walk 10 min
- Lunch break near Shinkyo Bridge, then Bus 45 min
- Kegon Falls and the Iroha road, then Walk 40 min
- The embassy villas on Lake Chuzenji, then Bus 89 min
- Late dinner in Asakusa
The same stops with the same numbers, and the way from stop to stop. On a phone it opens in the app, and that is what you navigate with in Japan. Pin names on the map are in Hebrew.
Getting there: From Tobu-Asakusa Station. Spacia X, Tobu's new limited express, leaves at 07:50 and reaches Tobu-Nikko at 09:39 with no change: a regular seat is ¥3,340 in regular season (¥1,400 fare plus a ¥1,940 express surcharge), and the surcharge varies between regular, busy and quiet seasons. The 'Kegon' and 'Revaty' expresses are cheaper, ¥3,050 (¥1,400 plus ¥1,650), about 1 hour and 55 minutes, and some of them involve a change at Shimo-Imaichi. Without an express: ¥1,400, about three hours with two or three changes. By JR: from Tokyo Station take the Yamabiko shinkansen to Utsunomiya, and from there the JR Nikko Line to Nikko Station, 1 hour and 44 minutes, ¥5,260 in a non-reserved seat, or on regular trains only, 2 hours and 41 minutes, ¥2,750. JR Nikko Station is a 5-minute walk from Tobu-Nikko. In Nikko you ride Tobu buses: from the station to Shinkyo Bridge ¥220, to Chuzenji Onsen by the lake ¥1,250. The 'Chuzenji Onsen Free Pass' costs ¥2,300, is valid for two days on the stretch between the Nikko stations and Chuzenji Onsen, and saves ¥320 on this day. The 'World Heritage loop' bus ticket, ¥600, covers only the shrine area. Tobu's NIKKO PASS for foreign tourists does not suit this day: the World Heritage area version, ¥3,000, does not include the bus to the lake, and the all-area version, ¥8,000, costs more than all of the day's rides put together.
TrainMust
Tobu Nikko Station: the Tobu train to Nikko and the morning bento
You start on the train from Asakusa. Buy an ekiben, a train bento, at the station and eat it on the way: it is part of the experience. Spacia X leaves at 07:50 and arrives at 09:39, a reserved seat is about ¥3,340, and the price varies between regular and peak season. Outside the window the city gives way to rice fields, and then to mountains. At Tobu-Nikko Station pick up a map from the information desk, and go up to the shrine area by bus or on foot.
Ride to Shinkyo Bridge
Stop 1BridgeRecommended
Shinkyo Bridge: the red bridge over the Daiya River
The sacred bridge at the entrance to the shrine area, from the 17th century, and what stands here today is a reconstruction. Photograph it from the road for free. Walking onto it costs ¥300, and there is not much to it. In the autumn foliage, from late October to early November, the red of the bridge stands against the yellow of the trees.
Up to Toshogu
On the way you can stop at:
- Rinno-ji: Nikko's main Buddhist temple, on the same avenue: in the Sanbutsu-do hall stand three gilded Buddha statues 8 meters tall. ¥400.
Stop 2ShrineMust
Nikko Toshogu: the gilded mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu
The opposite of Japanese minimalism: 500 painted carvings, and gold on every centimeter. Look for the three monkeys (see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil) on the stable, the sleeping cat above the gate to the tomb, and the crying dragon in the hall: two pieces of wood are struck together and you hear an echo. At 10:30 it is still reasonable, by 12:00 you are already pushing through crowds. To the tomb itself you climb 200 steps. Admission is ¥1,600 for an adult, and from 31 March 2026 the ticket machines take cash only.
Down to lunch by the bridge
Stop 3LunchRecommended
Lunch break near Shinkyo Bridge
Nikko's food is yuba, the skin that forms on heated soy milk, and it was the food of the monks here. If you are in a hurry, buy a yuba bun from a street stall and keep going. At midday the bus to the lake leaves every 20 to 40 minutes, so check the time before you sit down. Choose:
Up to Kegon Falls
On the way you can stop at:
- Akechidaira: A stop at the top of the climb, where a three-minute ropeway goes up to a viewpoint over the falls and the lake together. The ropeway is closed for renovation until September 2027.
Stop 4NatureMust
Kegon Falls and the Iroha road: 97 meters from the elevator
The bus climbs 700 meters to the plateau on a road with 48 hairpin turns, as many as the letters of the Iroha alphabet, hence its name, Iroha-zaka. The elevator, ¥600 round trip, descends 100 meters inside the rock to a platform facing the falls, 97 meters at full force. In winter part of it is frozen. On weekends in the foliage season the bus takes two hours instead of 45 minutes, so weigh that in advance. The elevator runs from 1 March to 30 November 08:00 to 17:00, and from December to February 09:00 to 16:30. From here you go on along the lake on foot, and do not come back to the falls.
Along the lake to the villas
Stop 5VillaRecommended
The embassy villas on Lake Chuzenji
A volcanic lake at 1,270 meters, with Mount Nantai behind it. On the south shore stand the summer villas of the British and Italian embassies, 3 minutes apart: ¥300 each, ¥450 for both. The British villa has a tea room with a lake view, 10:00 to 15:30, and from 1 May to 10 October until 16:30, with last order an hour before closing. The villas are open from 1 April to 30 November, 09:00 to 16:00, and from 1 May to 10 November until 17:00. In April they are closed on Mondays. In April and from 11 November, when they close at 16:00, walk to them straight from the bus, and see Kegon on the way back to the station. From December to March they are closed, and you go down from Kegon straight to the station. If you have time, take the 55-minute cruise around the lake: ¥2,000, and ¥2,200 in peak season. It is 10 degrees colder here than in Tokyo.
Down to Tobu-Nikko Station
On the way you can stop at:
- Kanaya bakery opposite the station: The Kanaya Hotel, open since 1873, runs a bakery and cafe opposite Tobu-Nikko: Kanaya bread, apple pie and cheesecake for the train. Open until 18:00, and the hours vary by season, so on the 17:20 bus you arrive just before it closes.
TrainMust
Tobu Asakusa Station: the train back to Asakusa
The Kegon express leaves Tobu-Nikko at 18:41 and reaches Asakusa at 20:35, with no change (¥1,400 fare plus ¥1,650 for a reserved seat). It is the last direct express and it fills up, so book the return seat together with the outbound one. After it, at 19:10, a regular train leaves for Shimo-Imaichi, and from there the Revaty Aizu express, which reaches Asakusa at 21:05, for the same price. If you came down early, take the last Spacia X, 17:44, in Asakusa at 19:35. You reach Asakusa at around 20:30, just when the temple is lit up and empty.
On to dinner
Stop 6DinnerRecommended
Late dinner in Asakusa
After a long day you eat close to the train, and then go to bed tired, and rightly so. Choose:
Want to build your own trip, day by day?
JourneySketch is a trip planner we built: a plan for each day, flights, hotels and a packing list, all in one place. No signup needed.
More in the same area
Day trip · Nikko
Day trip to Nikko: Toshogu, Shinkyo bridge, the imperial villa and Kegon Falls
Day trip · Kamakura
Day trip to Kamakura and Enoshima: the Great Buddha, Hase-dera, the tram and the caves
Multi-city · Tokyo to Hiroshima
Two weeks in Japan: Tokyo, Nikko, Hakone, the Alps, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka
Written as a draft and verified by hand against official sources. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go.