Navigate Nikko with Us: A Weekend Getaway in Autumn!

With just a two-hour train ride from Asakusa, you can reach Nikko! Nikko is a city in Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo. It is famous for several reasons: magnificent architecture, deep history, and spectacular seasonal scenery, especially in autumn. If you only have one day to travel, you should definitely consider Nikko! Though the city is quite large, we will just be navigating the west region today, which is perfect for a day trip!

After getting off at Tobu Nikko station, there is a screen that shows the bus schedule, but keep in mind that the gap between each ride can be long. The bus route goes around the mountain. Once the seats are all occupied, the driver will not allow more guests on board. So it is recommended that you wait at the bus station a few minutes before its arrival. Since it is a day trip, we decided to go from the furthest attraction to the closest to the station. Our first stop was Kegon Falls, where we got off at Chuzenji Onsen stop. It was a really fun experience simply taking the bus up to the destination because the route was quite curvy. Those twisty, turvy roads were the filming spot of “Initial D”, a film based on a popular Japanese manga series on street racing. Moreover, we were surrounded by beautiful, color-changing autumn leaves during the whole ride.

To get to the best viewing spot, we purchased a ticket to take the elevator to the bottom of Kegon Falls. After getting off the elevator, we walked through a long tunnel to get to the observation deck, where you could feel the water splashing on your face. Kegon Falls is one of the three most famous waterfalls in Japan. It has incredible scenery with the leaves changing colors with the seasons. If you are curious about what Kegon Falls looks like in a given season, make sure to check out the capsule toy machine at the observation deck. It has metal pins with designs of Kegon Falls in different seasons!

Next stop, we walked over from Kegon Falls to Lake Chuzenji. When the weather is nice, the visitor can take the sightseeing boat or swan boat to go around the lake. It is also great to walk along the lake to enjoy the view, as there are a few temples around the area. We decided to walk to the nearest one from the lake, which was Tachiki Kannon, Nikkosan Chuzenji Temple. After purchasing the ticket at the front gate, you will have access to the inside of the temple building, where you get to see the interior and centuries-old wall paintings. Visitors are not permitted to take photos inside the building, but it was a really interesting experience and felt as if you had entered another world. Before leaving the temple, don’t forget to find the tree with the burl. It is said that if you pray at the tree, it will transfer your illness onto itself and form into a burl.

Next stop, we took the bus down to the mountain for some food before heading to other attractions. We had fried buns and pudding, which were the two most popular snacks on the shopping street. After that, we walked to Shinkyo Bridge. It serves as the entrance to Futarasan Shrine, which is famous for bringing good fortune and relationships. We were lucky to witness a couple dressing in traditional bridal kimono, and having their wedding ceremony on the bridge!

After crossing the bridge, we went to Futarasan Shrine, Rinno-ji, and Nikko Tosho-gu. The three of them form the Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are also near each other, so it is recommended to visit them together. Nikko Tosho-gu especially has many cultural relics, with the most famous one being the three wise monkeys’ wood carving–one covering the eyes, one covering the ears, and one covering the mouth. They embody the proverbial principle of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”.

After visiting the temples, we went to grab dinner at a restaurant that specializes in making yuba cuisine. Yuba is dried tofu skin, a famous local delicacy of Nikko. People often have the impression that tofu is tasteless, but the yuba teishoku was so flavorful and creative. Highly recommended for people visiting Nikko, and for those who are vegan! We headed back to the station after we finished dinner. There is a shopping street right outside the station, which is a perfect spot for getting souvenirs before hopping on the train back to Tokyo!

Attractions in Nikko can be quite scattered, but thankfully, the buses reach almost everywhere you need to go. Just make sure you have spare cash or deposit enough money on your transportation IC card because the bus fee can add up pretty quickly if you are traveling for a longer distance. The east region of Nikko is Kinugawa, which is famous for its hot springs. If you are planning to do an overnight trip to Nikko, it is recommended to get a Nikko Pass to save on transportation and attraction entry tickets!

Featured Photo Credit: coward_lion

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