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Nikko
Nikko autumn foliage scenic tour
11 hrs· Best late October to mid November
- Irohazaka
- Ryuzu Falls
- Lake Chuzenji
- 06:30 · Early pickup in Tokyo
- 09:00 · Irohazaka ascent
- 09:45 · Akechidaira ropeway
From $430 / group
See the full day
Nikko
Toshogu, Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji
- Duration
- 11 hrs
- Group size
- 1 to 6 guests
- Transport
- Private vehicle
- Pickup
- Your hotel
- Price
- From $400 / group
Nikko holds the most elaborately carved shrine complex in Japan inside a cedar forest, and a mountain lake 1,200 metres above it. Both fit into a day if you leave Tokyo early.
The drive up the Irohazaka switchbacks is part of the experience: forty-eight hairpins, each signed with a syllable of an old alphabet poem. We stop at the top for the view back down the valley.
Hour by hour
The day, stop by stop
- 07:00
Hotel pickup in Tokyo
Roughly two and a half hours north. Most guests sleep.
- 09:30
Shinkyo Bridge
The lacquered red bridge at the entrance to the shrine district.
- 10:00
Toshogu Shrine
Yomeimon gate, the three wise monkeys and the sleeping cat. Around ninety minutes at an unhurried pace.
- 11:45
Rinno-ji or Futarasan Shrine
A quieter counterpoint under the cedars, chosen on the day.
- 12:30
Lunch in Nikko town
Yuba, the local tofu skin, or a simpler set menu if the group prefers.
- 14:00
Irohazaka switchbacks
The climb to the lake plateau, with a viewpoint stop at the top.
- 14:45
Kegon Falls
A lift down to the base platform for the full 97-metre drop.
- 15:45
Lake Chuzenji shoreline
A short walk by the water and a coffee before the descent.
- 16:30
Return to Tokyo
Back at your hotel by around 19:00.
Where you'll go
The places on this day
Included
- Private vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide
- Hotel or accommodation pickup and drop-off in the pickup area
- Fuel, tolls, parking and driver expenses
- Bottled water on board
- Itinerary planning before the day, including dietary and prayer needs
Not included
- Meals and drinks, unless listed in the itinerary
- Entrance fees to shrines, museums and observation decks
- Personal shopping
- Gratuities, which are never expected
- Travel insurance
- Toshogu admission, around 1,600 yen
- Kegon Falls lift, around 600 yen
Good to know
Season
Fine all year. The lake plateau holds snow into April, and the road can close briefly in winter storms.
Walking level
Moderate. Gravel paths and shrine steps, roughly 4 km in total.
Weather
The mountain is often 8°C colder than Tokyo. Bring a layer even in summer.
Questions about this tour
- Is 11 hours too long for a family day?
- It is our longest standard Nikko day. With young children we usually drop one shrine and add a lakeside break.
- Can we stay overnight in Nikko instead?
- Yes. We can end the tour at your Nikko hotel and the price is unchanged.
- How bad is the traffic on Irohazaka?
- Only in peak autumn, when we go up early and come down late to avoid the queue.
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Enquire
Ask about this day
From $400 / group