Nikko - My favourite place in Japan

 Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture is a 2.5 hour train trip from Tokyo and is my favourite place I’ve been to so far in Japan. I have been there twice now, the first time I visited it by myself when I was backpacking across Japan in 2018 and I visited Nikko again in 2019 with my partner.

The accommodation:

On both occasions I stayed in a traditional Japanese Inn, “Annex turtle Hotori-An”. The room cost about 110 Euro a night. The bedrooms have tatami flooring, futons and sliding doors. The bathrooms are shared with other guests. There is a private onsen which is absolutely gorgeous, as it looks over the forest and the Daiya river. Breakfast is included in the price and contains a boiled egg and a mixed assortment of fruit. As part of the stay you are given a yukata which you can wear freely around the Inn to help you feel relaxed.

Kanmangafuchi – A peaceful walk in a small gorge

Immediately outside the Inn there is a hiking stroll following the Daiya river. On my first stay in Nikko I woke up at 7am, had breakfast and decided to take the hiking trail. I walked around a curving path which was decorated with approximately 70 Jizo statues ( more affectionately called Ojizosan by most Japanese). The statues were dressed in red bibs and red crochet caps. 

At the time of my stay I had no idea what Jizo statues were. This was my first time seeing these statues but there are in fact 1000s of them around temples, shrines and hiking trails across Japan.  After talking with my Japanese friends I discovered that Jizo statues are devoted to Jizo Bosatsu, a deity in Japanese Buddhism. This deity protects children, and the statues are said to grant wishes for safe childbirth and to protect children from illness. The hiking trail follows the river through a forestry area for about an hour and ends at a beautiful small gorge. 

Toshoga temple and the five story Pagoda

One of the main attractions in Nikko is Toshoga temple. The five story Pagoda is seen at the entrance gate.  The temple itself has many elaborate wood carvings, with one of the most famous being the “see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil” monkeys.

Kegon Waterfall

I’ve seen plenty of waterfalls since I came to Japan but Kegon falls, with a height of 97 metres is the most breath-taking. To access the waterfall you can get a bus for about 10 euro up a winding mountainous road.

There is loads to do in this area but unfortunately I didn’t have time to fully explore this part of Nikko, for example, there is a cable car you can take with views of the area including Kegon waterfall. There is also a theme park “Edo wonderland” where you can learn about the Edo period in Japan,

Kinugawa river boat tour

As you may have noticed from my previous post about Yanagawa I absolutely love river tours. The one in Nikko is absolutely stunning. This boat tour lasts about 40 minutes and cost about 25 euro. Two boatmen guide the boat down the river where you can see scenic views of the gorge surrounding the river. There are some rapids along the tour but safety jackets are provided to keep everyone safe.   When I took the bout tour the river was a light olive colour which I have never seen anywhere else.

If you are feeling more adventurous there are also areas around the river to go rafting or canoeing. It is best to book these experiences a day or two in advance. The bookings for all these water excursions need to be arranged in Japanese so you should ask the staff at your accommodation to help you make a booking.

Concluding thoughts

I’m not sure why exactly Nikko stands out to me so much. It may have been because Nikko was the first area I visited in Japan that had a more rural feeling that is drastically different to the bustling cities of Tokyo and Osaka. I would love to return for a third time, ideally in November to experience Nikko in the autumn foliage. If you are planning a trip to Tokyo I would highly recommend a night or two stay in Nikko.