I highly recommend taking time to visit Nikko during your stay in Japan. It is worth at least one day to see the impressive waterfalls and visit the shrines. It is truly one of the really beautiful areas of the country and within a reasonable driving distance from Tokyo. Here are some important points to consider for your visit there.

Transportation to Nikko from Tokyo

Transportation is always a major consideration for any trip.  An important cost issue when taking a tour in Japan is the cost of the transportation and of having a tour guide to help explain what you are seeing.  Questions such as how will you get to see what you want to see and whether you would like or need a guide are important factors to decide on. Unless you are renting a car or paying for a private use vehicle with a driver, then the best ways to travel to places like Nikko are going by either a tour bus or by booking a semi-private vehicle.  The tour bus option usually comes with one to two guides, covers any basic entry fees, and is often quite reasonably priced. As you might expect, the semi-private vehicle costs more than taking the tour bus. The semi-private vehicle’s driver is usually just that, a driver, not a tour guide. You might luck out and get a driver that doubles as a tour guide, however that could cause the cost of the semi-private vehicle to go up.  There are several pluses to using a semi-private vehicle, but using one does make your excursion cost more. The cost difference between these two transportation options can range from as little as $50.00 to over $200.00 or more depending on where you are trying to go and how long you plan on being at the location(s).

Carefully considering the costs of an experience for a budget traveler is important, but it is always good to balance the cost of an experience against the cost of the actual execution of obtaining that experience.  Always remember you travel a long way to see and experience different places and cultures, so keep in mind that it is important to know what you can physically handle at any time. Think about how the cost of what you do affects the experience you are aiming to achieve.  

Remember when you consider the cost of the tour bus to include the cost you will pay to get yourself to the bus designated pick-up location and on your return the cost of getting from the drop-off points to your hotel or place you are staying in.  Japanese taxis are not cheap, but can take you to the exact pickup location you need to be at to meet your big bus tour operator. Subways are another option, but using them requires more pre-planning to determine: which line(s) to use; where the closest station is to the pick up location; and how long it will take to walk from the subway station to the pick up location.

Comfort vs cost equation considerations

When paying for a private or semi-private (meaning shared with a few others) van you are essentially paying for more personal space, more comfortable seats, and a driver that is usually more willing to be a bit more flexible with time management at the locations you will be visiting.  The van itself will also naturally be able to park in areas where a tour bus could never park. So sometimes from a van you will have less of a walk to the location from the parking lot. In addition, the private or semi-private vehicle cost may or may not include the admission fees. Be sure to check on whether or not these are included.  In a bus tour most attraction’s admission fees are included in the price of the bus excursion.

Taking a big bus tour to visit locations definitely helps save some money on the price of your sightseeing and experiences in Japan.  You’ll also be more than likely have a dedicated tour guide or maybe two for your whole tour group. In Japan, a tour guide can be handy when it comes to explaining information about what you are visiting or when the next chance to obtain food is or where is the nearest restroom.

The essential question that you have to ask yourself is this: does the money I’ll save by being on a tour bus and having a tour guide outweigh the time savings and cost of being picked up and dropped off at your hotel and having much more comfortable seats?  When considering bus versus smaller vehicle tours, I recommend taking into account things such as do you have a family with small children or anyone with mobility issues. If either of those situations apply to you, you might prefer using a semi private or private van tour provider.  A smaller vehicle can mean more flexibility to your tour day. A smaller vehicle means you are sharing your tour experience with fewer people which in turn usually means it can be quicker to get to a site, into the actual site, and back out again. Also, if you want to linger at a particular location or a portion of it, then you can usually do so without feeling rushed or being left behind by your tour group.  You can also often do some adjusting regarding how long you visit somewhere or at what time you need to leave Nikko to return to Tokyo with your driver.   

One plus to taking a big bus tour can be the opportunity to meet other people interested in seeing the same things as you.  As a solo traveler, I have found a tour bus sometimes gives you a chance to meet and talk with people with similar interests about their travel experiences and tips.  In the past, it has even worked out that I could meet up with someone at another time or day for lunch or dinner. It can be a nice change to not eat solo every so often on your trip.  

When to go to Nikko

It’s not like you can’t visit this place year round, but there are times of year that you might prefer over others.  I visited the Nikko area in August. It was warm with great weather for my trip there. If your only travel availability is during the summer, then I recommend going on any day with nice weather.  However, Nikko is very popular during autumn because of the changing colors of the leaves. When I went in August there were other tourists there, but most places that I visited in Nikko were not completely overrun with tourists.  The only exception to that was the Toshogu Shrine. That place was crawling with tourists. From everything I have heard about it, it is very popular and very beautiful throughout the year. Just be aware that if you are headed to Nikko in autumn, to be prepared for the large crowds also trying to see waterfalls surrounded by the autumn colors.

See the waterfalls!

The Kegon Falls are listed on Japan’s top 100 waterfalls for a reason.  This waterfall is thought to be one of the top three Japanese most beautiful waterfalls.  Kegon Falls is an almost 100 meter waterfall. This high waterfall is the only exit for the waters of Lake Chuzenji and as such has a pretty impressive waterflow.  It is a popular place to view autumn colors, especially toward the end of October; however, viewing Kegon Falls is still a powerful sight to behold during the summer.  A fun fact to know is that during most winters, Kegon Falls actually freezes almost completely solid. There is a free platform to view the falls, but I highly recommend taking the 100 meter deep elevator which does have an admission charge to get the best view of the falls.  The cost for the elevator to the viewing platform is not much, but the view is much more impressive from the platform accessed through the elevator. For a nice lightweight and easy to carry souvenir of your visit to the Falls use some of your Japanese yen to buy a pin with the waterfall on it.

The Ryuzu Falls Park is located near Lake Chuzenji.  It has a walking path alongside the length of the approximately 210 meter falls.  There is a gain or loss of about 60 meters, so it is somewhat steep to climb up or walk down.  When you are standing at the top of the falls you are 1,355 meters above sea level. I visited the Ryuzu Cascade Terrace during the summer, but I bet the best time to visit these falls would be during autumn.  The path and waterfall is lined with trees. There is a parking lot at the top of the cascades and at the bottom. I recommend that you start at the top and walk down. There is also a shop at the bottom for souvenirs and food.

Visit Toshogu Shrine

The Toshogu Shrine is a popular stop among tourists visiting the area.  Do not be surprised if the place is packed with people. The shrine’s complex is very big and demands a large amount of your day if you wish to explore every part of it.  I recommend planning on arriving early in the day or later in the afternoon. The crowds at the Toshogu Shrine during the midday were too large to allow for comfortable exploration of the whole shrine area.

The Toshogu Shrine contains elements of both Shinto and Buddhism.  This shrine is actually the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate.  The Tokugawa Shogunate ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. In this shrine, there are more than a half dozen separate buildings.  One of the most impressive to see is the Yomeimon Gate. This gate is a very ornate structure. It features very intricate decorations and many different architectural features.

Many of the shrine’s buildings are covered with elaborate wood carvings and gold leaf.  An interesting wood carving on one of the shrine buildings depicts the famous three monkeys of See no evil, Speak no evil, and Hear no evil.  Gold leaf is used throughout this shrine. The use of so much gold leaf means this shrine looks quite elaborate. Its use is unusual as most Japanese shrines are much simpler.   

Visit Futarasan Shrine

The Futarasan Shrine is a much simpler shrine than the Toshogu Shrine.  Futarasan Shrine honors the three deities of Nikko’s sacred mountains: Mount Nantai; Mount Nyoho; and Mount Taro.  This shrine is very ancient having been founded in 782. Its founder was Shodo Shonin, the Buddist monk who introduced Buddhism to Nikko.  But, the shrine is actually a Shinto shrine. The grounds of this shrine contain several sacred cedar trees. These trees are thought to be around 1000 years old.  It is said that these tall ancient trees stretch up toward heaven. When you look up at them, it is easy to believe that since they are so tall. There is a beautiful main worship hall (Honden) and several other smaller shrine rooms. Behind the shrine itself is a pleasant garden to stroll through and enjoy seeing an outdoor Japanese garden.