Nikko from Tokyo: Toshogu, Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls

What is in the day

Tours to Nikko usually combine the World Heritage temples, including Toshogu, Lake Chuzenji, Kegon Falls and the Irohazaka mountain pass. Some programmes add Tokyo and other stops. The time depends on the format: from 6.8 to 9.6 hours.

Nikko on your own: the train, the pass and the timetable

Nikko is searched for as “Nikko from Tokyo”, “Toshogu temple”, “Nikko Pass” and “Lake Chuzenji”. The journey one way takes about two hours, so one goal is enough for a day: either the World Heritage temples, or the lake and waterfalls in the mountains.

• Train. From Asakusa station Tobu express trains leave for Tobu-Nikko, and from Shinjuku a JR train runs to Nikko station. Tobu is more convenient: the Tobu Nikko Pass is worthwhile for those who travel beyond the temples. The two-day pass covers the World Heritage sites, and the four-day one reaches Lake Chuzenji and the hot springs.
• From the station to the temples. A bus goes to the Shinkyo bridge and Toshogu in 10 minutes, and on foot from the station it is about 40 minutes uphill. It is better to go and return by bus.
• To the lake. From Tobu-Nikko station a bus leaves along the Irohazaka serpentine with 48 bends. In autumn, at the peak of red maples, there are traffic jams here, so go up the mountain early in the morning.

What to see and how to spread the day

The Toshogu shrine is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu; the best-known places inside are the Yomeimon gate, the “three monkeys” carving and the “sleeping cat”. Nearby stand Rinno-ji and the Futarasan shrine, so the whole complex is toured in 2–3 hours. Then people go up to Lake Chuzenji, from where Mount Nantai is visible, and to Kegon Falls: it is about 97 metres high, and the lift to the lower viewing platform is paid. For lovers of easy walks the Senjogahara plain with a trail along the marsh and the Ryuzu waterfall will do.

The temples work by day: nearer winter the complex closes earlier than in summer, at about 16:00, and entries end half an hour before closing. The exact hours depend on the season; see them when booking.

Which tickets and tours there are

Prices are as of 10 October 2026. Check the contents, language and conditions on the page of the offer you choose.

What else from Tokyo

Compare with a trip to Mount Fuji. All offers: excursions in Tokyo.

Restrictions and tips

• A tour or on your own. A tour is chosen if time is short: the bus picks you up at the hotel, and all the stops follow one another without changes. On your own is simpler if you stay in Nikko overnight and walk the routes at your own pace.
• Clothing. In the mountains it is 5–8 degrees colder than in Tokyo: at Chuzenji in October you already need a jacket and a hat. In winter there is sometimes snow on the serpentine, and buses run behind schedule.
• Best time. The red maples in the valley of the temples are usually at the end of October, by the lake and on the serpentine in early to mid-October. In summer there are many tourists, but it is cooler than in the city.
• Photos. Filming inside the Toshogu halls is not allowed, and drones are banned over the temples. Do not go past the barriers and do not touch the carvings.
• Money and tickets. Tickets for Toshogu are sold at the entrance; there is sometimes a queue at the ticket office, so have small change ready, and a passport is not needed.

The description is based on Trip.com cards; opening hours and the contents of offers may change.