A Day trip to Nikko (Japan)
A popular daytrip from Tokyo are the famous Buddhist-Shinto temples and shrines of Nikko. It makes for a long day as it takes 2 hours to get there (ie. 4 hours total travel time) โ but it is totally worth it because in addition to some magnificent monuments youโll find yourself in a mountain town surrounded by forests and streams. Itโs a pretty place, even when you get crappy weather like we had on this day.
This post features the highlights of Nikko and includes a few tips on getting there and around.
The history of Nikko began in 766 when a Buddhist priest named Shodo Shonin explored the mountains in Nikko and founded the Shihonryuji Temple (the origin of the Rinnoji Temple). He built a few more temples and shrines. From this time, Nikkoโs prosperity began as a sacred place of faith. The warlord Tokugawa leyasu chose Nikko for the site of his mausoleum and the Toshogu Shrine was completed in 1617. It became a major draw for visitors during the Edo period. The temples and shrines of Nikko are today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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So which shrines and temples should you see? The sites with the most historical significance are the Rinnoji Temple, Toshogu shrine, and Futarasan shrineโฆbut the most interesting for visitors are the two mausoleums: the Toshogu shrine and the Taiyuin shrine. They’re magnificent. I cover them below.
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Toshogu Shrine
The Toshogu Shrine is the main attraction in Nikko. It houses the mausoleum of Tokugawa leyasu who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate, the military dynasty that ruled Japan from 1603 to 1867. The shrine was built by his grandson lemitsu (whoโs remains are in the Taiyuin shrine) and took the work of 15,000 craftsman who needed 2 years (and used 2.5 million sheets of gold leaf) to complete the shrine.
Most Shinto shrines are minimalist. Not Toshogu. It is a riot of color, gold, and intricately painted carvings. It also incorporates a few Buddhist elements (not usually seen in Shinto shrines) including a five-story pagoda.
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Futarasan Shrine
This shrine (right next to the fabulous Taiyuin shrine which I’ll cover below) was founded in 782. The grounds are not as interesting as either Toshogu and Taiyuin – but it is one of the more important religious shrines and is dedicated to the gods of the mountains.
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Taiyuin Shrine
The Taiyuin shrine was actually our highlight in Nikko.
It was completed in 1653 and is the mausoleum of Tokugawa lemitsu, the grandson of leyasu and the powerful 3rd shogun who is known for having closed Japan to foreign commerce and isolating the country from the world for over 200 years. What makes it special is the setting: it is located in a heavily forested area and built up over several levels going up a hill. It has moss-covered gardens, ornate gates and colourful, threatening guardians. As our guidebook said “if Toshogu is splendid, Taiyuin is sublime”.
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It started to pour heavily as we left Taiyuin and we decided to call it a day. We had seen the major highlights. The two other things we had hoped to see were the Shinkyo bridge (a red-lackered wooden bridge that looks quite dramatic in photos) and the Rinnoji temple (the first temple founded in Nikko).
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Practical Information
– Getting there. If you’ve bought the JR pass (which you can only buy overseas before coming to Japan) you can take a train from Shinjuku station in Tokyo. If you don’t have a JR Pass, the best option to get to Nikko is to take the Tobu Line from Asakusa station. That’s what locals do. Regular trains from there cost 1360 Yen one way (non-reserved. It’s basically a commuter train). A few times a day the Tobu Line also has the special Kegon train which is double the cost but which has reserved seating and gets to Nikko faster. Either way, it’s cheaper than taking the JR train from Shinjuku which (if you don’t have the pass) costs 5000 Yen one way.
Related: Why Asakusa and Ueno should be Visited
– Accommodation. We chose The Gate Hotel because it’s right next to the above mentioned Asakusa station. Perfect for exploring Asakusa and Ueno as well as taking a trip to Nikko.
– Getting around Nikko. The best way is to take the Hop On/Hop off bus which makes the tour to all the major sites in Nikko and passes by every 15 minutes. You can buy the ticket at the train station, the bus stop is right outside.
– Organized Tour. I wish we had done an organized tour of Nikko. Between the train ride (and the even longer one coming back) and organizing the Hop On/Hop Off it was a long day and we lined up for a lot of things. Instead I would recommend a tour like this. Save yourself all the hassle.
– Tourist Information. There is a tourist information office at the train station in Nikko. They’ll give you a detailed map.
.If in the Tokyo area, make sure to take a daytrip to Nikko.
Related: How to see Tokyo with a Free Volunteer Guide
Related: Wearing Masks: what we learned from the Japanese and how it applies today
Related: The Best things to Do and See in Kyoto
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Gate, shrine, gate, shrine, pavilion Oh, multi-level pagoda!
They are all AMAZING. However – Japan just has SO MANY! It’s enough to make you run back to the Robot Restaurant for another round of drinks!
but it could be Europe and churches. South America and squares. They are amazing as I said.
Even though it sounds like a 1980s German pop star, I remember Nikko being a nice place. We stayed there in fact but it was very quiet at night, especially compared to Tokyo!!!!
Yes, basically a little mountain town. I would guess there’s not much to do at night except for karaoke in the room…
Oh wow what a fabulous looking place, makes me want to visit Japan even more! Fab photos too ๐
I’m not sold on the idea of Japan yet Frank… keep up the good work – you might just change my mind ๐
I sense on these Japan posts that many people don’t get excited about Japan. I’m wondering, what’s the general perception on Japan? Don’t worry, I’ve got a few posts coming up that will pique your curiosity ๐
Thanks for the comment Paula
I really never had an interest in visiting Japan but the idea of going there has grown on me the last few years. I guess it’s the pop-culture and high-tech stuff which is so unique to Japan. The temples look really interesting as well, very different from the Buddhist temples in Thailand.
Thanks Jack. I have to admit that Japan was never at the top of my list. But the idea grew on me as well and when Spanky said she wanted to go (she’s always been fascinated by Japan) I got excited. It’s very different than anywhere we’ve been and I think my biggest surprise has been the people who are just super helpful. I thought Japan would be a tough place to travel in (language, the size of the cities, the number of people) but it is so incredibly well organized and things work so efficiently you’d be amazed. I don’t think we’ll ever be back but it’s been really memorable.
we’ll surely keep this in mind when traveling to Japan, helpful tips and great photos, thanks for sharing
Thanks for the kind words Joanna ๐
I’m curious… in all of your travels around the world, have you ever seen architecture similar to what you see in Japan? We’ve haven’t been to Asia so have no first-hand perspective, but it’s quite something! Thanks for sharing all of the great photos.
Hi Patti. On one extreme you have the old temples, on the other you have incredibly modern architecture – both extremes are interesting. The temples are unique, very unlike any other Buddhist temples we’ve seen anywhere. We’ve seen some incredible modern architecture that has really wowed us. Very high tech. In between these extremes you have a mix of semi-modern architecture that honestly isn’t very attractive. Most Japanese towns and cities, although super clean, won’t win prizes for design or attractiveness.
Hope that helps! ๐
Beautiful. One of the best things about our trip to Tokyo and Kyoto was visiting the temples.. We really enjoyed them, l think we must have visited at least 7. Love the various guardians. Lovely images and yep..a nice trip.
Thanks Kemkem. Tons of beautiful temples, especially in Kyoto!
Your colors in the photos POP! with the reds, golds, moss greens … You talked me into a daytrip to Nikko with your “pictures are worth a thousand words” spread. I actually fell down the Wikipedia rabbit hole for a few minutes as I had to check out the origin of the 3 wise monkeys and found out they were Japanese macaques – in fact, the photo on the site is the same place you’d pictured. Love those little factoids! ๐
I actually didn’t know that myself Anita. I hoped we’d get a better day for the photos so appreciate your comments. I guess they don’t suck too much.
Love Google and your pics were great – totally un-suckable!! ๐
This makes me feel guilty! ๐ I have been to Japan twice, but both times just to Tokyo. Reminds me of how much more there is to see. The shrines look beautiful!
Yes, it’s worth the daytrip. Lots of old stuff and some nice geography.
It is so unusual trip. I mean to Japan. I even don’t know will I visit this country ever. Bravo, Frank!
It’s a place we’ve always been interested about (especially Spanky – She’s always wanted to see Japan) so we decided that we should see it now while still working. We’re here 7 weeks so getting a good feel for it. Because of cost we’ll most likely never be back but we’ll for sure leave with great memories.