Private Nikko Day Tour with Toshogu Shrine & Kegon Falls from Tokyo

Irohazaka and the Akechidaira Ropeway

The road from the town of Nikko up to the lakes climbs the famous Irohazaka, two one-way mountain roads with 48 hairpin bends between them, one for going up and one for coming down. In autumn the slopes blaze with red and gold maples and the drive itself becomes one of the highlights of the day. With a private car and driver, you can stop wherever the view is best.

Near the top, the Akechidaira Ropeway carries you in about three minutes to an observation platform with one of the finest panoramas in Nikko: Kegon Falls, Lake Chuzenji and the cone of Mount Nantai together in one frame. The ropeway stop takes about 40 minutes on this tour, and the ropeway fare is paid on site. On clear days it is the best introduction to the landscape you will explore next.

Lake Chuzenji

Lake Chuzenji lies about 1,270 metres above sea level at the foot of Mount Nantai, a sacred volcano whose ancient eruptions blocked the valley and created the lake. Its cool, clear water and forested shores made it a favourite summer retreat for foreign embassies in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and some of their elegant villas still stand along the shore.

On this tour you spend about an hour by the lake, walking along the shore and taking in the views of Mount Nantai. The lake is especially beautiful in October, when the surrounding forests change colour, and peaceful in early summer. Remember that it is much cooler here than in Tokyo, even in summer, so a light jacket is useful. Our driver-guide can show you quieter viewpoints away from the busiest spots.

Kegon Falls

Kegon Falls is the outflow of Lake Chuzenji, where the water drops about 100 metres in a single powerful column down a sheer volcanic cliff. It is counted among the three most beautiful waterfalls in Japan, and the sound and spray at the bottom are unforgettable. Smaller cascades seep out of the rock face around the main fall, adding to the scene.

There is a free viewpoint at the top, and a lift that descends about 100 metres through the rock to a platform facing the base of the falls, for which a small fee is paid on site. About 40 minutes are planned here. The best time to visit Kegon Falls is late spring for the most water, or mid to late October when autumn colours frame the falls; in winter the cascades partly freeze into ice.

Ryuzu Falls, Yudaki Falls and Lake Yunoko

Higher up in the Okunikko area, Ryuzu Falls, the Dragon's Head Falls, is a long cascade whose lower part splits around a large rock into two streams, said to resemble the head of a dragon. It is one of the most famous autumn foliage spots in Nikko, and a small teahouse viewpoint sits right at its foot. The longer stop in this area, about 80 minutes, also leaves time for lunch at a local restaurant.

Further on lies Lake Yunoko, a quiet mountain lake surrounded by forest and marshland, where a short walk of about 30 minutes takes you along the shore. Yudaki Falls, a broad 70-metre cascade sliding down a rock face, pours out of the lake and is an easy, beautiful stop. This part of Nikko feels remote and natural, a world away from the city.

Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa

Back in the town of Nikko, the Tamozawa Imperial Villa was built in 1899 as a summer residence for the imperial family. It combines part of an Edo-period noble residence moved from Tokyo with Meiji and Taisho-era extensions, creating one of the largest surviving wooden imperial villas in Japan, with more than one hundred rooms.

An hour here lets you walk the long corridors, see the finely crafted wooden ceilings, sliding doors and painted panels, and enjoy the carefully kept Japanese garden, which is especially lovely in autumn. The villa is quiet and rarely crowded, a pleasant contrast to the busier shrines. The entrance fee is paid on site, and our driver-guide can adjust the timing if you prefer more time elsewhere.

Nikko Toshogu Shrine and Shinkyo Bridge

Nikko Toshogu Shrine is the mausoleum of the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate and the most lavishly decorated shrine in Japan, part of the UNESCO-listed Shrines and Temples of Nikko. Among towering cedars you see the dazzling Yomeimon Gate covered in hundreds of carvings, the famous carving of the three wise monkeys and the sleeping cat that guards the path to the inner tomb. Plan about 40 minutes here.

The day ends at the Shinkyo Bridge, a vermilion-lacquered bridge arching over the clear Daiya River at the entrance to Nikko's shrine area, considered one of the most beautiful bridges in Japan. After a photo stop of about 20 minutes, our driver takes you back to your hotel or another address in central Tokyo. A Nikko day trip from Tokyo by private car is the easiest way to see all of this in one day.