Nikko day trip from Tokyo
A day trip to Nikko from Tokyo: the carved and gilded Toshogu Shrine with the Yomeimon gate and the tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu first, then Futarasan Shrine, the quieter Taiyuin Mausoleum of the third shogun, the riverside path of stone Jizo statues at Kanmangafuchi, and Rinnoji Temple and the vermilion Shinkyo Bridge on the way back down. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Nikko in 1 day
Day 1
Nikko Toshogu Shrine
Lavish shrine and mausoleum of the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu, with the carved Yomeimon gate, the three wise monkeys and the Sleeping Cat.
Futarasan Shrine
Shinto shrine to the three sacred mountains of Nikko, founded in the eighth century, set among cedars next to Toshogu.
Taiyuin Mausoleum
Mausoleum of the third shogun, Iemitsu, part of Rinnoji, quieter and smaller than Toshogu but with gates just as finely decorated.
Kanmangafuchi Abyss
Riverside path through a lava gorge, lined with about 70 stone Jizo statues in red bibs, a calm walk west of Shinkyo.
Rinnoji Temple
Nikko's main Buddhist temple, whose great Sanbutsudo hall holds three huge gilded statues of Buddhist deities.
Shinkyo Bridge
Sacred vermilion-lacquered bridge over the Daiya River at the entrance to the shrines, part of Futarasan Shrine and a World Heritage site.
Getting there
From Asakusa in Tokyo, Tobu Railway limited expresses reach Tobu-Nikko in about two hours. With a Japan Rail Pass, take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Utsunomiya and change to the JR Nikko Line, also about two hours in all. From either station, buses or a walk of about 30 minutes uphill lead to Shinkyo Bridge, with Toshogu a short walk further up.
Staying in Tokyo? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Nikko
Autumn is the favourite season: the leaves turn around the shrines in late October and early November, and the town is very busy then. Spring and early summer are green and pleasant, and the town is cooler than Tokyo in summer. Winter is cold, often with snow, and the paths can be icy, but the shrines are quieter.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Nikko on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Nikko on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Nikko on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Japan from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Nikko
- Leave Tokyo early: Toshogu gets very crowded by late morning, especially on weekends and in the autumn colour season.
- Toshogu, Rinnoji and Taiyuin each need their own ticket; Futarasan's grounds are free, with a small fee for its inner garden.
- Shoes come off inside several of the halls, so wear shoes that are easy to slip off and on.
- The halls close in the late afternoon, earlier in winter, so reach Rinnoji in good time; Shinkyo Bridge, beside the road, makes an easy last stop.
- Try yuba, the tofu skin that is Nikko's speciality, served in many restaurants on the main street down to the stations.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Futarasan Shrine: No machine-readable author provided. Fg2 assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain
- Kanmangafuchi Abyss: 663highland, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nikko Toshogu Shrine: 663highland, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rinnoji Temple: unknown author, Public domain
- Shinkyo Bridge: MAKIKO OMOKAWA, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Taiyuin Mausoleum: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
