We spent a day in Nikko, Japan. This scenic town is high up in the mountains of the Tochigi prefecture. Known for it’s natural beauty, historic landmarks, and most of all hundreds of picturesque and ancient temples. Come along as we see if this famous town is worth the hype.
TIP: Nikko is very busy in the summer, and especially fall. We visited in winter and practically had the place to ourselves. In addition, we rented a car. Public transport in Nikko is okay, but if you plan on taking public transit we highly recommend visiting in the off-season, especially if you want to go up the mountain to the lake, waterfall, and viewpoint like we did.
Kurokami-daira Viewpoint
On our way to our destination, we drove up steep and winding roads and stopped at Kurokami-Dara View Point. We didn’t plan it, but we saw the parking lot so we pulled in on a whim. Without realizing it, we had climbed 1160 meters above sea level! It was very windy and freezing cold since we were so high up, but the view was breathtaking. Even though it was March there was still snow and ice on the ground. We took off our coats for a picture which the locals found amusing because it was so cold. We needed to de-thaw so we hopped back in the car and continued.
Kegon Falls
After more winding roads, we arrived at Kegon Falls, a famous waterfall in Nikko. We decided to pay the small elevator fee to see a great view of the falls. It is possible to see the falls without taking the elevator, but the platform is small and has a less beautiful view. We went in February and it was quite cold and windy. Prepare for a chilly visit!
There are two platforms that you can view the falls from. I suggest you go to the middle platform to get a good picture of you and the falls. We spent less than an hour there because the area is small. You can view the falls rather quickly while taking some leisure time.
Jinenjiki no Mise Kirika
Near there are many soba restaurants. Nikko is famous for its hand-made soba. If you have difficulty choosing which one, don’t worry the menus are outside the restaurant and they will show you what their food looks like. Most of the menus are in Japanese so I recommend having your translator ready. Since Kati is good at Japanese she was able to help us out a lot (Thanks Kati)!
On the menu, there are many sets, which I recommend as you can get a variety of food. Soba is served hot or cold depending on the dish. I ordered soba with eel and rice on the side. The soba was soft and chewy, and when you dip it in the sauce the savory aroma makes it the perfect experience. I’m a huge fan of cold soba noodles, but Michael and Kati got a ramen dish and a noodle dish. They enjoyed theirs as well.
Lake Chūzenji
Before we came down from the mountains of Nikko, Michael made a last-second decision to visit the lake he spotted on Google, called Lake Chūzenji. It’s a huge lake that was created after a volcano erupted about 20,000 years ago. As we drove by the lake we decided to park and enjoy the view.
The area was covered with snow and the wind was blowing the snow in the air. It was one of the richest blue lakes that we have seen, and in the cold snowy air it took our breath away. Even though it was insanely cold the moment was surreal; it felt like a movie. I’m glad we went because it was one of the best views of the day, and I think it would be just as pretty in summer.
There is also a temple on the side of the lake, but it had an admission cost and we had plenty of temples to see later. Although I am sure it is very beautiful in the summer as well.
Temples Of Nikko
After the lake, we went back down to the main area of Nikko. The temples here are very different compared to most other traditional temples. Japanese architecture is generally very simple and precisely designed, focusing on a clean and hyper-manicured experience, and this goes for temples as well. On the other hand, these Buddhist temples are very ornate and bright. There is a mix of Shinto and Buddhist shrines in the area.
History of Nikko
Before we get into the temples of Nikko, let’s briefly touch on its history. Nikko is a very historically important city in Japan. From the mid 1400s to early 1600s, Japan was fractured into many warring states called the Sengoku Jidai. These states were controlled by militaries called Shogunates, and led by leaders called Shogun. The Sengoku Jidai ended with the fall of the Ashikaga Shogunate at the hands of Tokugawa Ieyasu. In 1603 the Tokugawa Shogunate was established as the de facto ruler of Japan after its long and complex period of civil war. To enshrine Tokugawa Ieyasu, Buddhist temples were built in Nikko, which has continued to be a center of Buddhist and Shinto cultural influence ever since. Today hundreds of shrines and temples are lavishly decorated dotting the mountain landscape.
Rin’nōji Temple
The first temple you are likely to see is Nikkosan Rin’nōji. This is an ancient Buddhist temple with three large golden Buddha statues. Filming is not allowed inside, and it is one of the smaller temples in the area. Usually, a ticket deal allows you to get tickets to several other shrines, but this wasn’t available for us. Because of this, we would suggest this temple as optional compared to the larger ones.
The outside, however, is beautiful and has several iconic structures. There is the Sorento Stupa, a spire constructed in the style of the finial at the top of a pagoda. It is inscribed with Buddhist sutras and gilded in gold. There is also a large incense burner near the front and the shōrō where the temple bell is located.
Shōyō-en Garden was constructed in the early 1600s and is also managed by Rin’nōji Temple. We found it to be so serene and calm. The pond is said to resemble a crane and a turtle and is shaped after Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. This garden was one of the first areas constructed in the Edo period. Honestly, it’s quite small, however knowing the history makes it feel ancient. Inside is a museum with ancient artifacts and paintings from the Tokugawa shogunate. You are not allowed to take photos or videos inside the museum, unfortunately.
Tōshogū Shrine
The temple area is vast, so we went up the hill towards Nikkō Tōshogū. First, we walked past the gojū-no-tō, a famous five-story tall pagoda. This pagoda is constructed like usual Japanese architecture, and it is very bright, reminding us of Thailand temple architecture. Kati had not seen this style much in Japan either, so it was unusual for her to see it as well.
Famous Carvings
If you walk a bit further you can also see the famous carving of the Three Wise Monkeys. The monkey who covers their eyes for “see no evil” is named Mizaru, the monkey who covers their ears for “hear no evil” is Kikazuru, the monkey who covers their mouth for “who speaks no evil” is Iwazuru. The depiction of this story is on the door of the Tōshō-gu shrine. This carving was made in the 17th century.
At the top of the entrance of the temple is Nemuri-neko, the sleeping cat. This is one of the most popular sites in Nikko. The carving is small so keep your eye out because it could be easy to miss.
Just beyond the cat is a long staircase leading to the inner shrine where Tokugawa Ieyasu’s soul is said to rest (his physical remains are elsewhere). However, we did not have time to go up as the temple was closing.
The main temple of Nikkō Tōshogū is incredibly ornate and beautiful amongst the cedar trees. We had to take our shoes off to go inside. There are several shrines with important leaders inside, although I do not know that there are any remains there. The main buildings and the surrounding structures have ornate roofs with beautifully gilded designs and carvings. It was a brilliant sight with the sun peaking through the large trees and the soft snow on the ground.
The walkways connecting all of the temples are so lovely with the sunlight streaming through the large trees onto the cobbled paths. There isn’t much significance to them, but they really add to the beauty of Nikko.
Futarasan Jinja Haiden
At this point, the temples were beginning to close. While there are many temples to see, we only had time for one more, so we went down the path to Futarasan Jinja Haiden. This shrine is a Shinto Shrine rather than a Buddhist temple.
On the entrance to the left, there are barrels of sake that are donated by wealthy businesses and individuals, which we found quite visually interesting. This shrine is significantly less ornate and much more reminiscent of a classic Japanese design, incredibly beautiful in a different way.
There is another shrine we tried to go to around the corner, but sadly it just closed by the time we reached it. My sister Kathryn had been before though, and she said it was her favorite and the temple workers were very kind to her. You can check out her pictures on her Instagram.
Shinkyō Bridge
If you have seen pictures of Nikko, it’s probably of a red bridge. This is Shinkyō Bridge, which is technically part of Futarasan jinja Haiden, although they are not connected. We were told that the local legend of the bridge involved a priest in ancient times praying for a bridge to cross the river so he could pray on the mountain. Two snakes came from the earth and coiled into a bridge and became the bridge we see today.
It used to be only for high-ranking imperial people to use, but now anyone can cross it for a fee. Unfortunately by the time we got there, it was closed. Regardless, the bridge was beautifully lit up by golden hour and was not crowded. But we learned our lesson, things close early in Nikko so show up as early as possible.
McDonald’s
To end the day we went to McDonalds. I know you’re thinking why would you get McDonald’s in another country? Michael used to make fun of me for getting McDonald’s in Korea, and now I embrace it. We try to get it in every country because of their global menu. Since we were in Japan, we tried melon soda, Shaka Shaka Red Pepper Chicken, and Shaka Shaka McFries. I’m totally on board with the seasoning powder on the fries, It was so good
Final Thoughts
Nikko is one of the most beautiful places we have been in Asia. From the serene snowy lake to the unreal temples. It’s a perfect day trip from the Tokyo area as well. If you’re planning a day trip outside of the city while you’re in Japan, this should be high on your list of contenders, next to Mount Fuji. We also recommend a winter visit if possible to avoid crowds and to enjoy the incredible calming beauty of the temples in a new way.