ITINERARY
Experience the Natural Beauty and Rich Culture of Oku-Nikko
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Explore the lakes, marshes, wetlands, and waterfalls of Nikko National Park, shaped by ancient volcanic activity. Immerse yourself in the local culture from waterfall meditation to historical sites such as Nikko Toshogu Shrine.
Itinerary Highlights
- Visiting World Heritage shrines and temples on bicycle, including Nikko Toshogu Shrine.
- Cruising Lake Chuzenji, Japan's highest natural lake.
- Taking a guided night hike to see nocturnal creatures.
Cycling adventures around World Heritage sites
Get an early start from Tobu Nikko Station and go to NAOC Nikko Base for an e-mountain bike tour through the cultural and natural landscapes of Nikko. The tour starts in the Nikko Toshogu area and takes you past ancient townscapes, off-road along the Daiya River and through the Nikko countryside, as well as along the Nikko Suginami Kaido—an ancient highway lined with 300-year-old cedars. As part of the tour, you will be treated to a lunch of traditional provincial cuisine at a local farm.
After the tour, take a bus from the Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park to Chuzenji Onsen. Check into your accommodation for the night to recover from the day's cycling.
Hike through valuable wetlands and nocturnal landscapes
After checking out of your accommodation, spend the day exploring Senjogahara, a high moor in Nikko National Park. According to local legend, these wetlands were once the site of a battle between the gods for possession of Lake Chuzenji. Take a Tobu bus from Chuzenji Onsen to Yutaki Iriguchi bus stop, and meet your guide at the nearby Yutaki Parking area for a 3-hour guided walk of the Senjogahara Marshland, which is registered under the Ramsar Convention. There are wooden boardwalks for much of the route that protect the wetland flora and provide a level walking surface, making the walk ideal for most levels of fitness.
Travel by bus to Yumoto Onsen, and check in to your accommodation in the area. Relax and refresh for a few hours, then take a bus to Akanuma, followed by a shuttle bus from Akanuma Nature Information Center for an Oku-Nikko Night Hiking experience. Peer into the water to see frogs and fish, and spot nocturnal creatures by moonlight or flashlight. In winter, don a pair of snowshoes to explore the serene, snow-covered forest in the crisp night air.
Waterfall meditation and mountain rituals
Take a bus in the morning to Chuzenji Onsen to cruise Lake Chuzenji. Alight at Embassy Villa Memorial Park Pier to visit the Italian and British Embassy Villas Memorial Park. These summer houses were built in Oku-Nikko in the late 19th to early 20th centuries as holiday homes for foreign diplomats, and fuse Japanese and European architectural styles. Walk back to Chuzenji Onsen along the lakeside past Chuzenji Temple, stopping for lunch along the way. From there, take a bus to Tobu Nikko Station for your onward journey.