The Nikko City Guides answer the questions that come up on every trip here: how to see Toshogu before the tour buses do, where to eat yuba when many places close by 17:00, whether your second day belongs to Lake Chuzenji or the Kinugawa valley, and which bus gets you up the Irohazaka hairpins ahead of the traffic. Each guide is a short, honest list that tells you why a place is worth it, what to order or see and one useful tip, and it opens in your browser as soon as you have paid.
About the Nikko City Guides
- 55 places
- 3 guides
- 7 languages
- Works offline
- Print or PDF
- Instant access
- Free updates
The three Nikko guides
Food guide
17 places
Yuba in soba, in rolls and as sashimi, Meiji-era Western dining rooms, charcoal-grilled eel, sake-yeast buns and coffee, then sake and natural-ice kakigori in Imaichi.
Things to do guide
19 places
Toshogu, Futarasan and Taiyuin in Sannai, the Jizo statues and the imperial villa on the edge of town, Lake Chuzenji and its falls, and the Kinugawa theme parks.
Day trips guide
19 places
The falls of Lake Chuzenji, the Senjogahara boardwalks and Yumoto, river gorges and onsen villages around Kinugawa, then Kirifuri, the Ashio copper mine, Utsunomiya and Mashiko.
Why an interactive guide beats a list
Tick places off
Mark each place as done and watch your progress, so you always know what is left.
Your own notes
Write notes on any place and add your own finds. They stay on your phone.
One tap to Maps
Every place opens in Google Maps, and the day route puts your picks in a sensible order.
Open now, near me
Filter by what is open right now or what is closest to you.
Works offline
Open the guide once with a connection and it keeps working without data.
Print it or save as PDF
On a computer, print any guide or save it as a PDF to take with you.
Three places from the guides
Shogetsu Himuro
Imaichi, 10 min walk from JR Imaichi Station
Ice still forms each winter in open-air ponds here, which makes this one of the last natural ice houses in Japan. Shaved to order, it comes out as light as snow under syrups made from real fruit, and it is on the menu in every season. From the food guide.
Kanmangafuchi Abyss
Daiya River, 20 to 25 min walk west of Shinkyo
The path follows the river below dark lava cliffs, past a long row of stone Jizo statues in red bibs with caps of moss. Locals say nobody counts the same number twice. It costs nothing and stays calm on the busiest shrine days. From the things to do guide.
Senjōgahara Moor
Tobu bus to Akanuma or Yumoto, about 70 min from Nikko Station
Wooden boardwalks cross a wide highland marsh at 1,400 m, with Mount Nantai filling the sky behind it. The favourite route runs from Yudaki to Ryuzu Falls, about 10 km and three hours, downhill all the way and free. From the day trips guide.
Plan your days in Nikko
Day one: be at the Toshogu gate by 09:00, walk the cedar avenue to Futarasan Shrine and keep Taiyuin for midday, when it is nearly empty. Have a cheap lunch near Shinkyo Bridge, follow the river out to the Jizo statues of Kanmangafuchi and end with a dinner you booked ahead, because Nikko eats early. Day two: take an early bus up the Irohazaka road to Yumoto and walk round the lake, then follow the Senjogahara boardwalks downhill from Yudaki to Ryuzu Falls and finish at Kegon Falls, where a lift drops you down to the spray. For a rainy or slow day, wander the rooms of the Tamozawa Imperial Villa, or stop at Imaichi for a sake brewery tour and a bowl of natural-ice kakigori.
Questions about the Nikko guides
What do the Nikko City Guides include?
Three guides covering 55 places: food, things to do and day trips, for the shrine town itself, Okunikko up the mountain and the valleys and towns around it. Each entry explains why it is worth going, where it is, opening notes and one tip you can use.
How do I receive the guides once I have paid?
The links show up on your order confirmation page and in the email that follows. They open in the browser of any phone, tablet or laptop, with no app to install and no account to create.
Can I use the Nikko guides without internet?
Yes. Load each guide once while connected and it will work offline from then on, ticks and notes included. Opening a place in maps needs mobile data.
Which languages are the Nikko guides available in?
The guides open in English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. You can switch the language inside the guide at any time.
How much do the guides cost?
One guide is €4.99, two are €8.99 and all three together are €13.98.
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