Tochigi Hidden Gems
Home to Nikko's lavishly carved shrines and the mountains and lakes behind them — the classic day trip north of Tokyo.
7 spots
Climate & Best Season
Hot plains summers and cool mountain air in Nikko/Oku-Nikko, which sees snow. Late October–November for foliage.
Famous For (Food)
- Utsunomiya gyoza
- Yuba (tofu skin)
- Strawberries
- Soba
Signature Sights
- Nikko Toshogu (UNESCO)
- Kegon Falls & Lake Chuzenji
- Kinugawa Onsen
- Ashikaga Flower Park wisteria
Lake Chuzenji & Kegon Falls — Mountain Lake Sanctuary
Lake Chuzenji sits at 1,269 meters in a volcanic caldera formed 20,000 years ago when Mount Nantai erupted and lava damm…
Senjogahara Marshland — Alpine Wetland Plateau
Senjogahara is a 400-hectare highland wetland at 1,400 meters elevation, formed when volcanic lava flows blocked drainag…
Ashikaga Flower Park — Wisteria Dream Canopy
Ashikaga Flower Park is home to over 350 wisteria trees, including a 160-year-old giant wisteria (fuji) whose canopy cov…
Kinugawa Onsen — River Gorge Hot Springs
Kinugawa Onsen is a hot spring resort town in a narrow mountain gorge carved by the Kinugawa River. Discovered in the Ed…
Nasu Onsen — Royal Retreat Hot Springs
Nasu Onsen is a collection of seven hot spring sources scattered across the volcanic slopes of Mount Nasu, a highland re…
Nasu Animal Kingdom — Interactive Highland Zoo
Nasu Animal Kingdom is a 43-hectare zoo and animal park specializing in highland and grassland species from around the w…
Akechidaira Ropeway — Panoramic Mountain Views
The Akechidaira Ropeway is a 3-minute cable car that ascends 300 vertical meters from the Akechidaira Plateau to an obse…