Nikko Customized Private Car Tour: English Driver, No Guide

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. A pair of winding roads that connect the lower elevations near Nikko and the higher elevations of the mountainous region is the Iroha Slope which has also been featured in the popular anime, Initial D. Made up of 48 hairpin turns throughout the different upslope and downslope roads, it is known as the best place to view the autumn leaves. “Iroha” is the first three of the 48 syllables in the previous Japanese alphabet. Hence, with the corresponding number of turns, each turn is named after one of the Japanese alphabet syllables, giving the name Iroha Slope.

   Passes by

2. Kegon Waterfall is the most famous of Nikko’s 48 waterfalls. Water from Lake Chuzenji falls 97 metres straight down to the rocks below creating a dynamic and artistic work of nature. A special lift takes visitors to the basin where the force and roar of the water can be witnessed close up! Impressive in any season, the waterfall looks particularly spectacular when surrounded by the fresh green leaves in May, house martins in June, or the “12 falls” - small streams of the frozen waterfall clad in blue ice - during January and February.

   30 min

3. Lake Chuzenji is the largest lake in Tochigi, framed by 25 kilometres of incredible nature. The area used to be a popular summer resort for foreigners in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. The villas of French and Belgian embassies can still be found here. You can enjoy seasonal charms by the lake. Walking trails surround the water’s edge and there is an excursion boat available on the lake. The views from the lake are spectacular, particularly when the cherry blossoms or azaleas are blooming or when the autumn leaves are turning. The “Koyo-meguri” tour, enjoying autumn leaves reflecting on the lake, is highly recommended.

   30 min

4. “Senjogara” translates to battlefield and here it refers to a mythical battlefield where legends say that the gods of Mount Nantai and Mount Akagi fought once to claim the neighboring lakes as their own. Taking on the incarnation of a serpent and centipede respectively, they fought and intertwined repeatedly, creating this marshland. The battlefield has now changed to a battle of charms as various plants and fauna reside in the vast field, competing to charm the many visitors.

   30 min

5. Understand why “Don’t say ‘magnificent’ until you’ve seen Nikko” visiting the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate and nearby shrines and temple. The most renowned shrine of “the Shrines and Temples of Nikko”-a Japan’s leading world heritage, is where Ieyasu Tokugawa, the great Shogun who started the flourishing Edo Period, is enshrined. Most of the shrine complex you see today was rebuilt in 17th century. The shrine contains 55 buildings including 8 national treasures and 34 listed buildings. The highlights are sumptuous carvings lacquered and richly coloured brilliantly, which you will gaze at craftsmanship assembled from all over the country. Do not miss the symbol of peace “Sleeping Cat”, and the “Three Monkeys” with the “see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil” poses!

   2 h

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 1 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Nikko

• Its from-price is 63% above the median of the 44 experiences we list in Nikko.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 26 of 44.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Nikko

Nikko is a mountain town north of Tokyo, home to the lavishly decorated Toshogu Shrine, the red Shinkyo Bridge, Lake Chuzenji and the Kegon waterfall.

Nikko lies in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, in a national park of forests, lakes and waterfalls. Its shrines and temples are a World Heritage site, led by Toshogu, the mausoleum of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, whose buildings are covered in gold leaf and carvings, among them the three wise monkeys and the sleeping cat. The red-lacquered Shinkyo Bridge crosses the Daiya River at the town's edge.

Top-ranked sights in Nikko: Nikko National Park, Toshogu Shrine (Nikko Toshogu).

See all 44 experiences in Nikko