Explore the History of Nikko by Private Vehicle From Tokyo
Description
The abundance of culture, history and nature has earned Nikko a UNESCO World Heritage designation. Famed for its fall foliage, the scenery is spectacular in any season. The area’s wonderful natural scenery has a long history of drawing Buddhist and Shinto practitioners, and it is also the final resting place for Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. When you visit Nikko, you can't miss Nikko Toshogu Shrine and Kemangafuchi, which you may not be able to stop by on other tours. You can also feel the charm of nature at the overwhelmingly powerful Kegon Water Falls. There are many local cuisines you can enjoy such as yuba(tofu skin), Rainbow trout, etc... Nikko is a must when visiting Japan.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Toshogu Shrine is a magnificent memorial to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 17th century. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. Countless wood carvings and large amounts of gold leaf were used to decorate the buildings in a way not seen elsewhere in Japan, where simplicity has been traditionally stressed in shrine architecture.
Tamozawa Imperial Villa blends traditional Edo and early modern Meiji Period architecture throughout its 106 rooms. The villa was erected in Nikko in 1899, using parts of a residence that originally stood in Tokyo. Before being moved to Nikko, the building served initially as the Tokyo residence of a branch of the Tokugawa family and was later temporarily used as the Imperial Palace. In Nikko, it was enlarged into a summer residence and retreat for the Imperial Family, but suffered neglect after World War II. In the year 2000, the villa was opened to the public after extensive renovation works.
Akechidaira Plateau is located near the top of the ascending Irohazaka Winding Road. At the plateau, there is a parking lot with a free observation area that offers nice views onto the Irohazaka and the valley below. During autumn, this becomes a popular autumn color spot as fall colors spread across the landscape.
About 20,000 years ago, an eruption of Mt. Nantai created Lake Chuzenji at its foot. At an altitude of 1,269 meters, Chuzenji is Japan’s highest natural lake, with a 25-kilometer hiking trail along its perimeter. During the 19th and 20th centuries it was a popular summer resort for villas owned by foreigners and embassies. The landscape includes blooming azaleas in early summer and bright foliage in autumn.
The almost 100 meter tall Kegon Waterfall is the most famous of Nikko's many beautiful waterfalls. In fact, it is even ranked as one of Japan's three most beautiful falls, along with Nachi Waterfall in Wakayama Prefecture and Fukuroda Waterfall in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We will pick you up anywhere in Tokyo, such as a hotel, station, shop, or home. We will provide you the contact details of your diver guide and also your diver guide will be holding a board with your name written on. Due to the Road Traffic Law we are unable to provide tours that both start and end at hotels located outside of Tokyo prefecture. As Tokyo Disneyland is located in Chiba prefecture, we can either have pick-up, or drop-off service from your hotel, but unfortunately we are unable to provide both on the same tour. The closest station located in Tokyo-Prefecture to Tokyo Disneyland is Kasai-Rinkai-Koen station, (Keiyo Line, about 5 minutes away by train from Tokyo Disneyland (Maihama Station). We ask that you either start or end your tour here. If you wish we can also have the tour start or end at any location in Tokyo of your choosing. We appreciate your understanding. Examples: Pick-up : Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, Drop off: Kasai Rinkai Park Pick-up : Kasai Rinkai Park Drop off: Tokyo Disneyland Pick-up: Tokyo Disneyland Drop off: End Ginza
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(5)
Enjoyed a wonderful guided tour with Kana to Nikko. Saw both the historical and scenic sides of the city. The day was both fun and informative. Highly recommend Kana, Outech, and this tour!
Dear EJMRDC, Thank you very much for writing us a review. It was great meeting you and showing you the city of Nikko. I’m glad you enjoyed the tour. I also had a fun time with you. Still cannot believe those 87 Jizo Statues though… I sincerely hope to see you again in the future! Best regards, Outech Kana
Kana Tanisaka is a very professional driver in Villeneuve on big roads and small winding mountain roads. She is also knowledgeable about the places she visits and attentive to all aspects of customer service. Also she is very pleasant in conversations.
Cher Charles L, merci beaucoup pour votre avis. C’était un plaisir de vous rencontrer et de vous faire découvrir la ville. Je suis contente que vous avez apprécié la visite. J’espère que vous avez passé un incroyable moment au Japon! Cordialement, Outech Kana
Great tour, our driver Hitoshi was excellent and gave very good suggestions for things to see and do. He contacted us in advance to see what we were interested in doing.
Thank you so much for encouraging words.I’m just happy that I did manage to accommodate your desires. It was my debut guiding and your sincere attitude helped me a lot to make that happen. Thank you again and I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. Yours sincerely Hitoshi
If you enjoy history and culture, I highly recommend this tour. After partaking in one of Outech's other tours, Mt. Fuji, I decided to book another with my same guide, Riley (Ryoko). She's absolutely phenomenal, and I highly suggest you request her if she is available. She is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and can answer almost any question you throw at her. If she doesn't know something, she will seek out the answers from the various staff members and stewards at the various shrines and other locations. Her English is excellent, and she translated various conversations for me when talking with the staff at various craft shops. I highly suggest stopping by the craft shop located on the other side of the mountain where the Nikko Shrine sits. There's an insanely beautiful Buddhist temple nearby the store that we visited, and the owner's of the shop were so kind they even offered us tea. You can purchase a variety of intricate carvings and other artworks from them. I got a personalised plaque with my family name on it, and they carve it into the wood right in front of you. One of my favourite experiences! As for the Nikko Toshogu Shrine, it's incredibly beautiful. If you're bold enough to walk the two hundred steps up the mountain, you can witness one of Shogun Tokugawa's resting places: a small pagoda containing some of his remains. It's quite a mystical place, I must say. The inner sanctum of one of the shrines is absolutely gorgeous, and they provide guests with a brief tour explaining the acoustics of the building which amount to nothing less than magic. If you go during the winter, I suggest bringing thick socks as you have to remove your shoes before entering certain areas. By the end of the inner sanctum tour, I had almost no feeling in my toes, but I was fine afterwards! We also visited Kegon Falls, a beautiful display of natural wonder, especially in the winter. I do suggest dressing warm as it was quite frigid that time of year, but incredibly worth it. I highly recommend this tour if you're into cultural and natural beauty.
Thank you for using our service again and giving us 5 stars! It was my honor to spending an additional day with you in Nikko! I am happy to hear you enjoyed special experiences with snows and original family signboard. Please take care of yourself, I look forward to seeing you again someday!! Sincerely, Ryoko
Despite steady rain and lots of crowds we had a spectacular day with our driver/guide Roberto. Fluent in English he was able to amplify the experience by providing historical background as well as interesting vignettes. And he selected an excellent sushi restaurant for our lunch break. We would recommend Roberto and his company without reservation!
Dear dralixj, Thanks for give me some reviews. I really appreciate it. Take a safe and fun trip! Best wishes, Roberto
