Free Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
Free Cancellation
February 05100% refund
February 06No refund
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experienceās start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experienceās start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experienceās start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experienceās local time.
This experience requires good weather. If itās canceled due to poor weather, youāll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Nikko Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
2 Adults x $285.60
$571.20
Approx Total
$571.20
Pickup included
Inclusions / Exclusions
Mobile ticket
Offered in: Japanese, English
Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Nikko
Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list
Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
Private transportation
You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.
Overview
This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Nikko!
There are many reasons why Nikko is a must-see stop during your stay in Japan. Your private guide will help you efficiently enjoy a full-day tour of this historic, beautiful town.
Your guide will start your day with a morning pickup at Nikko Station (Tobu or JR). Nikko is one of Japanās most stunning nature reserves, situated on the incredibly scenicāand hard to reach on your ownāRomantic Road.
Let us know what special requests you have for the day and we will customize your itinerary in advance!
Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary.
Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.
This private tour is a walking day tour. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs. If ...
you wish to arrange for a private vehicle, please contact us directly. All Private vehicles must be booked 5 days in advance. Maximum number of passengers: 7. Read more ā¼
OR
Meeting points
TÅbu-nikkÅ Station 4-3 Matsubaracho, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1406, Japan
Your guide will be at the meeting point as per your request on foot. This special tour will be conducted with a public transportation.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
Itinerary
Nikko Tosho-gu
Understand why āDonāt say āmagnificentā until youāve seen Nikkoā visiting the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate and nearby shrines and temple.
The most renowned shrine of āthe Shrines and Temples of Nikkoā-a Japanās 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 āSleeping Catā, and the āThree Monkeysā with the āsee no evil, hear no evil and speak no evilā poses!
1 hour 30 minutes
Nikko National Park
The Nikko National Park is one of the parks that designated as the first National Parks in Japan. The park has a cornucopia of natural superb views, from beautiful and unspoiled nature in the Oku-Nikko district to the marsh registered under the Ramsar Convention, mountains represented by Mt. Nikko Shirane, the highest mountain in the area north of Kanto, lakes and marshes, valleys and falls. In addition, Onsen resources, gifts from the nature, are abundant in the park. Enjoy magnificent nature in the city of Nikko where the National Park occupies most of it.
1 hour 30 minutes
Kegon Falls
Kegon Waterfall is the most famous of Nikkoās 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 ā12 fallsā - small streams of the frozen waterfall clad in blue ice - during January and February.
30 minutes
Lake Chuzenji
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 waterās 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 āKoyo-meguriā tour, enjoying autumn leaves reflecting on the lake, is highly recommended.
1 hour 30 minutes
Irohazaka Route
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. āIrohaā 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.
30 minutes
Senjogahara Field
āSenjogaraā 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 minutes
RinānÅji TaiyÅ«-in (Mausoleum of Iemitsu)
Taiyuin (大ē·é¢, TaiyÅ«in) is the mausoleum of the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, the grandson of Ieyasu. Iemitsu's lavish mausoleum complex resembles nearby Toshogu Shrine in its layout and architecture, but it was intentionally built somewhat more modest than the Toshogu, due to Iemitsu's deep respect for his grandfather. Taiyuin is the posthumous name of Iemitsu.
30 minutes
Rinno-ji Temple
Rinnoji (č¼ŖēåÆŗ, RinnÅji) is Nikko's most important temple. It was founded by Shodo Shonin, the Buddhist monk who introduced Buddhism to Nikko in the 8th century.
The temple's main building, the Sanbutsudo, houses large, gold lacquered, wooden statues of Amida, Senju-Kannon ("Kannon with a thousand arms") and Bato-Kannon ("Kannon with a horse head"). The three deities are regarded as Buddhist manifestations of Nikko's three mountain deities which are enshrined at Futarasan Shrine. A decade-long renovation of the Sanbutsudo was completed in spring 2019.
30 minutes
Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park
Tamozawa Imperial Villa (ē°ęÆę²¢å¾”ēØéø, Tamozawa GoyÅtei) 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.
30 minutes
Kanmangafuchi Abyss
Kanmangafuchi Abyss (ę¾ęŗć¶ę·µ) was formed by an eruption of nearby Mount Nantai. This gorge near central Nikko is only a few hundred meters long and can be enjoyed from a pleasant riverside walking trail.
Kanmangafuchi is also known for its row of about 70 stone statues of Jizo, a Bodhisattva who cares for the deceased. This particular group of Jizo statues is alternately called "Bake Jizo" (Ghost Jizo), "Narabi Jizo" (Jizo in a line) or "Hyaku Jizo" (100 Jizo). The statues look out over the river and across to the Nikko Botanical Garden, but the botanical garden cannot be entered from the abyss.
30 minutes
Nikko Futarasan Shrine
Futarasan Shrine (äŗčå±±ē„ē¤¾, Futarasan Jinja) stands next to Toshogu in central Nikko. Much older than its more lavish neighbor, Futarasan Shrine was founded in 782 by Shodo Shonin, the Buddhist monk who introduced Buddhism to Nikko and who also founded nearby Rinnoji Temple. Futarasan Shrine is dedicated to the deities of Nikko's three most sacred mountains: Mount Nantai, Mount Nyoho and Mount Taro. Futarasan is an alternate name of Mount Nantai, the most prominent of the three mountains.
The shrine grounds are mostly free to enter except for a small paid area to the left of the offering hall (haiden). The paid area features a small forested garden with a couple more halls, a spring, old sacred trees and closer views onto the main hall (honden) that stands behind the offering hall. Located one kilometer from the shrine grounds, the Shinkyo Bridge also belongs to Futarasan Shrine.
Kirifuri Waterfall (é§éć®ę», Kirifuri no taki) is an impressive, 75 meter high, two-tiered waterfall located below the Kirifuri Highlands, a few kilometers northeast of the temples and shrines of Nikko. The sight of the elegant falls cascading down the mountain provides a nice contrast to the surrounding foliage, which is lush and green in spring and summer and displays fiery shades of red, orange and gold in autumn.
The name Kirifuri means "falling mist" after the fine mist that is created when the water crashes against the rocks at the bottom of the lower falls. The view may occasionally be obscured when mist or fog covers the valley. It used to be possible to hike down to the base of the waterfalls, but the trail down the mountain partially collapsed several years ago and has been closed ever since.
30 minutes
Kanaya Hotel History House
The Kanaya Hotel History House (éč°·ććć«ę“å²é¤Ø, Kanya Hotel Rekishikan) is a historical building in Nikko that served as the predecessor of the celebrated Kanaya Hotel. The house is open for the public to explore and provides a window into the Nikko of centuries past. It stands next to a bakery which also sells the admission tickets for the house.
After the end of Japan's era of isolation, Nikko became a popular summer resort among the foreign diplomats and business people that arrived in the country. The Kanaya Hotel has been one of the premier hotels in the area for accommodating such guests and today stands as the oldest Western-style hotel in all of Japan. While the hotel is now located one kilometer down the road on a hill above the Shinkyo Bridge, its history began at the Kanaya Hotel History House.
30 minutes
Sample Menu
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.
Free Cancellation
February 05100% refund
February 06No refund
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experienceās start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experienceās start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experienceās start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experienceās local time.
This experience requires good weather. If itās canceled due to poor weather, youāll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
5 stars
156
4 stars
10
3 stars
2
2 stars
0
1 star
1
We perform checks on reviews
We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her
Reviews by TravelOne travelers
Showing 1-5 of 156 reviews with 5 stars
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Great and efficient time!
Published on Dec, 2024
Yoshi was amazing! We had such a great time. Covered all the sites efficiently and yoshi was very knowledgeable. Definitely recommend especially if you have limited time in Nikko.
Waterfalls and less busy sights for an excellent and full day
Published on Nov, 2024
Yoko was an absolute dream of a guide, adjusting our day to cover both the natural beauty of Nikko and the historical significance that we would have missed had we tried to stumble our way through on our own. She prepared props to help explain the history of the area that really helped piece together the names and places. Thereās no way my parents and I could have experienced so much and so deeply in just one day without her. She went out of her way to answer any questions that were likely not on her bingo card, like about the local flora, and we never felt rushed, being able to really drink in everything. Yoko even gave us some advice for how to make the rest of our stay in Nikko smooth and enjoyable. I highly recommend this tour, particularly if you are lucky enough to have Yoko as your guide. Thank you again, Yoko!
Tour of Nikko World Heritage Sites
Published on Nov, 2024
We explored the world heritage sites of Nikko and had an incredible time with our guide Yoshii. The fall colors were breathtaking. I would highly recommend our tour guide and going through Japan Guide Agency!
A real gem
Published on Nov, 2024
We did this tour as a day trip from Tokyo. We took the train to Nikko, and booked a driver to drive our group of 4 and Yoshii, our guide. We would not recommend relying on the public bus in Nikko. Yoshii was great at helping make the most of our time and exploring the beautiful nature and wonderful culture in Nikko. He was knowledgeable and very friendly. We benefited from arriving on a weekday. Do not come on the weekend! - youāll be waiting most of the day in lines and traffic.
Nikko is fabulous with Ichi!
Published on Nov, 2024
Only had one day in Nikko and very glad weāre had Ichiro (Ichi) Sakai as our guide. His knowledge and experience were very helpful in giving us a great understanding of the cultural and historical significance of Nikko. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would highly recommend Ichi.
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