Explore Nikko

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Facts & Figures

Nikko is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. The city is located at the entrance of the Nikko National Park. It covers an area of 1449,83 square kilometers, which makes it the third largest city area in Japan after Takayama and Hamamatsu. Approx. 80600 people living in the city. Since December 1999 many temples and shrines of Nikko are a registered UNESCO World Heritage Site. This includes 103 buildings with unique beauty and importance for the Japanese culture like the Futarasan Shrine, Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple and Taiyuin-byo Iemitsu Mausoleum. The beautiful nature around the city is a hiking paradise. The trips to Lake Chuzenji and the Keagon Falls are my must-do recommendations for you. Experience the Ultimate Japanese Hospitality at a Nikko Ryokan.
 Find Your Perfect Ryokan Now > Nikko's religious history can be dated back till the middle of the 8th century. At that time the Buddhist priest Shodo Shonin (735 - 817) established in 766 the Rinnoji Temple there. He introduced Buddhism to Nikko. One of the major attractions the Toshogu Shrine was completed in 1617 as the mausoleum of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543 - 1616). He established the shogunate which ruled Japan for more than 250 years. The UNESCO World Heritage Site - Shrines and Temples of Nikko - was established in 1999. 2 Shinto Shrines (Toshogu, Futarasan) and 1 Buddhist Temple (Rinnoji) were included in the that list.

My tips for local activities

How about exploring the beautiful city of Nikko, its historical places, and the Kegon Falls within a day's trip from Tokyo with a local guide? The personalized tour by our partner GetYourGuide can take up to 10.5 hours. For more details check out this page >