Why Honeymoon in Nikko
Most first trips to Japan pair Tokyo with Kyoto and stop there. Nikko gives you a third texture without a long transfer. In one place you get a UNESCO-listed shrine complex, an alpine lake, a 97-meter waterfall and some of the best fall color within reach of the capital.
It also slows the pace. Once the day visitors head back to Tokyo around four o'clock, the town goes quiet. Couples staying the night get the cedar paths, the river and the ryokan bath largely to themselves.
Nikko works for different interests in the same trip. One of you may want to study the carvings at Toshogu for an hour. The other may prefer the 30-minute river walk to Kanmangafuchi or a hike around Senjogahama marsh. Both are easy to combine in a day, with a long soak waiting at the end of it.
When to Go
Mid-October to early November is the headline season. Color starts at the top, around Yumoto and Senjogahama, in early October and works its way down to the lake and then the town by early November. It is beautiful and it is busy: the Irohazaka switchback road can jam for hours on weekends, so travel midweek and ride the train and bus rather than drive.
May is the quieter favorite. New leaves are bright green, azaleas bloom on the plateau and the crowds are moderate once Japan's Golden Week holidays (roughly April 29 to May 5) pass.
Summer is warm in town and pleasantly cool at the lake, which is why foreign diplomats once kept villas there. June brings the rainy season. Winter is cold and snowy up high. Kegon Falls partly freezes, some lake facilities close and town is very quiet, which suits couples who mainly want hot water and snow views.
Where to Stay
Base yourselves in one of three areas, or split nights between two.
- Nikko town, near the Shinkyo bridge, is best for the shrines. The Nikko Kanaya Hotel, open since the 1870s, is a characterful Western-style classic with creaky wood and old photographs on the walls.
- Lake Chuzenji is the romantic choice. The Ritz-Carlton Nikko sits on the shore with lake-view rooms and its own hot spring baths. Smaller ryokan line the north shore.
- Yumoto Onsen, at the far end of the plateau, is a small hot spring village around a lake with sulfur water that turns milky white. It is the most remote and the most peaceful.
For a honeymoon, consider booking a room with a private open-air bath, called a kashikiri or rotenburo-tsuki room. Couples can then bathe together without the gender-split public baths.
Romantic Things to Do
Arrive at Toshogu when it opens and head straight for the Yomeimon gate before tour groups do. Look for the three wise monkeys on the stable and the small sleeping cat above a doorway on the way to Ieyasu's tomb. Then walk across to Futarasan shrine, the oldest building in the complex, which is calmer and shaded.
In the afternoon, follow the Daiya River to Kanmangafuchi Abyss, where a long row of moss-capped stone statues in red knitted caps lines the bank.
Up at the lake, take the sightseeing boat, then walk to the Kegon Falls viewing area or ride the elevator to the lower platform. Ryuzu Falls is lovely in autumn. The boardwalk across Senjogahama marsh is an easy, flat half day. Finish in Yumoto with a soak and a slow kaiseki dinner served in your room or a private dining space.
Getting There and Around
Fly into Tokyo Haneda (HND) or Narita (NRT). From central Tokyo, Tobu Railway trains leave Asakusa for Tobu-Nikko station in about two hours. Limited express seats are reserved. JR rail pass holders can instead take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Utsunomiya and change to the JR Nikko line, about 90 minutes in total.
In Nikko, Tobu buses run from both stations up the main street to the shrines and on up to Lake Chuzenji (about an hour) and Yumoto. Tobu sells multi-day passes that cover the train from Asakusa and local buses, which saves money if you plan to go up to the lake.
You do not need a car. If you rent one, avoid the Irohazaka road on autumn weekends, when traffic can stall for hours. Taxis wait at the stations for short hops.
Food and Drink
Nikko's specialty is yuba, the delicate skin that forms on simmering soy milk. Here it is rolled thick and served in broth, fried, simmered or tossed with soba. Order a yuba set lunch near the shrines and try a soft yuba sashimi with wasabi soy.
The town once fed pilgrims and Buddhist monks, so vegetarian temple cooking is easy to find. Soba made with local buckwheat is everywhere and good on a cold day.
Up on the plateau, ryokan dinners usually include river fish such as char grilled on skewers and local Tochigi wagyu. Tochigi is also a big strawberry region, so winter and spring desserts lean on berries. Local breweries make sake with the soft mountain water. The old Kanaya Hotel dining room is a fun spot for a retro curry or rainbow trout meunière.
Honeymoon Tips
Book ryokan for autumn months ahead. Reserve a lake or Yumoto night before the town night, since the upper rooms sell out first. Most ryokan serve dinner at a set time, often between 6 and 7 p.m., so plan your arrival around it.
Shrine visits involve many stone steps, uneven paths and shoes off in some halls. Wear slip-on shoes and bring socks without holes. Shoulders do not need to be covered, though modest clothing is respectful for both of you.
Outside summer, pack warm layers even if Tokyo is mild. The lake sits about 1,270 meters up and evenings can be ten degrees Fahrenheit colder than town. In the public baths tattoos may be restricted, which is another reason to book a private bath. Cash is still handy for buses and small shops, though cards and IC transit cards work widely.
