Nikko · Day Tour
The shrine of the man who ended Japan's civil wars, and it is covered in gold.
From
¥30,000 per person
approx. US$190
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmation
A private tour of Nikko Tosho-gu, the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu and one of the most heavily decorated shrines in Japan. Built in 1617 to make a political point, it is carved, gilded and lacquered on every surface. Entrance tickets are included and a local guide explains what you are looking at.
Tokugawa Ieyasu ended a century of civil war and founded a government that ruled Japan for over 250 years. The shrine his successors built for him in 1617 was not modest, and it was not meant to be. Every visiting lord was expected to come here, see what the family could commission, and draw the obvious conclusion.
Tosho-gu mixes Shinto and Buddhist architecture freely, which was normal before the two were forcibly separated in the nineteenth century. Very few places survive with the combination intact. Your guide points out which elements come from which tradition, and it is not obvious without being told.
There are several thousand carvings on the site, and they are not decoration for its own sake — most of them are Chinese moral allegories, each with a story attached. The three monkeys, hear no evil, are here, and so is a sleeping cat that people queue to photograph without knowing why it matters.
Nikko sits in the mountains north of Tokyo, and the setting is half the point. The shrine stands among cedars planted four centuries ago. If you have the day, the waterfalls and the lake above the town are a short ride further up.
Meet your guide at the station.
The shrine complex and the carvings.
Up the stone steps behind the main hall.
The other shrines, or the lake and waterfalls above the town.
JR Nikko Station, Tochigi. Your guide will contact you on WhatsApp beforehand to agree the plan.
Your private English-speaking guide and the entrance tickets to the shrine are included. Transport and meals are paid as you go, including your guide's.
Yes, and most guests do. It is around two hours each way, so it is a long day and worth an early start.
Yes, if you have the time. Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls are up a winding mountain road above the town. Say so when you book.
Autumn is spectacular and correspondingly busy. Winter is quiet and the shrine looks its best against snow.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time. Bookings are confirmed instantly.
