From Tokyo: Nikko Toshogu Shrine and Kegon Waterfall Tour
Tokyo, Japan
- 11 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Swap the hustle and bustle of Tokyo for the natural splendor of Nikko National Park on a day trip that saves you the hassle of taking the train on your own. Without your own wheels, it’s tough to travel between top Nikko sights such as the UNESCO-listed Toshogu Shrine, Lake Chuzenji, and Kegon Falls, but this excursion makes your sightseeing seamless with onboard Wi-Fi and multiple convenient departure points.
- Check off plenty of Nikko’s highlights in just one tour
- Go beyond the guidebooks with facts and insight from your guide
- Letting someone else drive means you can soak up the scenery
- On-board Wi-Fi helps you stay connected and pass the time
What's Included
- Nikko Toshogu entrance fee
- souvenir from Nikko
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- WiFi on board
- Lunch
- Entrance fee - Shinkyo Bridge entrance
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Nikko Tosho-gu
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Irohazaka Route (Pass By)
2
Lake Chuzenji
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Kegon Falls
1 hour 10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Shinkyō Bridge
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 7 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.1
based on 49 reviews
Helen_P, Apr 2026
It was a long day and the weather wasn’t great, however you can’t do anything about the weather. Our guide, Tina was great.
Loved the sights and timing seemed ok.
Jack_D, Mar 2026
Great stop in Nikko
The waterfalls and lake were disappointing with nothing to do or see
Perhaps add spa
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your feedback. Regarding the waterfall and lake, as they are natural sites, their appearance and conditions can vary depending on the season and weather, which is unfortunately beyond our control. We appreciate your understanding.
Miranda_B, Mar 2026
This was a really wonderful experience with a knowledgeable guide who did a pleasantly surprising amount of teaching along the way, while also allowing us to prioritize our own tastes. Annie Wei gave us historical and geographical background that helped us understand the places we visited. She gave us insights into local customs and culture, as well as alerting us to local specialty foods. She checked that we were all well attended to, with dietary needs, bathroom breaks, and navigating well-attended to. She also communicated well and kept other tourists on track to ensure a smooth journey for all. She warned us that her English may not be perfect, but she communicated incredibly clearly with a great skill for presentation (better than many native English speakers I’ve received tours from). She even helped a few people with reservations for dinner. Our driver was also incredible, navigating complex roads with ease and getting us from place to place with ease. I would strongly recommend this trip to others who want a relaxing day seeing gorgeous sites in the Japanese countryside.
Anonymous, Mar 2026
This was a really good tour. The bus was so clean and new. The tour guide Zoe spoke really good English as she is from HK and although she translates in chinese as well for the chinese customers most of the commentary is in English.
Angela_M, Mar 2026
This was the highlight of our entire time in Japan! The depth of history, culture, and experiences was a wonderful way to spend a day!
Our guide was very engaging and knowledgable, even with the details of where and when to meet up. This was well worth the time and investment to see the sites and wonders of this part of Japan.
debmce, Mar 2026
Ok. The shrine impressive but Meiji jingu Shinto shrine I thought better
It’s a long way to get there very long day. Waterfall nice but still think the the distance I would omit this tour
Guide hard to understand
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Regarding the travel distance, Nikko is located quite far from Tokyo, which does make it a longer day tour. We appreciate your understanding that the itinerary involves extended travel in order to visit these historic and natural sites.
Ruza_P, Dec 2025
Finding the tour in the morning was a breeze. The tour guide sent us accurate directions and it is basically the bank located near the Starbucks. There will be other tours waiting there so you will be confident knowing youre in the correct location. We left exactly on time and we were off. Our first stop was the iconic bridge that cradles the river and national park. Incredible views and upon entering Nikko park, you are surrounded by an ancient forest with 4,000 year old trees, breathtaking vistas, shrines and temples scattered about. The momuments were intricate in detail and elegant. I enjoyed walking around until the barrage of tourists started arriving so a quick warning, Nikko attracts many large groups of tourists so be prepared for the crowds.
Once I had private time to roam and avoid the people, I found the park stunning, grand and peaceful. Immersed in nature, breathing in the fresh air and having a moment of tranquility before we were off to our next stop. The views on the bus ride were amazing so make sure you have your camera ready and we arrived at the waterfall and it was lovely. Lunch was at a local dive and this small restaurant had a handful of tables and a scaled back menu with only local foods and a chef who was well in his 80s and the experience was incredibly authentic. In Nikko, Soba and Yuba are renowned foods and this area is known for having the purest water in all of Japan and our guide explaines that many Japanese people travel very far to either eat a dish prepared with the water or drink it from this region. I opted for a Soba bowl with Yuba and a Omazake sweet rice beverage I never tried before. The lunch was delicious, steaming hot which was perfect for such a cold day in the mountains. Next stop on the tour was at Lake Chugushi and this lake was gorgeous! We had a chance to nap enroute back to Tokyo and take a few last pictures of the mountain ranges of Japan. Overall, fantastic tour, efficient, started on time and our guide Jax, God Bless him, he was battling a horrible cold but was funny, engaging, thoughtful and concerned about our safety and provided us with his personal number in case we were lost in the park. The bus driver was friendly, drove safely and wonderfully. We were dropped off up the street from the orginal pick up location and this was convenient. Thank you very much for the unforgettable and incredible day in Nikko National Park!
Lawrence_H, Oct 2025
Wonderful highlights of Nikko and surroundings in one full day. Thanks Jackson and Endo-san (Driver) for an informative and full day.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you very much for your kind feedback! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the Nikko tour and had a great day with Jackson and Endo-san. Your appreciation will be shared with them.
Elizabeth_T, Oct 2025
Very smooth and pleasant. AmyWei was great tour guide patience and also panctual. Gave a lot of information
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you very much for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you had a smooth and pleasant tour with Annie Wei.
Steven_F, Oct 2025
The host and driver were amazing. Patient with all of us and communicated well. He even gave us a little gift at the end of our tour. Really nice.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback!
LaszloAndras_L, Sep 2025
The tour guide was very friendly and ready to help. The driver was professional and the bus was comfortable. The lunch was tasty (be prepared to have cash). The shrine is amazing. Also could have had a brief stop at the bridge. The Lake is very lovely. Altogether we enjoyed a very nice day in Nikko. I would definitely recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed your day in Nikko and appreciated the guide, driver, and overall experience. We’ll also take note of your suggestion about adding a brief stop at the bridge. Your recommendation means a lot to us!
Jon_S, Sep 2025
Overall, the tour to Nikko was enjoyable with a few notable highlights and some minor letdowns. The tour bus itself was a great start — brand new, extremely comfortable, and equipped with WiFi, which made the journey smooth and relaxing.
The visit to the temple was definitely the highlight of the day. The architecture and atmosphere were breathtaking, and it’s absolutely worth seeing in person. However, I was slightly disappointed that the tour wasn’t fully guided. While a few key points were explained to us, we were mostly left to explore on our own for about an hour. Some more in-depth commentary throughout would have added value.
Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate during the waterfall and gondola portion of the tour. Heavy rain obscured the views, so there’s not much to say on that front — just bad luck, really.
Lastly, the hot spring experience wasn’t quite what I had expected. Instead of outdoor natural hot springs, it was an indoor onsen with spring water pumped in. It was still relaxing, but not the authentic outdoor setting I was hoping for.
In summary, it was a comfortable and well-organized tour with some memorable moments, but a few elements could have been improved or better clarified in the description. I’d give this 3.5 if I could but rounded up since the staff was nice and the bus was very comfortable.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you very much for your comment!
Vladimir_I, Sep 2025
It was a really nice day trip from Tokyo. It was well organized. The guide was great, informative and funny.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you very much for your comment!
Christiana_A, Aug 2025
Great experience. Definetely recommended. Nikko is picturesque and waterfalls are worth visiting. Our Guide Sheila was very friendly, kind, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and well organized. She even gave us some tips to explore further Tokyo and live the whole experience.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you very much for joining our tour and for sharing your feedback.
mironz45, Aug 2025
Absolute failure. We were told to be at the pickup location 15 minutes early, which we were. We waited, and waited, and no one ever showed up. We tried calling the provided number multiple times, and the calls went unanswered every single time. Not only did they waste our time, but they ruined our plans for the day in Nikko on 08/04/2025. This is a complete scam and a total lack of professionalism. Do not book with this company unless you want to be left stranded.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your feedback. We’d like to clarify that our guide made a final call and a group photo was taken before departure. We also suggest that guests arrive a little earlier than the scheduled time to ensure a smooth start.
We appreciate your understanding and hope to provide you with a better experience in the future.
Brenda_M, Jul 2025
We really enjoyed seeing the Nikko Toshogu Shrine. Even though there were hundreds of people there it felt very serene and peaceful. The waterfall was also impressive.
I didn't like the bus. We were on a 20 seater bus and there wasn't much leg room. At least the air conditioner worked well.
I know the tour company can't control the traffic, but we sat for ages, not going anywhere.
Having said that, I would recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you very much for joining our tour and for sharing your feedback.
We’re sorry to hear the bus was not as comfortable as expected. Your comments regarding legroom and traffic are appreciated and will be shared with our team for future improvements.
Thank you again for your recommendation. We truly appreciate it and look forward to welcoming you on another tour in the future!
Brooklyn_L, Jul 2025
Wow! There are not many times I am rendered speechless while traveling but I was on this trip. The waterfall HAS to be seen with your own two eyes. Nothing compares. And the Nikko shrine was such a great way to immerse yourself with Japanese culture and history. SHEILA WAS AMAZING! I hope you all get her as your guide.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thanks so much! We're glad you had a fun and comfortable tour with our team.
Paul_C, Jul 2025
After such a great experience at Mt. Fuji with this company, we joined them again for Nikko. Believe it or not we had the same tour guide. Zoe is a warm and patient soul with good humor too. We felt safe and comfortable the entire way. Visiting the shogun's tomb was epic. It's deep in the forest and mountains, showing you the nature that Japan offers. Kegon Falls was our next destination, and it blew our minds. The smell of the air and water was unlike anything, my senses made me feel so alive there. If you need a little break from the energetic hustle and bustle of Tokyo, this is the day trip for you.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
We're happy to hear the guide was friendly and helpful, and the driver made the ride smooth. Thank you!
Libuska_C, Jun 2025
The sites are wonderful. The Nikko Toshogu shrine was amazing with so much to see! The Kevon waterfall was very impressive and beautiful. I recommend going down the elevator to get to best view of the falls.
Mark_M, May 2025
Wonderful tour guide and bus driver. Beautiful and fascinating place. Tina gave us a very good understanding of the history and culture important to Nikko.
Ruzanna_G, May 2025
The site was worth visiting, an excellent site.
The guide, Jack, was completely non-existent and just told the group when to come back; an extremely lazy approach. The Onsen hygiene was questionalbe.
Find a different provider!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
We're very sorry to hear that the guiding and onsen experience did not meet your expectations. Your comments have been noted and will be shared with the relevant teams to ensure improvements. We appreciate your input and will work to provide a better experience moving forward.
Ram_A, Apr 2025
A great trip to Toshogu Shrine, Kegon water falls, Nikko and Lake Chuzenji. The guide was very helpful and knowledgeable. The bus was good and we enjoyed the comfortable timings at all stops. We did not opt for lunch as we are vegetarians and found other options. A great trip.
nnik59, Mar 2025
Nikko was an amazing place to visit. But organised very poorly. Company lost our reservation. We got seats on a bus because somebody not come. We tried to contact tour operator several times without answer.
We preferred to send more time in Nikko instead of going to waterfalls and lake. It was waste time. Nobody told us before that we need cash to buy anything in Nikko. No credit card. You need bathing suite to go to spa.
Guide was good and knowledgeable.
Fernando_P, Mar 2025
Very fulfilling experience. We got out on time so be super punctual. We did all the described activities. Time in the shrine was tight so don't stop too much at each building. We also went down to the falls and to the lake for some pictures. We got a small present at the end!. Bring cash as souvenir stores take only cash.
Cyndi_W, Feb 2025
This tour really lets you see a lot of amazing things (the biggest most decorated temple, an amazing mountain setting with waterfall and a big mountain lake) with easy transportation and some great guides! Manuel, Pastor were wonderful guides and our driver, Olska, was magnificent around all those mountain curves as well as back in the big city! The historical and cultural information that was shared was enlightening and helped my understanding not just of Japanese history but also of current culture.
Alessandro_B, Dec 2024
We booked this experience the night before, we were worried that it would be too late. But actually we got the confirmation in the morning and everything went smoothly. The guide (nickname Vicky) was very prepared, kind and spoke perfect English. It was very easy to find them at every stop. The bus driver was driving safely even on mountain roads.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you very much for your comment. We wish to see you again in other tours :)
Daniel_H, Nov 2024
Really well organised, informative and great value. The guide was super clear with all instructions and the tour was really good value.
I was travelling solo and it was a great way to spend the day! I also took the option to go to the onsen, it was a really nice opportunity to warm up as it was November and it had started to snow up in the hillside (this made it even more magical)!
MiguelAngel_G, Nov 2024
Nice day trip, supported by our guide Jeff that made everything easy and nice. A must visit when traveling to Tokyo. Absolutely recommendable.
Bob_M, Oct 2024
We had a very nice visit to Toshogu Shrine. We were given plenty of time on our own to explore.
We then had to meet the bus at a parking lot that was next to impossible to find. Many of us got lost. I was having difficulty contacting the tour guide and my message to Viator went completely unanswered. When the tour guide finally contacted me the bus had already left. She informed me that I could meet the group at the next stop by taxi and assured me the taxi would not be expensive. The taxi cost the equivalent of about $50.00 USD.
In short, what started out as a very nice trip became very unpleasant due to terrible communication on the part of Goryo Travel and Viator. I ended up being lost in the woods for about 1/2 hour and spending another $50.00 that I will likely never see again. For future bookings, I will try to avoid using Viator again and I will certainly not recommend this particular tour again. Nikko and Chuzenji are beautiful places but I recommend taking a different tour with another provider or taking the Tobu train from Tokyo.
Autumn_W, Oct 2024
Sheila was very knowledgeable about the area and gave great tips for what to see and do in both Nikko and the Shinjuku Station area. We had plenty of free time to explore the shrine and lake at our leasure. If your looking for a nice day trip away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. Nikko is a great choice.
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