Four days in Tochigi: stay by the lake or visit both cities?
For a lakeside night, spend two nights near Nikko's stations before moving to Lake Chuzenji. Visit the British villa on the final day, then take the mountain bus down. For Oya's underground quarry and gyoza, spend one night in Utsunomiya and two in Nikko, with a day trip to the waterfall and lake. Villa itineraries cannot be followed unchanged during the December–March winter closure.
Choose an itinerary for 4 days / 3 nights
Stay a lakeside night after temple visits
Stay two nights near Nikko Station, then one at Chuzenji Onsen for a lakeside evening and morning. Start and end at Asakusa, visit temples first, then head to the lake for waterfall and British villa visits on separate days. The villa closes December–March, so this plan does not apply unchanged in winter.
Stay a lakeside night after temple visits →4 days / 3 nights BGive Oya, gyoza, lake and temples a day each
Stay one night in Utsunomiya and two near Nikko Station for Oya’s underground quarry, gyoza, Nikko temples and lake. Start at Tokyo Station and return to Asakusa. Make a day trip to the waterfall and lake from Nikko; the final day visits Sanbutsudo and Toshogu only.
Give Oya, gyoza, lake and temples a day each →Stay a lakeside night after temple visits
Stay two nights near Nikko Station, then one at Chuzenji Onsen for a lakeside evening and morning. Start and end at Asakusa, visit temples first, then head to the lake for waterfall and British villa visits on separate days. The villa closes December–March, so this plan does not apply unchanged in winter.
Day 1
Visit Toshogu and spend the first night near Nikko Station.
- Asakusa Station → Tobu-Nikko Station · station tourist centre
Take a reserved-seat Liberty Kegon from Asakusa to Tobu-Nikko and alight there. Buy that day’s JPY 600 World Heritage bus pass at the station tourist centre.
Current Tobu limited express timetable for NikkoBus pass sales
- Tobu-Nikko Station → Toshogu entrance · alight at Nishisando Iriguchi
Take YK towards Yumoto Onsen via Kotoku Onsen from Tobu-Nikko to Nishisando Iriguchi · 西参道入口 (9). Boarding point 2A was in use at the time checked; check the operator’s information for your travel date and signs on site. Follow signs for the western and main approaches for the officially listed approximately ten-minute walk to Toshogu’s entrance, with admission time extra.
Bus timetables, boarding points and faresTobu Bus routes and stops
- Toshogu → Visit Toshogu, then have lunch
Visit Toshogu with the JPY 1,600 single-site ticket, then have lunch and a rest. Retrace the main and western approaches to Nishisando Iriguchi (9)’s station-bound stop.
- Nishisando Iriguchi → Tobu-Nikko Station
Board C or YK towards JR Nikko at Nishisando Iriguchi (9)’s station-bound side and alight at Tobu-Nikko. Do not continue to the JR Nikko terminus.
Check Toshogu’s seasonal admission cut-off. This day does not head to the lake.
Day 2
Visit Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin, then return to the Nikko station area.
- Tobu-Nikko Station → Sanbutsudo entrance · alight at Nishisando Iriguchi
Buy a new JPY 600 World Heritage pass for that day. Take C towards Chuzenji Onsen from Tobu-Nikko to Nishisando Iriguchi (9). Boarding point 2C was in use at the time checked; check the operator’s information for your travel date and signs on site. Follow western and main approaches towards Sanbutsudo and allow time to reach the entrance and queue for admission.
Rinnoji tickets, prices and seasonal admission deadlinesRinnoji visiting routeBus pass salesBus timetables, boarding points and fares
- Sanbutsudo entrance → Visit Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin
Buy the JPY 900 Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin combined ticket in the morning. Visit Sanbutsudo, then follow the official map on foot to Taiyuin. April–October sales close at 14:30; check your season’s cut-off. On restricted Sanbutsudo dates, adjust to available hours. See the attraction guide and temple event notices for dated restrictions.
Rinnoji tickets, prices and seasonal admission deadlinesRinnoji visiting route
- Nishisando Iriguchi → Tobu-Nikko Station
After lunch, take C or YK towards JR Nikko from Nishisando Iriguchi (9)’s station-bound side and alight at Tobu-Nikko, before the JR Nikko terminus.
The two-site combined ticket stops selling earlier than ordinary admission tickets.
Day 3
Move to Chuzenji Onsen for waterfall and lakeside visits, then spend the night near the lake.
- Tobu-Nikko Station → Chuzenji Onsen terminal
Buy the JPY 2,300 Chuzenji Onsen two-day pass at the tourist centre to start using that day. Choose a morning bus allowing time to queue for tickets. Take YK towards Yumoto Onsen via Kotoku Onsen from Tobu-Nikko to Chuzenji-onsen · 中禅寺温泉 (26). Boarding point 2A was in use at the time checked. Allow for foliage-season traffic.
- Chuzenji Onsen terminal → Kegon Falls viewing platform
Follow Kegon Falls signs east from Chuzenji Onsen terminal for about five minutes to the lift entrance. Descend to the paid viewing platform. The adult return fare is JPY 600, with visitors served in arrival order.
Getting to Kegon Falls facilitiesKegon Falls tickets and opening hours
- Kegon Falls → Lakeside walk, then return to Chuzenji Onsen
After lunch, walk out and back along the public lakeside path from the large torii past Sunrise and Sunset piers. Do not board a boat.
Start the Chuzenji Onsen two-day pass that day and use it for the descent the next day. Allow for mountain-road congestion in foliage season.
Day 4
Explore the British villa’s exhibitions and lake views, then return to Asakusa.
- Large lakeside torii → British Embassy Villa Memorial Park entrance
Walk from the large torii along the lake’s southeastern road and Utagahama lakeside towards the British villa. The official approximately 35-minute walking estimate starts at Chuzenji Onsen terminal.
Official lake and waterfall walking mapBritish Embassy Villa opening hours, tickets and walking directions
- British villa entrance → Lakeside villa visit
Use the JPY 300 ticket for the British villa alone. Explore exhibits about Ernest Satow and the area’s history as an international summer resort, then see the lake from Level 2. Afterwards, retrace the lakeside route towards Chuzenji Onsen. The Italian villa and tea experiences cost extra.
Official lake and waterfall walking mapBritish Embassy Villa opening hours, tickets and walking directions
- Chuzenji Onsen terminal → Tobu-Nikko Station
Take YK towards JR Nikko from Chuzenji Onsen terminal’s station-bound boarding point and alight at Tobu-Nikko. Recorded station-bound point 26B differs from Yumoto-bound 26A. Check your date’s operator notices, signs on site and station-bound timetable. This is day two of the Chuzenji Onsen pass started yesterday.
Bus pass salesBus timetables, boarding points and faresBus stop 26B change notice
- Tobu-Nikko Station → Asakusa Station
Board your reserved-seat Liberty Kegon towards Asakusa at Tobu-Nikko. The bus down from the lake may be delayed; choose a return train with time after arriving at the station.
Bus timetables, boarding points and faresCurrent Tobu limited express timetable for Nikko
The villa closes December–March and at 16:00 in April and 11–30 November. Choose your return limited express with time for the lakeside return walk and bus congestion.
Costs included in the calculation: Return Tobu limited express JPY 6,100 + two JPY 600 World Heritage passes for the first two days + Chuzenji Onsen two-day pass JPY 2,300 + Toshogu JPY 1,600 + Rinnoji Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin combined ticket JPY 900 + Kegon Falls lift JPY 600 + British-villa-only ticket JPY 300 = JPY 13,000.
Extra costs: Accommodation, meals, bathing tax, travel to Asakusa, cruises, tea experiences, additional visits such as the Italian villa, other experiences and luggage-storage charges are extra.
These costs were calculated from prices checked on 8 October 2026. The Tobu limited-express regular-season reference is JPY 3,050 one way with paper basic-fare and reserved-seat tickets. Check seasonal fares, booking conditions, admission and discounts for your travel dates.
The lakeside walk to the villa is longer than a short walk near the waterfall. In rain or with on-site restrictions, shorten the villa visit and prioritise a bus leaving time to connect with your reserved return train.
Limited express supplementSeasonal faresBus timetables, boarding points and faresBus pass salesToshogu admission ticketsRinnoji tickets, prices and seasonal admission deadlinesKegon Falls tickets and opening hoursBritish Embassy Villa opening hours, tickets and walking directions
Give Oya, gyoza, lake and temples a day each
Stay one night in Utsunomiya and two near Nikko Station for Oya’s underground quarry, gyoza, Nikko temples and lake. Start at Tokyo Station and return to Asakusa. Make a day trip to the waterfall and lake from Nikko; the final day visits Sanbutsudo and Toshogu only.
Day 1
Arrive in Utsunomiya and visit Oya History Museum.
- Tokyo Station → Shiryokan-iriguchi stop · change buses at JR Utsunomiya Station
Take an ordinary Utsunomiya Line train from Tokyo towards Utsunomiya and alight there. Use an ordinary car without Green Car travel. Buy the JPY 2,200 Oya pass at station tourist information. Take route 45 towards Tateiwa via Oya (大谷経由立岩) from west-side stop 6 to Shiryokan-iriguchi (資料館入口). Distinguish route 47 towards Shin-Kanuma. Official bus time is approximately 30 minutes; allow extra for congestion.
Oya pass coverage and sales hoursPrices, access and visitor restrictionsOutbound bus stop 6 and weekday timetableCurrent JR station timetables: select the month and operating dateKanto Bus current route and timetable selection
- Shiryokan-iriguchi stop → Underground quarry visit and lunch
Walk about five minutes from the stop to the museum. Explore underground quarry exhibits, then have lunch above ground.
Prices, access and visitor restrictionsOya pass coverage and sales hours
- Shiryokan-iriguchi stop → JR Utsunomiya Station, west side
Take route 01 towards Utsunomiya Station from the station-bound side of Shiryokan-iriguchi.
Return weekday timetableKanto Bus current route and timetable selection
Use the Oya pass only that day. Check seasonal museum operations.
Day 2
After gyoza, move to Nikko on the JR Nikko Line and stay there.
- JR Utsunomiya Station, west side → Gyoza Street walk
Walk about 15 minutes from the JR station’s west side to Gyoza Street for signs and lanes. Check individual shop opening.
Getting to Gyoza StreetCity tourism organisation's food walking route
- Gyoza Street → Eat gyoza at Kirasse’s main store
Order and compare gyoza in Kirasse’s main-store daily rotating area, basement of MEGA Don Quijote La Park. Recorded hours are daily 11:00–21:00, last orders 20:30; distinguish weekday closures among the five permanent shops. Finish eating with time to return to the station for your Nikko train.
- Kirasse main store → JR Utsunomiya Station West Exit
After eating, return above ground and walk back to JR Utsunomiya Station West Exit.
City tourism organisation's food walking routeKirasse Main Store opening hours
- JR Utsunomiya Station → JR Nikko Station
Take a Nikko-bound JR Nikko Line train from Utsunomiya and alight at JR Nikko. Choose a service reaching Nikko rather than terminating at Kanuma.
Current JR station timetables: select the month and operating date
After your city meal, choose a JR service reaching Nikko rather than terminating at Kanuma.
Day 3
Make a Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji day trip and return to the Nikko station area.
- Tobu-Nikko Station → Chuzenji Onsen terminal
Buy the JPY 2,300 Chuzenji Onsen two-day pass at the tourist centre to start using that day. Take YK towards Yumoto Onsen via Kotoku Onsen from Tobu-Nikko to Chuzenji-onsen · 中禅寺温泉 (26). Boarding point 2A was in use at the time checked. Allow for foliage-season traffic.
- Chuzenji Onsen terminal → Kegon Falls viewing platform
Follow Kegon Falls signs east from the terminal for approximately five minutes to lift reception. Descend by lift to the paid viewing platform. The adult return fare is JPY 600. No reservations are accepted, so allow time to queue.
Getting to Kegon Falls facilitiesKegon Falls tickets and opening hours
- Kegon Falls → Lunch and Lake Chuzenji public lakeside walk
After lunch, walk out and back along the public lakeside by the large torii and Sunrise and Sunset piers. Boats and paid temple visits are excluded.
- Chuzenji Onsen terminal → Tobu-Nikko Station
Take YK towards JR Nikko from Chuzenji Onsen terminal’s station-bound boarding point and alight at Tobu-Nikko. Recorded station-bound point 26B differs from Yumoto-bound 26A. Check your date’s operator notices, signs on site and station-bound timetable. After coming down the mountain road, stay in Nikko rather than connecting directly with a Tokyo-bound train.
Bus timetables, boarding points and faresBus stop 26B change notice
Use the Chuzenji Onsen two-day pass that day and the next. Stay in Nikko after descending from the lake.
Day 4
Visit Sanbutsudo and Toshogu, then return to Asakusa. Taiyuin is excluded.
- Tobu-Nikko Station → Rinnoji Sanbutsudo visit
Take C towards Chuzenji Onsen from Tobu-Nikko to Nishisando Iriguchi (9). Boarding point 2C was in use at the time checked; check the operator’s information for your travel date and signs on site. Follow western and main approaches towards Sanbutsudo and allow time to reach the entrance and queue for admission. Use the JPY 400 Sanbutsudo-only ticket, without the Taiyuin combined ticket. On restricted Sanbutsudo dates, adjust to available hours. See the attraction guide and temple event notices for dated restrictions.
Rinnoji tickets, prices and seasonal admission deadlinesBus timetables, boarding points and faresRinnoji visiting route
- Sanbutsudo → Walk from Sanbutsudo to Toshogu and visit
Follow the main approach from Sanbutsudo to Toshogu’s entrance. Visit with the JPY 1,600 Toshogu-only ticket. Taiyuin and Treasure Hall are excluded.
Toshogu admission ticketsRinnoji tickets, prices and seasonal admission deadlinesRinnoji visiting routeBus pass salesTobu Bus routes and stops
- Nishisando Iriguchi → Tobu-Nikko Station
Board C or YK towards JR Nikko at Nishisando Iriguchi (9)’s station-bound side and alight at Tobu-Nikko. Do not continue to the JR Nikko terminus.
Rinnoji visiting routeBus timetables, boarding points and fares
- Tobu-Nikko Station → Asakusa Station
Board your reserved-seat Liberty Kegon for Asakusa at Tobu-Nikko. This itinerary leaves from Tokyo Station and returns to Asakusa, so plan your return ticket for Asakusa.
The budget includes JPY 400 for Sanbutsudo alone and JPY 1,600 for Toshogu. Yesterday’s bus pass also covers today’s temple-area travel.
Costs included in the calculation: Tokyo–Utsunomiya JR JPY 2,090 + Utsunomiya–Nikko JR JPY 810 + Tobu-Nikko–Asakusa limited express JPY 3,050 + Oya day pass JPY 2,200 + Chuzenji Onsen two-day pass JPY 2,300 + Kegon Falls lift JPY 600 + Rinnoji Sanbutsudo JPY 400 + Toshogu JPY 1,600 = JPY 13,050.
Extra costs: Accommodation, gyoza and other meals, travel to your departure station, Green Car travel, other temples, cruises and luggage-storage charges are extra.
These costs were calculated from prices checked on 8 October 2026. Tobu limited express uses a JPY 3,050 regular-season one-way reference. The Chuzenji Onsen pass covers days three and four, without an added JPY 600 temple-area bus pass on day four. Depart from Tokyo Station and return to Asakusa. Check seasonal fares, booking conditions, admission and discounts for your travel dates.
Limited express supplementSeasonal faresRevised JR fare tableNikko tourism organisation's 2026 revised fare table: JR Nikko Line JPY 810Oya pass coverage and sales hoursBus timetables, boarding points and faresBus pass salesToshogu admission ticketsRinnoji tickets, prices and seasonal admission deadlinesKegon Falls tickets and opening hours
Frequently asked questions
Do I return to Tokyo Station after visiting Utsunomiya and Nikko?
The itinerary with one night in Utsunomiya and two in Nikko leaves Tokyo Station by JR but returns on a limited express from Tobu-Nikko to Asakusa. The departure and return stations differ. Leave the JR Nikko-bound bus from the temples at Tobu-Nikko to transfer to your limited express.
Current JR station timetables: select the month and operating dateBus timetables, boarding points and faresCurrent Tobu limited express timetable for Nikko
When should I start the Chuzenji Onsen two-day pass for an overnight lake stay?
For two nights in Nikko followed by one at the lake, start the pass when going up on day three and use it until returning to the station on day four. Temple buses on days one and two need separate World Heritage day passes. For one night in Utsunomiya and two in Nikko, use the Chuzenji pass for the lake day trip on day three and Sannai temple buses on day four.
Official sources and check dates
- Limited express supplement ·
- Seasonal fares ·
- Bus timetables, boarding points and fares ·
- Bus pass sales ·
- Rinnoji visiting route ·
- Revised JR fare table ·
- Oya pass coverage and sales hours ·
- Outbound bus stop 6 and weekday timetable ·
- Return weekday timetable ·
- Getting to Gyoza Street ·
- City tourism organisation's food walking route ·
- Kirasse Main Store opening hours ·
- Getting to Kegon Falls facilities ·
- Kegon Falls tickets and opening hours ·
- Official lake and waterfall walking map ·
- Bus stop 26B change notice ·
- British Embassy Villa opening hours, tickets and walking directions ·
- Rinnoji tickets, prices and seasonal admission deadlines ·
- Toshogu admission tickets ·
- Tobu Bus routes and stops ·
- Prices, access and visitor restrictions ·
- Nikko tourism organisation's 2026 revised fare table: JR Nikko Line JPY 810 ·
- Current JR station timetables: select the month and operating date ·
- Kanto Bus current route and timetable selection ·
- Tobu NIKKO PASS ALL AREA coverage, four-day validity and exclusions ·
- JR EAST TOKYO Wide Pass: three-day validity, covered routes and exclusion of Tobu-only limited express services ·
- Current Tobu limited express timetable for Nikko ·