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Five days in Tochigi: combine two cities or spend two nights at the lake

For Oya’s underground quarry and gyoza, split your stay between two Utsunomiya nights, one Nikko night and one at Lake Chuzenji. For fewer accommodation moves and more lakeside exhibitions, compare two nights each in Nikko and by the lake. The two-lake-night course gives villas and the natural science museum separate days, descending by mountain-road bus on the last day. Villa courses cannot be followed unchanged during December–March winter closures.

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Choose a 5 days / 4 nights itinerary

5 days / 4 nights A

Two Utsunomiya nights, then one night each in Nikko and by the lake

For the underground quarry, gyoza, temples and lakeside villas, stay two nights in Utsunomiya, one near Nikko Station and one in Chuzenji-onsen. Depart from Tokyo Station and return to Asakusa. Day three’s three-site temple plan involves considerable walking. The villas close December–March, so the course cannot be followed unchanged in winter.

Two Utsunomiya nights, then one night each in Nikko and by the lake →5 days / 4 nights B

Take time with Nikko’s temples, lakeside nature and villas

For two lakeside days, stay two nights near Nikko Station and two in Chuzenji-onsen. Travel from and back to Asakusa, giving Toshogu and Rinnoji a day each, then the waterfall, two villas and natural science museum separate days. The villas close December–March, so this course cannot be followed unchanged in winter.

Take time with Nikko’s temples, lakeside nature and villas →
5 days / 4 nights A

Two Utsunomiya nights, then one night each in Nikko and by the lake

For the underground quarry, gyoza, temples and lakeside villas, stay two nights in Utsunomiya, one near Nikko Station and one in Chuzenji-onsen. Depart from Tokyo Station and return to Asakusa. Day three’s three-site temple plan involves considerable walking. The villas close December–March, so the course cannot be followed unchanged in winter.

Day 1

Walk Utsunomiya’s Gyoza Street and eat at Kirasse Main Store before your first night.

  1. Tokyo Station → JR Utsunomiya Station west side

    From Tokyo Station, take a Utsunomiya-bound local train on the Utsunomiya Line and alight there, using an ordinary-class seat, with Green Car seating excluded from the budget. Walk about 15 minutes from the west side to Gyoza Street and explore its signs and alleys.

    Gyoza Street accessCity tourism authority’s food walking courseCurrent JR station timetables: select month and operating date

  2. Gyoza Street → Eat gyoza at Kirasse Main Store

    Compare gyoza in Kirasse Main Store’s rotating daily-vendor area in the MEGA basement. Operating conditions differ from the permanent vendors; check hours for your chosen area.

    Kirasse Main Store hours

Check the rotating daily-vendor area’s hours and meal queues.

Day 2

Visit Oya History Museum and stay another night in Utsunomiya.

  1. JR Utsunomiya Station → Shiryokan-iriguchi stop

    Buy a same-day 2,200-yen Oya sightseeing one-day pass at station Tourist Information. From west stand 6, take route 45 bound for Tateiwa via Oya · 大谷経由立岩 to Shiryokan-iriguchi · 資料館入口. Distinguish route 47 for Shin-Kanuma. The official ride takes about 30 minutes; allow extra time for traffic.

    Oya pass coverage and sales hoursFees, access and visitor restrictionsOutward stand 6 weekday timetableKanto Bus current route and timetable selection

  2. Shiryokan-iriguchi stop → Explore the underground quarry, then have lunch

    Walk about five minutes from the stop to the museum. Explore the underground quarry displays, then have lunch above ground.

    Fees, access and visitor restrictionsOya pass coverage and sales hours

  3. Shiryokan-iriguchi stop → JR Utsunomiya Station west side

    From the station-bound side of Shiryokan-iriguchi, take route 01 bound for Utsunomiya Station.

    Return weekday timetableKanto Bus current route and timetable selection

Use the Oya pass today; it does not apply to yesterday’s city walk.

Day 3

Move to Nikko and visit Toshogu, Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin. Today involves many steps and considerable walking.

  1. JR Utsunomiya Station → JR Nikko Station

    Choose a Nikko-bound JR Nikko Line train from Utsunomiya arriving at JR Nikko in the morning, rather than terminating at Kanuma. Walk along National Route 119 to Tobu-Nikko and buy a 600-yen World Heritage bus pass at the Tourist Center. Buy Rinnoji’s combined ticket and visit first, then have lunch and continue to Toshogu.

    Bus pass salesCurrent JR station timetables: select month and operating dateBus timetables, stands and fares

  2. Tobu-Nikko Station → Sanbutsudo entrance via Nishisando Iriguchi stop

    From Tobu-Nikko, take a C bus for Chuzenji-onsen to Nishisando Iriguchi (9). The stand listed when checked was 2C; check signs on site on your visit date. Follow Nishisando and Omotesando towards Sanbutsudo’s entrance.

    Bus timetables, stands and faresRinnoji visiting route

  3. Sanbutsudo entrance → Visit Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin

    Buy the 900-yen Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin combined ticket first. Sales end at 14:30 in April–October or 13:30 in November–March, earlier than general admission. Visit Sanbutsudo, then walk to Taiyuin using the official temple map. If time or energy is limited, omit Taiyuin and recalculate tickets and costs, or choose a course spreading temples across two days. On restricted Sanbutsudo dates, adjust to available hours. Check restrictions in the attraction guide and temple event notices.

    Rinnoji tickets, fees and seasonal admission deadlinesRinnoji visiting route

  4. Taiyuin → Visit Toshogu, then go to the station-bound stop

    Follow Nishisando and Omotesando to Toshogu and use the 1,600-yen ticket for Yomeimon and the Three Wise Monkeys and Sleeping Cat carvings. Take lunch and breaks between visits while allowing for Toshogu’s last admission: 16:30 in April–October, 15:30 in November–March. Afterwards, return to the station-bound side of Nishisando Iriguchi.

    Toshogu admission ticketsRinnoji visiting routeToshogu Yomeimon, Three Wise Monkeys and Sleeping Cat

  5. Nishisando Iriguchi → Tobu-Nikko Station

    From the station-bound side of Nishisando Iriguchi (9), take a C or YK bus for JR Nikko Station and alight at Tobu-Nikko, before the JR Nikko terminus. If the three sites’ steps are too demanding, omit Taiyuin or spread the temples across two days.

    Rinnoji tickets, fees and seasonal admission deadlinesRinnoji visiting routeBus timetables, stands and fares

To see all three sites, arrive in Nikko in the morning and buy Rinnoji’s combined ticket before sales end. If time or energy is limited, omit Taiyuin and recalculate costs, or choose a two-day temple plan.

Day 4

Move to Chuzenji-onsen, visit the waterfall and lakeshore, and stay by the lake.

  1. Tobu-Nikko Station → Chuzenji-onsen terminal

    Buy the 2,300-yen Chuzenji-onsen two-day pass at the station Tourist Center, starting today. Choose a morning bus allowing for purchase queues. From Tobu-Nikko, take a YK bus bound for Yumoto-onsen via Kotoku-onsen and alight at Chuzenji-onsen · 中禅寺温泉 (26). The stand listed when checked was 2A. Allow for autumn-foliage traffic.

    Bus pass salesBus timetables, stands and fares

  2. Chuzenji-onsen terminal → Visit the Kegon Falls viewing platform

    From Chuzenji-onsen terminal, follow signs east towards Kegon Falls for about five minutes to the elevator entrance. Ride down to the paid viewing platform. Adult return fare is 600 yen, with first-come, first-served admission.

    Kegon facility accessKegon tickets and hours

  3. Kegon Falls → Walk the lakeshore, then return to Chuzenji-onsen

    After lunch, walk the public shoreline path from the large torii past Sunrise Pier and Sunset Pier, returning the same way. No boat ride is included.

    Official lake and waterfall walking map

The Chuzenji-onsen two-day pass started today remains valid tomorrow.

Day 5

Visit the British and Italian villas, then return to Asakusa.

  1. Large lakeside torii → British Embassy Villa Memorial Park entrance

    From the large torii, follow the road southeast along the lake and Utagahama shoreline towards the British villa. The official walk from the terminal takes about 35 minutes. Use the 450-yen two-villa combined ticket for displays on Ernest Satow and the international summer resort’s history, plus second-floor lake views. Tea activities are excluded.

    Official lake and waterfall walking mapBritish villa hours, tickets and walk

  2. British villa → Visit the Italian villa, then return to Chuzenji-onsen

    Follow the shoreline to the Italian villa. See the main building and lake views, then displays on the history of the international summer resort in the annex. Return along the same shoreline towards Chuzenji-onsen. Café orders cost extra.

    Bus timetables, stands and faresStand 26B change noticeOfficial lake and waterfall walking mapItalian villa hours and tickets

  3. Chuzenji-onsen terminal → Tobu-Nikko Station

    From the station-bound stand at Chuzenji-onsen terminal, take a YK bus for JR Nikko Station and alight at Tobu-Nikko. The stand listed when checked was 26B; distinguish Yumoto-bound 26A. Check operator notices, signs and the station-bound timetable for your date. This is day two of yesterday’s pass.

    Bus pass salesBus timetables, stands and fares

  4. Tobu-Nikko Station → Asakusa Station

    At Tobu-Nikko, board your reserved Asakusa-bound Liberty Kegon limited express. Supplements vary by peak, regular or off-peak season and booking conditions; recalculate using your travel-date fare.

    Bus timetables, stands and faresCurrent Tobu Nikko limited express timetableLimited express supplementsSeasonal fares

The subtotal uses the 450-yen two-villa ticket. The villas close December–March and close at 16:00 in April and November 11–30. Choose your return limited express allowing for the round-trip walk and mountain-road traffic.

Transport and admission costs: 14,800 yen per adult

Included costs: JR Tokyo–Utsunomiya 2,090 yen + JR Utsunomiya–Nikko 810 yen + Tobu-Nikko–Asakusa limited express 3,250 yen + Oya sightseeing one-day pass 2,200 yen + World Heritage bus pass 600 yen + Chuzenji-onsen two-day pass 2,300 yen + Toshogu 1,600 yen + Rinnoji Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin combined ticket 900 yen + Kegon Falls elevator 600 yen + two-villa combined ticket 450 yen = 14,800 yen.

Extra costs: Accommodation, meals, bathing tax, travel to the departure station, tea activities, café orders, sightseeing boats and luggage storage cost extra.

Calculated using fares checked on 2026-10-08. The return Tobu limited express uses a peak-season single of 3,250 yen. Use the Oya pass on day two, World Heritage pass on day three and Chuzenji-onsen pass on days four and five. The two-villa ticket is not double-counted with separate 300-yen tickets. Check seasonal pricing, bookings, fares, admission and discounts for your actual dates.

Limited express supplementsSeasonal faresRevised JR fare tableNikko tourism authority 2026 revised fares and 810-yen JR Nikko Line fareOya pass coverage and sales hoursBus timetables, stands and faresBus pass salesToshogu admission ticketsRinnoji tickets, fees and seasonal admission deadlinesKegon tickets and hoursBritish villa hours, tickets and walkItalian villa hours and tickets

5 days / 4 nights B

Take time with Nikko’s temples, lakeside nature and villas

For two lakeside days, stay two nights near Nikko Station and two in Chuzenji-onsen. Travel from and back to Asakusa, giving Toshogu and Rinnoji a day each, then the waterfall, two villas and natural science museum separate days. The villas close December–March, so this course cannot be followed unchanged in winter.

Day 1

Visit Toshogu, then spend your first night near Nikko Station.

  1. Asakusa Station → Tobu-Nikko Station and Tourist Center

    From Asakusa, board a reserved-seat Liberty Kegon limited express for Tobu-Nikko and alight there. Buy a same-day World Heritage bus pass for 600 yen at the station Tourist Center.

    Current Tobu Nikko limited express timetableBus pass sales

  2. Tobu-Nikko Station → Toshogu entrance via Nishisando Iriguchi stop

    From Tobu-Nikko, take a YK bus bound for Yumoto-onsen via Kotoku-onsen to Nishisando Iriguchi · 西参道入口 (9). The stand listed when checked was 2A; check the operator’s guidance for your date and signs on site. Follow Nishisando and Omotesando signs for the officially listed ten-minute walk to Toshogu’s entrance, allowing extra time for admission.

    Bus timetables, stands and faresTobu Bus routes and stops

  3. Toshogu → Visit Toshogu, then have lunch

    Visit with the 1,600-yen Toshogu-only ticket, then have lunch and a break. Retrace Omotesando and Nishisando to the station-bound side of Nishisando Iriguchi (9).

    Toshogu admission tickets

  4. Nishisando Iriguchi → Tobu-Nikko Station

    From the station-bound side of Nishisando Iriguchi (9), take a C or YK bus bound for JR Nikko Station and alight at Tobu-Nikko. Do not stay aboard to the JR Nikko terminus.

    Bus timetables, stands and fares

A World Heritage one-day pass cannot be reused the next day.

Day 2

Visit Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin, then stay another night near Nikko Station.

  1. Tobu-Nikko Station → Sanbutsudo entrance via Nishisando Iriguchi stop

    Buy a new same-day World Heritage bus pass for 600 yen. From Tobu-Nikko, take a C bus bound for Chuzenji-onsen to Nishisando Iriguchi (9). The stand listed when checked was 2C; check the operator’s guidance for your date and signs on site. Follow Nishisando and Omotesando towards Sanbutsudo, allowing time to reach the entrance and queue.

    Rinnoji tickets, fees and seasonal admission deadlinesRinnoji visiting routeBus pass salesBus timetables, stands and fares

  2. Sanbutsudo entrance → Visit Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin

    Buy the 900-yen Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin combined ticket in the morning. Visit Sanbutsudo, then walk to Taiyuin using the official map. April–October ticket sales end at 14:30; check the deadline for your season. On dates with Sanbutsudo restrictions, adjust to available hours. Check dated restrictions in the attraction guide and temple event notices.

    Rinnoji tickets, fees and seasonal admission deadlinesRinnoji visiting route

  3. Nishisando Iriguchi (9), station-bound stand → Tobu-Nikko Station

    After Taiyuin, have lunch in Sannai and walk to the station-bound side of Nishisando Iriguchi (9). Take a C or YK bus for JR Nikko Station and alight at Tobu-Nikko, before the JR Nikko terminus.

    Bus timetables, stands and fares

Buy a new World Heritage pass for day two. Check when Rinnoji combined-ticket sales end.

Day 3

Move to Chuzenji-onsen, visit the waterfall and public shoreline, and stay by the lake.

  1. Tobu-Nikko Station → Chuzenji-onsen terminal

    From Tobu-Nikko, take a YK bus for Yumoto-onsen via Kotoku-onsen to Chuzenji-onsen · 中禅寺温泉 (26). The stand listed when checked was 2A. Allow for autumn-foliage traffic. The checked standard adult single is 1,250 yen. Your descent is two days later, so one two-day pass cannot cover both journeys.

    Bus timetables, stands and fares

  2. Chuzenji-onsen terminal → Visit the Kegon Falls viewing platform

    From Chuzenji-onsen terminal, follow signs east towards Kegon Falls for about five minutes to the elevator entrance. Ride down to the paid viewing platform. Adult return fare is 600 yen, with first-come, first-served admission.

    Kegon facility accessKegon tickets and hours

  3. Kegon Falls → Walk the lakeshore, then return to Chuzenji-onsen

    After lunch, walk the public shoreline path from the large torii past Sunrise Pier and Sunset Pier, returning the same way. No boat ride is included.

    Official lake and waterfall walking map

Your descent is two days later, outside one Chuzenji-onsen two-day pass. Calculate separate 1,250-yen ordinary singles.

Day 4

Walk to the British and Italian lakeside villas, then stay another night by the lake.

  1. Large lakeside torii → British villa exhibitions and lake views

    Follow the road southeast along the lake and Utagahama shoreline to the British villa. The two-villa combined ticket costs 450 yen. See displays on Ernest Satow and the international summer resort’s history, then enjoy second-floor lake views. Tea activities are excluded.

    Official lake and waterfall walking mapBritish villa hours, tickets and walk

  2. British villa → Visit the Italian villa, then return to Chuzenji-onsen

    Follow the shoreline to the Italian villa. See the main building and lake views, then displays on the history of the international summer resort in the annex. Return towards Chuzenji-onsen afterwards. Café orders cost extra.

    Official lake and waterfall walking mapItalian villa hours and tickets

The villas close December–March and close at 16:00 in April and November 11–30. Shorten visits if the shoreline walk is difficult.

Day 5

Visit the natural science museum, descend by mountain-road bus and return to Asakusa.

  1. Chuzenji-onsen terminal → Visit Nikko Natural Science Museum

    Go to Nikko Natural Science Museum beside Chuzenji-onsen terminal, officially a one-minute walk away. Adult admission is 510 yen. Nature displays explore water flows, wetlands and living things; history displays cover the international summer resort’s formation and Oku-Nikko’s history. These offer different content from the villa buildings.

    Natural science museum fees, hours and access

  2. Nikko Natural Science Museum → Tobu-Nikko Station via a bus from Chuzenji-onsen terminal

    From the station-bound stand at Chuzenji-onsen terminal, take a YK bus for JR Nikko Station and alight at Tobu-Nikko. The stand listed when checked was 26B; distinguish Yumoto-bound 26A. Check operator notices, signs and the station-bound timetable for your date. The checked ordinary adult single is 1,250 yen. Depart well before your return train to allow for mountain-road traffic.

    Bus timetables, stands and faresStand 26B change notice

  3. Tobu-Nikko Station → Asakusa Station

    At Tobu-Nikko, board your reserved Asakusa-bound Liberty Kegon limited express. Recalculate the supplement using the seasonal category for your actual date.

    Bus timetables, stands and faresCurrent Tobu Nikko limited express timetableLimited express supplementsSeasonal fares

The natural science museum’s winter opening and Monday closures differ from summer. Leave a margin before the return limited express in case the bus after your visit is delayed.

Transport and admission costs: 14,060 yen per adult

Included costs: Tobu limited express outward 3,050 yen + return 3,250 yen + World Heritage bus passes 600 yen × 2 + lake buses ordinary singles 1,250 yen × 2 + Toshogu 1,600 yen + Rinnoji Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin combined ticket 900 yen + Kegon Falls elevator 600 yen + two-villa combined ticket 450 yen + Nikko Natural Science Museum 510 yen = 14,060 yen.

Extra costs: Accommodation, meals, bathing tax, travel to Asakusa Station, tea activities, café orders, sightseeing boats and luggage storage cost extra.

Calculated using fares checked on 2026-10-08. The outward Tobu fare uses a regular-season 3,050 yen; the return uses a peak-season 3,250 yen. The ascent on day three and descent on day five span three days, so one Chuzenji-onsen two-day pass cannot cover both. The middle day uses walking routes. Check seasonal pricing, bookings, fares, admission and discounts for your actual dates.

Limited express supplementsSeasonal faresBus timetables, stands and faresBus pass salesToshogu admission ticketsRinnoji tickets, fees and seasonal admission deadlinesKegon tickets and hoursBritish villa hours, tickets and walkItalian villa hours and ticketsNatural science museum fees, hours and access

Frequently asked questions

Do two lake nights fit within one Chuzenji two-day pass for the return trip?

Course B spans three days from ascent to descent, beyond one two-day pass. Separate ordinary singles of 1,250 yen are calculated. Course A ascends on day four and descends on day five, so the Chuzenji-onsen two-day pass starting day four covers both.

Bus pass salesBus timetables, stands and fares

Official sources and check dates