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City guide · 日光 Nikko
Nikko
The sanctuary where Tokugawa Ieyasu sleeps — the golden splendour of Tōshō-gū, watched over by Mount Nantai
The city of Nikko lies in the mountains of northwestern Tochigi Prefecture, and there is an old saying: "Never say 'magnificent' until you have seen Nikko." The vermilion Shinkyō Bridge spans the Daiya River, and the glittering Nikko Tōshō-gū, Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji Temple — the "two shrines and one temple" — are inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage site. Further in, Lake Chūzenji, the Kegon Falls and Mount Nantai spread the primal landscape of mountain faith all the way to Oku-Nikko.
History
How the city came to be
In the late 8th century the monk Shōdō Shōnin crossed the Daiya River and opened Mount Nikko; the place became a sacred ground of Shugendō, its mountain name, read "Nikkō," taken from "Futarasan" (Mount Futara). In the Edo period its fate turned sharply: in 1617 Tokugawa Ieyasu was reburied here and Tōshō-gū founded; in 1636 the third shogun Iemitsu directed the great "Kan'ei rebuilding," and five thousand craftsmen raised the carved and painted shrine halls we see today, making Tōshō-gū the sanctuary of the Tokugawa shogunate. After the Meiji separation of Shinto and Buddhism the two shrines and one temple stood apart; in 1999 the "Shrines and Temples of Nikko" were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and today this is the weightiest cultural sightseeing destination in the Kantō.
- 766Shōdō Shōnin crosses the Daiya River and opens the mountain; Nikko's mountain faith begins
- 1617Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are moved from Kunōzan and reburied at Nikko; Tōshō-gū is founded
- 1636Tokugawa Iemitsu directs the "Kan'ei great rebuilding"; the shrine halls reach their present scale
- 1871Under the separation of Shinto and Buddhism, Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji Temple are separated
- 1999The "Shrines and Temples of Nikko" inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list
- 2017Tōshō-gū's Yōmei-mon Gate completes its Heisei-era great restoration, recovering its golden splendour
Stories
Stories of the city
Tokugawa Ieyasu, who rests here
History · Nikko Toshogu
Tōshō-gū was first built in 1617 under the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, and expanded to its present scale under the third shogun, Iemitsu. Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Edo shogunate, is enshrined here and his remains are buried here too: through the cedar forest and up several hundred stone steps lies his tomb.
The Sleeping Cat and the Three Wise Monkeys
Legend · Nikko Toshogu
Tōshō-gū has a 'Sleeping Cat' carving said to be the work of the master craftsman Hidari Jingorō; the sacred stable bears three monkeys who 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil', derived from the Analects' 'look not at what is improper, listen not to what is improper, speak not what is improper'.
People
People connected with Nikko
Local life
Food and local daily life
Edo Wonderland Nikkō Edomura
Must-try
- Yuba
- Soba
- Dango / senbei
Yuba (Nikkō's famous tofu skin) dishes / yuba rice bowls, soba, dango / senbei (village snacks), Tochigi strawberry desserts (seasonal), Nikkō natural-ice shaved ice (summer)
| Where to eat | Teahouses and snack stalls in the village, yuba restaurants in Nikkō city, the shopping street in front of Tōshō-gū |
|---|---|
| Dining etiquette | Eat in the designated zones of the village's performance areas; no eating or drinking inside shrines and temples (Tōshō-gū) |
| Typical price per person | JPY 1,800–3,000 ≈ CNY 81–135 |
| Tips | In the village it's mainly snacks as you wander; for a proper meal, go back to the city for a yuba set. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
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Lombroso · CC BY-SA 4.0
Before you go
Rules to know in Nikko
There is no tipping in Japan
Do
- Say thank you with 'arigatō gozaimashita'
Don’t
- Pressing loose change on staff
Japan is a no-tipping country and bills usually include service; if you press a tip on staff, some will politely refuse.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese table manners
Take off your shoes when you see a genkan (entrance step)
Do
- Take off your shoes at the entrance of homes, some restaurants, temples and hot-spring facilities
- If unsure, look for a shoe rack or slippers at the entrance
Don’t
- Stepping onto tatami or indoor wooden floors in shoes
It is seen as very rude.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese etiquette
No phone calls on trains and the shinkansen; queue to board
Do
- Put your phone on silent; on the shinkansen, take calls in the area between carriages
- Queue at the marked spots on either side of the train door, and let people off before you get on
- Give priority seats to older people, pregnant women and passengers with limited mobility
Don’t
- Talking on the phone or playing sound aloud in the train
Not illegal, but you will get looks and a reminder from the conductor.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese etiquette