Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
miso paste. The trail continues along the Yu-gawa through shady woods before
emerging beside the Izumiyado, a large pond and the start of a two-hour tramp
across the raised walkways above the Senjōgahara marshland, which blooms with
many wild flowers during the summer. Roughly one hour further on, at the
Akanuma junction, you can branch off back to the main road, or continue along
the riverside path for thirty minutes to the main road and bridge overlooking the
Ryūzu Falls (see p.211).
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
NIKKŌ AND AROUND
to change at Shimo-Imaichi; some direct trains split on the
way, so be sure to board the right carriage. There are two types
of train to choose from: regular Kaisoku (2hr 20min; ¥1320),
or the fancier limited express Spacia (1hr 50min; ¥2740).
JR train You can also reach Nikkō on JR trains but fares
are higher, so travelling with JR only makes sense if you
have a JR rail pass. The fastest route (around 2hr total) is
by Shinkansen from either Tokyo or Ueno to Utsunomiya
( Ӊ౎ٶ ), where you change to the JR Nikkō line for a local
train to the JR Nikkō terminus, a minute's walk east of the
Tōbu station.
BY TRAIN
Nikkō is accessible on two lines from Tokyo, which arrive at
stations sitting almost side by side in the east of the town
(the JR station is a real beaut, a historic wooden building
designed by Frank Lloyd Wright). In general, the Tōbu line is
more convenient.
Tōbu train The Tōbu-Nikkō line ( W www.tobu.co.jp) runs
from Asakusa in Tokyo; the station is in the basement of the
Matsuya department store and connected by tunnel to
Asakusa subway station. An alternative access point for this
line is Kita-Senju station. Note that on some trains you'll need
GETTING AROUND
To Chūzenji-ko and Yumoto Buses up to Chūzenji-ko
lake and on to Yumoto run at fairly frequent intervals from
outside both of Nikkō's train stations between 6am and
6pm (¥1100 one-way), and usually take 45min, though
travelling times can easily double - or even triple - during
kōyō in mid-October, the prime time for viewing the
changing autumn leaves, when tra c is bumper-to-
bumper. If you haven't bought a Tōbu pass (see box below),
it's still possible to save money on transport by buying a
two-day bus pass at either train station; for unlimited
return trips to Chūzenji-ko the cost is ¥2000, while to
Yumoto it's ¥3000.
20
INFORMATION AND SERVICES
Tourist o ce The main tourist o ce (daily 9am-5pm;
T 0288 54 2496, W nikko-jp.org) is the Nikkō Kyōdo Centre
on the “Nihon Romantic Highway” - the name for the main
road from the station to the Tōshō-gū complex. If you're
planning on walking in the area, you should pick up the
free Tourist Guide of Nikkō, which shows you all the hiking
trails found within Nikkō National Park. There's another
excellent information desk at Tōbu Nikkō station (daily
8.30am-5pm; T 0288 53 4511).
ATMs The main post o ce (Mon-Thurs 8.45am-6pm, Fri
8.45am-7pm, Sat & Sun 9am-5pm), on the approach road
to Tōshō-gū, has an ATM which accepts foreign-issued
cards, as do the ones in the post o ces opposite Tōbu
station and up at Chūzenji; otherwise, it's near impossible
to use international cards in the town.
ACCOMMODATION
Nikkō has plenty of accommodation, and is the best base for the area. If you want to be closer to nature or are looking for a
quieter environment, consider staying up at Chūzenji-ko or Yumoto. Rates at virtually all places are slightly higher in
the peak seasons: August, from October to early November, and during major holidays. During these periods reservations
are essential.
NIKKŌ TRAVEL PASSES
Tōbu offers travel passes covering the return trip from Tokyo and transport around the Nikkō
area. These tickets, which can only be bought at Tōbu stations, include the fare from Asakusa
to Nikkō (express train surcharges for the Spacia still apply, though you get a 20 percent
discount), unlimited use of local buses and discounts on entrance charges at many of the
area's attractions, including the cable cars and boat trips at Chūzenji-ko. It's not worth buying
the pass if you only intend to visit Nikkō, but if you're planning a trip out to Chūzenji-ko, the
most useful ticket is the two-day All Nikkō Pass (¥4400).
 
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