--- title: "Nikko Day Trip from Tokyo: Customized Tour, Licensed Guide" lang: en type: tour city: Tokyo country: Japan price: 246 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.97 reviews: 36 duration_minutes: 600 languages: [ja, en] free_cancellation: "true" rank_in_category: 22 of 55 (Day Trips from Tokyo) schedule_checked: 2026-11-07 data_updated: 2026-11-08 canonical: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/tours/nikko-day-trip-from-tokyo-customized-tour-licensed-guide/ --- # Nikko Day Trip from Tokyo: Customized Tour, Licensed Guide **Guidekin's take:** Choose three or four Nikko sights from the itinerary on a private tour for your party. Licensed guiding is included, but you meet on foot in Tokyo and pay transport, entry fees and lunch separately. 4.97 from 36 reviews at €246 per person for 10h. In our comparison: #22 of 55 in Day Trips from Tokyo, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced English-speaking tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Nikko! If you are staying in Tokyo but would like to take some time out to enjoy some sights outside the big city, then this tour of Nikko is for you. There are many reasons why Nikko is a must-see stop during your stay in Japan. Your private guide will help you efficiently escape the hustle and bustle of Tokyo on a full-day tour of this historic, beautiful town. Your guide will start your day with a morning pickup at your hotel. Let us know what special requests you have for the day and we will customize your itinerary in advance! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. This tour is only for groups up to 10 persons. You cannot combine tour groups or reservations. ## Before you book - Hotel pickup: no car needed - Entry ticket not included: buy it separately - Min. 2 to book: not for solo travellers - 5 start times: between 07:00 and 09:00 - Food not included: Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch,… - Wheelchair accessible: operator-marked - Strollers OK: infants accepted **Pickup:** Hotel pickup included ## Key facts - Price: from €246 per person - Duration: 10h - Rating: 4.97/5 from 36 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Operator: Japan Guide Agency - Minimum booking: 2 travellers at this price - Group: Private tour, your party only - Guide languages: Japanese, English - Tickets: Admission not included, pay on site - Start times: 07:00, 07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-11-07 ## Reviews 4.97 from 36 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 100% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 36 of 36. - 5 stars: 35 (97%) - 4 stars: 1 (3%) - 3 stars: 0 (0%) - 2 stars: 0 (0%) - 1 star: 0 (0%) ### What reviewers say Reviewers value knowledgeable guides and tailored itineraries; the supplied reviews establish no recurring drawback. **Praised:** - Detailed explanations of Nikko's history, shrines and religious traditions - Help planning routes, arranging tickets and navigating public transport - Itineraries adapted to personal interests, requests and weather - Visits combining temples and shrines with lakes and waterfalls - Attentive, considerate guidance throughout the trip **Complaints:** - No recurring complaint is supported by the supplied reviews Written by Guidekin from the 34 most recent English reviews on Tripadvisor & Viator (2019-12-02 to 2026-10-22); last checked 2026-11-08. ## What's included - Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Tokyo - Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'Itinerary' list - Licensed Local English Speaking Guide ## Not included - Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses - Private transportation - Transportation fee (for yourself), NIKKO PASS all area Ticket 4,520JPY per person - You cannot combine multiple tour groups. - Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect. ## Itinerary 1. **Nikko Tosho-gu** (30m) - Understand why “Don’t say ‘magnificent’ until you’ve seen Nikko” visiting the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate and nearby shrines and temple. The most renowned shrine of “the Shrines and Temples of Nikko”-a Japan’s leading world... 2. **Kegon Falls** (30m) - Kegon Waterfall is the most famous of Nikko’s 48 waterfalls. Water from Lake Chuzenji falls 97 metres straight down to the rocks below creating a dynamic and artistic work of nature. A special lift takes visitors to the basin where the force and roar of the water can be... 3. **Lake Chuzenji** (30m) - is the largest lake in Tochigi, framed by 25 kilometres of incredible nature. The area used to be a popular summer resort for foreigners in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. The villas of French and Belgian embassies can still be found here. You can enjoy seasonal charms... 4. **Senjogahara Field** (30m) - “Senjogara” translates to battlefield and here it refers to a mythical battlefield where legends say that the gods of Mount Nantai and Mount Akagi fought once to claim the neighboring lakes as their own. Taking on the incarnation of a serpent and centipede respectively, they... 5. **Taiyuin (大猷院, Taiyūin) is the mausoleum of the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu...** (30m) - Taiyuin (大猷院, Taiyūin) is the mausoleum of the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, the grandson of Ieyasu. Iemitsu's lavish mausoleum complex resembles nearby Toshogu Shrine in its layout and architecture, but it was intentionally built somewhat more modest than the Toshogu, due... 6. **Rinno-ji Temple** (30m) - Rinnoji (輪王寺, Rinnōji) is Nikko's most important temple. It was founded by Shodo Shonin, the Buddhist monk who introduced Buddhism to Nikko in the 8th century. The temple's main building, the Sanbutsudo, houses large, gold lacquered, wooden statues of Amida, Senju-Kannon... 7. **Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park** (30m) - Tamozawa Imperial Villa (田母沢御用邸, Tamozawa Goyōtei) blends traditional Edo and early modern Meiji Period architecture throughout its 106 rooms. The villa was erected in Nikko in 1899, using parts of a residence that originally stood in Tokyo. Before being moved to Nikko, the... 8. **Kanmangafuchi Abyss (憾満ヶ淵) was formed by an eruption of nearby Mount Nantai** (30m) - This gorge near central Nikko is only a few hundred meters long and can be enjoyed from a pleasant riverside walking trail. Kanmangafuchi is also known for its row of about 70 stone statues of Jizo, a Bodhisattva who cares for the deceased. This particular group of Jizo... 9. **Nikko Futarasan Shrine** (30m) - Futarasan Shrine (二荒山神社, Futarasan Jinja) stands next to Toshogu in central Nikko. Much older than its more lavish neighbor, Futarasan Shrine was founded in 782 by Shodo Shonin, the Buddhist monk who introduced Buddhism to Nikko and who also founded nearby Rinnoji Temple.... 10. **Nikko Botanical Garden** (30m) - (日光植物園, Nikko Shokubutsuen) is owned and maintained by the prestigious University of Tokyo. As such, it is a branch of the university's main research garden, Koishikawa Botanical Garden in Tokyo. The garden was opened in 1902 for the purpose of collecting and studying alpine... 11. **Shinkyo Bridge** (30m) - The Shinkyo Bridge (神橋, Shinkyō, "sacred bridge") stands at the entrance to Nikko's shrines and temples, and technically belongs to Futarasan Shrine. The bridge is ranked as one of Japan's three finest bridges together with Iwakuni's Kintaikyo and Saruhashi in Yamanashi... 12. **Kirifuri Waterfall** (30m) - (霧降の滝, Kirifuri no taki) is an impressive, 75 meter high, two-tiered waterfall located below the Kirifuri Highlands, a few kilometers northeast of the temples and shrines of Nikko. The sight of the elegant falls cascading down the mountain provides a nice contrast to the... 13. **Kanaya Hotel History House** (30m) - The Kanaya Hotel History House (金谷ホテル歴史館, Kanya Hotel Rekishikan) is a historical building in Nikko that served as the predecessor of the celebrated Kanaya Hotel. The house is open for the public to explore and provides a window into the Nikko of centuries past. It stands... 14. **Akechidaira Observation Area** (30m) - Ropeway is closed for maintenance from January 16th, 2026 until August 31st, 2027. Located near the top of Irohazaka Slope, Akechidaira Plateau has sweeping views over a winding road and a dramatic mountain backdrop. Take the ropeway up to the observation platform for even... ## Schedule - Runs: daily - Departures: 07:00, 07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 - Schedule last checked: 2026-11-07 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point Your guide will be at you hotel or anywhere else you want. Ends: Your guide will drop you off at your hotel or anywhere else you want. ## Good to know - Service animals allowed - Public transportation options are available nearby - Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller - All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible - Transportation options are wheelchair accessible - Wheelchair accessible - Suitable for all physical fitness levels - This is a walking tour. Meet up is on foot. ## Cost for your party | People | Total | Per person | |---|---|---| | 2 | €492 | €246 | | 4 | €492 | €123 | | 6 | €588 | €98 | Cheapest option for that party size from the operator's current price tiers; the calendar shows the exact figure for your date. Shared tours in Day Trips from Tokyo start at €90 per person. ## Compared with other Day Trips from Tokyo | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #22 of 55** | €246 | 10h | 4.97 (36) | private | | [Mt Fuji Hidden Gem Custom Car Tour with Licensed Guide & Driver](/japan/tokyo/tours/mt-fuji-hidden-gem-custom-car-tour-with-licensed-guide-driver/?format=md) | €564 | 10h | 4.96 (408) | private | | [Private Mt Fuji Tour from Tokyo: Scenic BBQ & Hidden Gems](/japan/tokyo/tours/private-mt-fuji-tour-from-tokyo-scenic-bbq-hidden-gems/?format=md) | €255 | 9h | 4.99 (161) | private | | [Mount Fuji Private Tour With English Guide Fully Customizable](/japan/tokyo/tours/mount-fuji-private-tour-with-english-guide-fully-customizable/?format=md) | €381 per group | 8h | 4.95 (255) | private | Ranked #22 of 55 in Day Trips from Tokyo by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €90 to €865, median €142; typical length 10h. 41 of 55 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/day-trips-from-tokyo/?format=md ## More in Tokyo - All Tokyo tours: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/tours/nikko-day-trip-from-tokyo-customized-tour-licensed-guide/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/japan/tokyo/?format=md