Breathe Deep, Dive In – Nature’s Playground & Spa Retreat (3 days, 2 nights)

The Lakehouse the restaurant offers you a garden gastronomy experience with seasonal local vegetables. Starring unique vegetables grown in the great nature of Tochigi Prefecture, dishes are prepared with carefully selected cooking methods using many herbs and spices. Here, you can enjoy multi-course meals for you to savor the flavor of the ingredients. Décor in the dining hall including sketches and pressed flowers of animals and plants found at Lake Chuzenji as well as lighting and artworks inspired by fishing will enhance your lakeside dining experience. The restaurant also has the takeout menu “Grab & Go,” including sandwiches with a lot of seasonal local vegetables, smoothies, cookies, coffee and other drinks. Please drop by and grab some for a picnic or a walk around the area.

Kegon Falls 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 witnessed close up!

Kegon Falls offers stunning views every season. Deep green in early summer, red and yellow leaves in autumn.
in winter, the water freezes as it drops creating beautiful ice shapes almost like beautiful pieces of art.

After 120 years, the former British Embassy Villa opened its doors to the public as the British Embassy Villa Memorial Park on 1 July 2016. Ernest Satow, a British diplomat who contributed to Japan’s Meiji Restoration, built a private villa at the south bank of Lake Chuzenji in 1896. He loved Oku-Nikko, especially Lake Chuzenji as the area reminded him of the natural landscape of his home country. The villa was used as the British Embassy summer residence until 2008 before being donated to Tochigi prefecture in 2010 to be opened to the general public.

In the early years of the villa, Satow’s friend Isabella Bird stayed here for a month and wrote of the impressive landscape of the villa.

The British Embassy Villa Memorial Park presents exhibitions on British culture and the history of Oku-Nikko as an international summer resort. Visitors can immerse themselves in this historic setting while enjoying teatime in the villa (additional charges apply) and take in the picturesque view of Lake Chuzenji from the spacious veranda on the upper floor.

From the mid Meiji to the early Showa periods, the area around Lake Chuzenji was home to foreign embassies and villas and flourished as summer resorts. The villa was built as a summer house for the Italian ambassador in 1928 and used by successive ambassadors until 1997. Along with the main building reconstructed with the original floor, fittings and furniture, the cottage is now open to the public as a history museum of the local international summer resorts. In addition to the buildings, the park pleases the eye with a lovely view of Lake Chuzenji.

The villa was designed by Czech architect Antonin Raymond (1888-1976). Raymond moved to the United States when he was 22 years old where he took up architecture. His first visit to Japan was during the New Year’s period in 1919-20 to work on the project of the Imperial Hotel with his mentor Frank Lloyd Wright.

Raymond was advised by local craftsmen on traditional architectural materials. He made a good use of the local Nikko cedar on the walls and his chequered design creates a beautifully modern exterior to the two-storey wooden villa. The whole ceiling of the ground floor was made with cedar bark by wickerwork, a popular technique in the traditional Japanese Sukiya style of architecture. The space of the living room and study is skilfully divided by wickerwork patterns.

This log cabin-style hotel stands amidst the Mizunara oak trees on the shores of Lake Chuzenji.
All rooms have a balcony or wooden deck, allowing you to enjoy the natural surroundings of Lake Chuzenji while feeling the seasons.
In the dining room, you can enjoy French cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients, all while gazing at the Mizunara trees.
The hot spring is also surrounded by beautiful nature in every season, and is a proud open-air bath called “Sora-buro.” You can enjoy a fantastic atmosphere as you gaze upon the morning sun filtering through the trees and the star-filled sky at night.
This is a hotel where you can luxuriously enjoy the charm of the natural surroundings of Nikko National Park.

[About the hot spring]
Water color: Milky white
Spring quality: Sulfur spring
Effective: Neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, bruises, chronic digestive diseases, poor circulation, fatigue recovery, etc.

The Oku-Nikko region is home to a compact collection of various environments, including waterfalls, lakes, rivers, marshes, wetlands, forests, and high mountains. The elevation ranges from approximately 1,200 meters near Lake Chuzenji to over 2,000 meters at Mount Nantai and Mount Nikko Shirane. As a result, you can enjoy a variety of plants, animals, and wild birds throughout the seasons on numerous hiking trails. Why not join a guide and explore the diverse landscapes of Oku-Nikko?

“Nikkozan Yumoto Onsenji Temple” is a branch temple of the world heritage site “Nikkozan Rinnoji Temple”. Its history dates back to 788 when Shodo Shonin, the founder of mountain worship in Nikko, discovered a hot spring and enshrined Yakushirurikou-nyorai (the Buddha of healing) to alleviate suffering.

Since the Meiji era, it has been known as a hot spring resort for common people seeking recovery and longevity.

While traditional sutra copying or Buddha tracing involves transcribing the entire sutra or drawing the entire image, Onsenji Temple offers original templates designed to be completed in approximately 15-20 minutes. For the Onsenji 16-character sutra copying, you will trace a section of the Yakushi Sutra written in light ink using a brush pen. For Buddhist image copying, you will trace the outline of a Buddha drawn in light ink using a brush pen.

Both practices allow individuals to connect with the Buddha, receiving their blessings and promoting mental and physical relaxation. The time spent engaging in sutra copying and Buddha tracing, fostering a deeper connection with the Buddha and oneself, is truly invaluable.

As a token of your experience, participants who complete sutra copying or Buddha tracing and offer their work will receive a special temple stamp.

Note: Brush pens are available for rental.

【About the Hot Spring】

Color of the hot spring water: Milky white

Note: The source water is colorless, it turns milky white due to oxidation. * Be cautious as the colorless spring water is very hot.

Quality of spring water: Sulfate and hydrogen carbonate hot spring.

Therapeutic effects: Cuts, cold extremities, fatigue recovery, and more.

Caution: Shampoo and body soap are not provided. Please bring your own if necessary.

For over 100 years since its foundation, Sanbonmatsu Chaya has been a rest area for people who travel to, from, and through Oku-nikko. Please drop by for a rest during your trip. The restaurant serves homemade dishes using a lot of local ingredients, and the souvenir shop has a line up of items that you can buy only at Sanbonmatsu Chaya! They also offer a dessert making workshop (from around August through October): You will first harvest strawberries at Mt. Berry Okunikko in Senjogahara and then make sweets at Sanbonmatsu Chaya. You can make a reservation a week before, but they recommend you do so as early as possible. If there is a vacancy, you can even reserve your spot on the same day. Please enjoy making a dessert you like!

The most renowned shrine of “the Shrines and Temples of Nikko”-a UNESCO world heritage site where Ieyasu Tokugawa, the great Shogun who started the Edo Period, is enshrined. Most of the shrine complex you see today was rebuilt in 17th century. The shrine contains 55 buildings including 8 national treasures and 34 listed buildings. The highlights are many colorful buildings which are richly decorated with gorgeous carvings. Do not miss the symbol of peace “Sleeping Cat”, and the “Three Monkeys” with the “see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil” poses!

mekke is a base for “discovering” the charms of Nikko based on the theme of “feeling, connecting, and touring”.

Workshops that can only be experienced here, such as Nikko carving and deerskin leather crafting, are held from time to time.

It also has a coworking space and community space, and is used as a place where tourists and local residents can easily connect with each other.

Electric bicycles can be rented and baggage storage services are available, allowing visitors to tour Nikko in comfort.

On the first floor, there is an exhibition space for Nikko’s history and traditional performing arts, as well as a tourist information center, where you can freely pick up pamphlets to help you gather information for your trip.

This is a new starting point for Nikko, where sightseeing, experience, and exchange are all connected in one place.

The Kinugawa Onsen Hotel in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, is a long-established hot spring inn founded in 1931, with roots in Japan’s oldest hotel. With the concept of “Yui-tabi” (bonding), we support memorable trips that deepen the bonds between family members and loved ones. Enjoy a buffet-style meal and choose from a variety of rooms to suit your preferences, and enjoy a relaxing hot spring trip to your heart’s content.

【About the Hot Springs】
Kinugawa Onsen is renowned for its healing waters, often referred to as “wounds heal by the river, burns heal by the waterfall” (now known as Kinugawa Onsen). The alkaline simple spring water is known for its skin-soothing properties, making it gentle on children and those with sensitive skin. In addition to the large public bath, private baths (reservation required) are also available.
Water color: Clear
Water type: Simple hot spring
Benefits: Neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, frozen shoulder, paralysis, joint stiffness, bruises, sprains, chronic digestive disorders, hemorrhoids, cold hands and feet, post-illness recovery, fatigue recovery, and overall health improvement.

A feature attraction of the Kinugawa River is the river cruises always popular with tourists. Glide along the river and enjoy the incredibly scenic valley. Depending on the season the 40-minute boat ride is a fun way to explore the memorable scenery of wild cherry blossoms and azaleas in spring， sounds of kingfishers and ayu fish swimming in summer or the red leaves of autumn.

Edo is the former name of Tokyo used until the late 19th century. This theme park authentically recreates town life in the Edo period. The huge village consists of rows of merchant houses， a samurai mansion， a Ninja village and much more. The culture of the Edo period comes alive through the townspeople and events， you can even put on a costume and join in yourself! The cultural park offers a real experience of the life and culture of the Edo period via their seven theatres， museums on history and culture and even Edo-style restaurants.

Wakayama Farm is a family farm that has been producing chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and bamboo seedlings over three generations. The spectacular bamboo forest that extends in the 24-hectare land is also popular as a filming location for movies and commercials. Farm visitors can try bamboo shoot harvest and bamboo craft creation in addition to a walk in the bamboo forest. On weekends and holidays, you can enjoy an out-of-ordinary experience including drinking matcha from a bowl made from bamboo and seeing the illuminated bamboo forest at night. The café offers meals that feature the flavor of ingredients grown by farmers in the neighborhood and drinks that are perfect to take on a walk. The farm also has a museum where visitors can learn about the ecology and use of bamboo and a gallery showcasing Japanese bamboo handicrafts. The shop sells agricultural products including bamboo shoots, chestnuts, and blueberries, and also the chestnuts sweet “Oh Kuri” made by thoroughly kneading the nuts of carefully grown chestnuts. You will also find the farm’s original bamboo shoot products such as jars of additive-free boiled bamboo shoots harvested in spring.

The old mining site of Utsunomiya’s famous，Oya Stone，has now been turned into a historical museum. The exhibition features the long history of the mining since the 17^th century，with many materials on display. The underground cavern，covering 20,000 sq. metres，is large enough to fit a baseball field.

With a fantastic atmosphere reminding visitors of the ruins of Ancient Rome.It is used in various scenes such as movie shooting, music videos shooting, weddings, concert, etc. due to its mysterious scenery.