Explore Nikko in a Day – Private Car with English Speaking Driver (1-20 Person)
Duration
10 Hours
Max People
20
Min Age
1+
Packages Available
4
Get out of Tokyo for the day and explore the UNESCO-listed sites of Nikko without wasting time on public transport. This private tour includes a private vehicle and an English-speaking driver-guide. Learn more about Japanese culture and history at Toshogu Shrine, be impressed by the high Kegon Falls, and admire Japan’s highest lake, Lake Chuzenji. This tour will appeal to travelers interested in both nature and culture.
- Ages 3-90
- Duration: 1–10 hours
- Start Time: Check Availability
- Mobile Ticket
- Live Guide: English
- Audio Guide: English
- Written Guide: English
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
Additional Information
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Pickup Details
- We pickup any hotel and apartment in Tokyo 23 wards.
- Pick & Drop outside Tokyo 23 wards 10000 JPY additional charges.
- End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Included/Excluded
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Private transportation
- English Speaking Guide
- Lunch
- Entrance Ticket for any activity
- Entry/Admission - Kegon Falls
- Entry/Admission - Akechidaira Observation Area
- Entry/Admission - Nikko Tosho-gu
- Entry/Admission - Shinkyo Bridge
- Entry/Admission - Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park
Tour Plan
Around 08:00 – 08:30 AM
Lake Chuzenji is Japan’s highest natural lake, located just west of Nikko and is part of the Nikko National Park. It formed about 20,000 years ago when neighboring Mt. Nantai erupted and its lava flow dammed the Daiyo River. The lake tips the altitude scales at 1,269 meters.
Kegon Falls is a 97-meter high waterfall that lies in Nikko city. The water from the Chuzenji Lake feeds the fall. Visitors to Kegon Falls, which is one of the three highest waterfalls in Japan, can use an elevator to enjoy the powerful falls.
Akechidaira is located on top of the Nikko Daini Irohazaka Route. From there, visitors can take a ropeway up to an observation deck where they can enjoy a breathtaking view of Kegon Falls, Lake Chuzenji, and Mt. Nantaisan.
World Heritage site.
The Shinkyo Bridge is the first structure visitors see before they enter the area of Nikko’s shrines.
Former summer residence for Emperor Taisho built in 1899 with beautiful garden. Rare example where public is allowed access into former housing for royal family.
Karen W –
We booked a day trip in Nikko with Ohayo Travel and highly recommend it. It was really convenient to have a private car and we managed to see many sights as a result. The tour guide/ driver was polite and punctual, and gave us good suggestions at each spot to enhance our experience.
kencal2 –
We had a wonderful trip with Ohayo travel. We spent relatively more time at the Tosho-gu shrine and other shrines in the area. In early November, the fall colors were amazing. We also saw Chuzenji lake and Shinkyo bridge. All in all, a great day trip from Tokyo, thanks in no small part to the knowledge as well as flexibility of the owner/guide. He was patient and accommodating, and we made his day far too long.
Hugh –
Lovely and convenient tour. Our guide Abdullah was excellent, his driving and navigation was superb and his knowledge of the area ensured we saw all the sights in Nikko which is a beautiful place.
Shea M –
Danesh was very helpful and got us to all the sites we wanted to see efficiently. Plus he took us to a very nice Ramen place where we were able to rather quickly and keep going.
Sandeep K –
Had the most wonderful day during this tour. The driver was very accommodating and gave a lot of knowledge about each area we visited . Due to the fact that we made good timing he also showed us a bonus location. A little gem hidden away. No tourist at all. Thanks so much for the experience and worth every penny. Didn’t have to wait around for others on pre booked bus tours, will book private tour again.
Jingqi L –
Ahmet, really knows the area. Very helpful in showing us the best the area has to offer! Highly professional. Thank you! Al &Jingqi
Allison Z –
Great day trip from Tokyo. Our driver was very friendly, spoke perfect English, and was always easy to find after we finished each stop. The van was very clean too. Nikko is very spread out so to see the sites, this is a much better option than taking the train and subway when there. Nikko itself is beautiful and deserves its world heritage designation. Highly recommend.
David D –
The best way to see Nikko and Lake Chuzenji. Everything is so spread out that it would be a real pain trying to do it with public transportation. Our driver was really friendly and flexible as we changed our itinerary multiple times based on how the day progressed.
Kim P –
We got to see everything we wanted to see in and around Nikko with a comfortable car and efficient driver! Danish was a man of few words but he was very nice, gave us the relevant information for each location, and was flexible when we asked for a long lunch stop. Definitely would recommend this driving service.
FChapman –
Great day with Ahmed. Wonderful tour, wonderful guide, highly recommend both !! Guide was very knowledgeable and helpful.
A M –
This tour was the best day of our trip! Nikko is a breathtaking place with beautiful nature and stunning temples.
Our guide Ahmed was perfect and really made the day special. He was very polite, helpful, professional and knowledgeable. He knew where all the best spots where and made sure we got to see everything that Nikko has to offer including some hidden gems.
Austin B –
The trip was an incredible experience with more activities along the way than I was expecting. Such amazing views and loved every minute of it! Having a private car made it much easier than public transport and my driver was fun to talk to with very good English as well. Overall highly recommend using this service and getting away from the chaos of Tokyo into the mountains for a day!
Coastal560953 –
Very pleasant and awe inspiring experience. Very safe, accommodating and patient driver sharing tidbits of interesting facts. Nikko is not to be missed if you have the time.
Yeet Momma –
We had a lovely time and felt very safe! We traveled on a Saturday and traffic was terrible but our drive kept a positive attitude and made sure that we didn’t miss anything. It was nice to have a day where we didn’t have to worry about coordinating transportation. Nikko is absolutely breathtaking!! Don’t miss it!
Wallace A. –
Our driver/guide Ahmed was terrific. (We were delighted to have him again on another Ohayo Travel day tour at a later date.) He was thoroughly professional: prompt, polite, and a pleasure to be with. Ahmed’s English was very good, and he provided lots of useful background about the culture, history, etc. He went out of his way to be accommodating to us. Not only did he take us to all the wonderful destinations in the itinerary, he even took us to another great spot that we hadn’t expected. He also found us a fine place to enjoy local food for lunch. Some of the numerous highlights were Kegon Falls, Akechidaira Observation Area, and the Nikko Tosho-gu shrine. Overall, it was a memorable experience.
Jerry G –
Awesome service, driver/guide is very nice, super helpful, and extremely insightful. Family really enjoyed spending time in Nikko, especially the waterfalls and the lake. Overall, very pleasant experience, highly recommended for families with kids who want to enjoy Nikko to its fullest.
Al W –
Aziz was an excellent driver and guide, he was flexible and courteous
Highly recommend him for your touring trips in Tokyo and surroundings
srseals –
Our driver was Adele. He met us at our hotel in Shibuya. He communicated with us before his arrival and made the pick up was very easy. Abeel arrived in a nice minivan vehicle with plenty of space and the vehicle was clean and well maintained. He was able to confirm our interests for the day by asking a few questions. The trip to Nikko from Tokyo took a couple hours but time just few by because Abeel was so knowledgeable about all things in Japan. He was able to give some specific information about Nikko as well but we enjoyed quizzing him about life and culture in Japan. He really made the day flow smoothly. Many times he went the extra mile to make sure we were comfortable and had the best possible experience.
Regarding the location, Nikko is a fabulous escape from the urban experience of Tokyo. We visited some outstanding nature sites with a tram that took us to a gorgeous overlook of a lake, waterfalls, and the village. We went on to view the waterfall up close and it was so beautiful. We had lunch in town at a traditional Japanese restaurant (not included but very reasonable. Our guide Abeel gave us advice on what to try and waited with the vehicle until we were finished. We viewed the lake as well. Of all the places we visited, the shrine and temples that are part of the World Heritage Site were absolutely stunning. We spent two hours there and we were repeatedly surprised at every turn. This location gets my highest recommendation. Our guide did not walk around with us at the site but there is a lot of available information for all levels of interest.
We arrived back in Shibuya in the evening after another stimulating conversation about all things Japanese with Abeel.
While this trip is on the more expensive side of our activities, it was worth every dollar we spent. This day was one of our favorite parts of our Tokyo trip. Abeel really took it to the next level as our guide and I highly recommend him.