Tosho-gu History Tour

Art, Culture, & Historical

Patrick L.

Nikko
English (Native), Japanese
8 hours 30 min
Private tour (only you and your group)
Up to 6 people

The Nikko Tosho-gu is a combination Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple dating from 1617 and located in Nikko, two hours northeast of Tokyo at the end of the Edo period Nikko Kaido road.

The Tosho-gu is the resting place for the founder of the Edo shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu who was deified and protects the nation from the Kimon devil’s gate of Japan. Your expert guide takes you through the Tosho-gu and reveals its secrets to you, the visitor!

Meeting Point

At Tobu-Nikko Station - or your central area Nikko lodgings

09:00 AM

Tobu-Nikko Station

• Your guide will welcome you at the Tobu-Nikko Station at 09.00 or at your hotel in the central Nikko area.

10:30 AM

• Nikko Historical Overview • Kanaya Hotel • Shinkyo - Tenkai, Itagaki Taisuke - Geijo Ishi

Your guide will introduce Nikko during a short walk to the famous Shinkyo bridge and introduce the key personalities and places along the way.

11:00 AM

Entrance to Nikko National Park

We will visit 8th century locations like: Shinkyo, Shiunseki, purple smoke stone, Hongo Jinja shrine - Kannon-do, Shihonryu-ji Buddhist temple

• Shodo Shonin, the founder of Nikko in 766

11:30 AM

• Rinno-ji - Shoyoen Garden

We next visit the Rinno-ji-ji Buddhist temple and enter the abbots garden, Shoyoen

12:30 PM

Tosho-gu

Our next location is the Tosho-gu temple/shrine, the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu

03:30 PM

Kanaya Rekishi History House

After our visit to the Tosho-gu, we take a short walk to the Futarasan Jinja, and the Kanaya Rekishi History House, the first inn in Japan

04:30 PM

Return to Tobu-Nikko Station

We will return to Tobu-Nikko Station for your 17.30 return train to Tokyo, or back to your Nikko lodgings.

Ending Point

At Tobu-Nikko Station - or your central area Nikko lodgings

What to Expect

This tour offers a historical perspective not only on Nikko but the elements in the Edo period that created the Tosho-gu. It will explain the symbols of the richly decorated Tosho-gu and provide a perspective and understanding of the age and the politics that led to the Tosho-gu being so out of step with traditional Japanese architecture and ideas of beauty.

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Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

All entrance fees, transfer by bus to Tobu-Nikko Station at end of tour

What‘s not included

Lunch, lunch box, snacks, beverages,

Important Information

The visitor will be responsible for booking round-trip tickets to and from Tobu-Asakusa Station in Tokyo.

In Nikko we may opt out for purchasing a box lunch so as to save time in the afternoon for further sightseeing.

Cancellation Policy

  • Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
  • 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
  • No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
$358/ per group

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