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Nikko Highlights - One Day Excursion from Tokyo

Day Trip
Tokyo Tour Guide - Tomoko H.

Joined 2018

Tomoko H.
4.95 / 5
(194 reviews)
Identity Verified
Interview-Based Quality Checks
Tokyo
English, Japanese (Native)
11 hours
Private tour (only you and Tomoko H.)
Up to 6 people

One day fun excursion to Nikko from Tokyo. Nikko is the perfect destination for those who want to escape busy Tokyo and enjoy great nature and historical beauty. Nikko is designated as Japan’s National Park as well as UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. 2 hours north-east of Tokyo by train. Toshogu, Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine is what you cannot miss. Your tour can be customized depending on your interests. Do not miss tasting local food, too. Let’s enjoy the beauties of Nikko together!

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

07:00 AM

Meeting Point

At your hotel

07:00 AM

Your Hotel (in Tokyo metropolitan area) - meet at the lobby

Meeting time might be changed depending on which area of Tokyo you stay.

07:30 AM

Terminal Station in Tokyo - Fun express train ride to Nikko area (*reservation needed) enjoying the window views and sharing info about Nikko

We are to take one of the express train depending on which area of Tokyo we are to start;

1) Tobu express from Asakusa

2) JR Shinkansen, bullet train from Tokyo to Utsunomiya, and transfer to local JR line to Nikko

3) JR + Tobu combined direct express from Shinjuku


09:30 AM

Nikko area

- Ride area bus passing Shinkyo bridge

10:30 AM

Kegon Fall

- Enjoy grand view of the gigantic fall & beatiful Lake Chuzenji ( Ryuzu Fall - optional) *not recommended during mid-October due to traffic jam along Iroha-zaka slope road

12:00 PM

Local lunch

- Soba noodle, Yuba (Tofu skin), etc.

01:00 PM

Toshogu shrine

- the highlight of Nikko World Heritage Sites, lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen buildings set in a beautiful forest. It is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868.

【Highlights of Toshogu】90 minutes <architectural pieces> five story pagoda, storehouses, Yomeimon gate, Main shrine hall, Mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Three Monkeys, Imagined Elephants, Nimurineko (sleeping cat), etc.


11:00 AM

***** depending on your interests, weather & traffic condition, we can focus on the World Heritage Sites and its neaby area instead of visiting upper lake area ******

option ① Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park - Enjoy beautiful Japanese architecturral pieces, crafts, and its garden

option ② Taiyu-in - part of Rinnoji temple, mausoleum of the 3rd Tokugawa Shogun (National Treasure)

option ③ Futarasan shrine - one of the World Heritage Sites where mountain deities of Nikko are enshrined

option ④ Rinnoji temple - Nikko's most important temple originally dates back to the 8th century A)Sanbutsu-do - hall housing three gold lacquered, wooden statues of Amida, Senju-Kannon, and Bato-Kannon B) Shoyoen - a small Japanese garden, especially beutiful with autumn foliage typically in the first half of November

03:00 PM

Shinkyo, the sacred bridge

- beautiful small vermilion colored legendary bridge over Daiya river

03:30 PM

Path toward Nikko station

- walk back along the street lined up with traditional souvenir/craft shops or return by local bus

04:30 PM

Nikko station

- train ride back to Tokyo

06:30 PM

Terminal station in Tokyo (Asakusa, Tokyo, or Shinjuku)

- the end of the tour

Ending Point

At any place of your convenience in Tokyo

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

◆ guide fee

◆ hotel pick-up (inside the metropolitan Tokyo area)

What‘s not included

◆ transportation fee (you and the guide) *It differs depending which company line we take.

‐ Basically, we are to use puclic transportation. So, if you prefer hiring a private car, please contact in as much advance as possible for its availability and expences.

- Depending on where you stay in Tokyo, what kind of transportation pass you hold, the train we use will be different. Find the following list for your reference.

[Recommended Train services between Tokyo area & Nikko area]

◆from Tokyo◆ appx. 12,000 yen / roundtrip / person

(From Tokyo) 0740 Tokyo >> (Shinkansen Yamabiko 125, bullet train to Utsunomiya and change to a local train, reservation recommended) >> 0928 JR Nikko

(To Tokyo) 1619 JR Nikko >> (local train to Utsunimiya, and change to Shinkansen Yamabiko 216) >> 1816 Tokyo

◆from Shinjuku◆ 8,160 yen / roundtrip / person

(From Tokyo) 0731 Shinjuku >> (direct express train, reservation needed) >> 0927 Tobu Nikko

(To Tokyo) 1638 Tobu Nikko >> (direct express train) >> 1835 Shinjuku


◆from Asakusa◆ 5,610 yen / roundtrip / person

(From Tokyo) (1) 0730 Asakusa >> (direct express train, reservation recommended) >> 0920 Tobu Nikko

(2) 0800 Asakusa >> (change at Imaichi) >> 0950 Tobu Nikko

(To Tokyo) (1) 1623 Tobu Nikko >> (direct express train) >> 1815 Asakusa

(2) 1723 Tobu Nikko >> 1915 Asakusa ** only in summer as in other seasons it gets dark earlier in Nikko area


[Local Transportation in Nikko area]

(A) Bus Pass for World Heritage area : 600 yen / person

(B) Bus Pass valid to Kegon Fall area : 2,300 yen / person

(C) Bus Pass valid to Ryuzu Fall area : 3,500 yen / person

(D) Taxi : it varys depending on the distance


◆ lunch

◆ entrance fee (per adult/child)

Toshogu - 1,600 yen, Rinnoji (package) - 1,000 yen, Tamozawa Imperial Villa Park - 600 yen, Kegon Fall Elevator - 600 yen

Tour Important Information

‐ Basically, we are to use puclic transportation. So, if you prefer hiring a private car, please contact in as much advance as possible for its availability and expences.*Kindly be reminded that, in Japan, guides are not allowed to drive their cars while guiding.

- Depending on where you stay in Tokyo, what kind of transportation pass you hold, the train we use will be different. Find the info about transportation described separately.


Week days are recommended

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
Tokyo Tour Guide - Tomoko H.

Joined 2018

Tomoko H.
4.95 / 5
(194 reviews)
Identity Verified
Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Tomoko H.

Hi everyone! Hearty welcome to Japan.

I’m Tomoko.

I am an English-speaking licensed tour guide, and a registered nurse as well.

“Fun Discovering Experience Walking like a Local!” – F-D-E-W-L!

That’s what I suggest.

【Experiences】

My work history is as follows.

1) high school teacher ---12 years

2) nurse--8 years + 2 years as operational manager for Kamakura city vaccination team (during COVID period)

3) tourism related jobs such as tour conducting, guiding, and backyard supporting---10 years

As a tour conductor, I’ve visited about 20 foreign countries (possibly yours?) as well as countless number of towns and villages in Japan.

I’ve enjoyed these jobs while being a mother.

Through these experiences with lots of people from different backgrounds, I've found it a great pleasure to share the joy of learning and experiencing something new!

【Guiding Areas】

<Basic> Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone, Fuji, Yokohama, Nikko, and other neighboring areas from Tokyo

I’m a specialist in Tokyo and Kamakura as I have lived and enjoyed walking a lot in those cities for decades. To be honest, even after all my years here, I still enjoy exploring like a tourist as Tokyo is such an enormous city with great diversity and is constantly changing.

Kamakura is a historical small city with nice beaches and hills and lots of hidden spots of beauty. Almost every time I go out, I feel I’m still making new discoveries. That’s why I cannot stop exploring.

I would take you to some neighboring areas like Hakone, Yokohama, Nikko, and Mt. Fuji area (Lake Kawaguchiko), etc.

<Based on Requests > *if my transportation & accommodation are covered

Nagoya, Kyoto, Nagano(Nagano city, Snow Monkey park, Kisoji trail, etc.), Hida (Takayama, Shirakawa-go), Kanazawa, Oita, Yamagata, Akita, etc.

My original family is from Nagoya, so I know their culture and even their language(dialect) well. Later in my life, I have lived in Oita, Kyushu(far south west of Tokyo) for nearly 10 years and traveled a lot in Kyushu. I love traveling Tohoku, the northern Japan area, too. I’ve planned and enjoyed visiting many of those local areas in the north, too. So, I could share those experiences with you even while having tours in Tokyo or online.

【Personality and others】

- I love meeting people, listening and talking to them.

- I'm friendly and caring, I hope:)

- I love nature and enjoy hiking and skiing.

- I love seasonal flowers and good local food.

- You will see a lot about Japanese culture, nature, and lifestyle with me.

What has made you decide to come to Japan, by the way? Is it its scenic beauties, exotic culture, history, food, anime, or what else? Is it your business that has brought (or will bring) you here? Let me have a clue and customize your tour. I will make the best tour suggestion for you.

Why don’t you contact me now? I’m looking forward to seeing you soon!

Thank you! Arigato-gozaimas!


Reviews

A Perfect Day in Tokyo with Tomoko – Beyond Our Expectations!

Our day in Tokyo was absolutely out of this world! We had a group of 11 and chose to hire a driver so we could make the most of our limited time in the city. It was one of the best decisions we made, and having Tomoko as our guide made the day truly unforgettable. Tomoko was outstanding from start to finish. She planned a wonderful itinerary that included the Imperial Palace and its surroundings, Asakusa, Sensoji Temple, Nakamise Shopping Street, Tokyo Skytree Town, and the Harajuku and Shibuya areas. One of the highlights of the day was lunch that Tomoko arranged for us on the 30th floor of a skyscraper overlooking Tokyo. The views were incredible, and the sushi was outstanding. What made the experience so special was Tomoko herself. She was kind, knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely cared about making sure everyone in our group had a wonderful day. She walked with us through the shopping districts, helped us find the Onitsuka Tiger shoes that several members of our group were hoping to purchase, and never made us feel rushed. At the end of the day, Tomoko accompanied us all the way back to our cruise terminal, made sure everyone was safely back on the ship, and only then headed home herself. That level of care and dedication speaks volumes about the kind of person she is. Tomoko is truly one of a kind. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, caring, and exceptional guide for a perfect day in Tokyo, look no further. I cannot wait to return to Tokyo and see her again. Thank you, Tomoko, for a memorable day that our family will never forget.

Laureen J.

Tomoko H.

Dear Laureen, thank you for the wonderful review. You’ve been so generous with your praise that I feel like I could “crawl into a hole” (I’m a bit embarrassed), but I’m really glad you enjoyed it. Our exchange started in a very interesting way. I received an inquiry with almost the exact same details from another lady—whose name also starts with “L”—at around the same time. (She mentioned that you were traveling on a cruise ship and that your family consists of 11 members.) I immediately realized that you must be a very loving family.Even though we were both working and dealing with the time difference, I really enjoyed our detailed planning emails. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful review despite your busy schedule after returning from your trip. I hope you and your family are all doing well. I look forward to seeing you again.‐ Tomoko

Fun, full day tour with a true professional

We spent a full day with Tomoko exploring Kamakura and Enoshima as a daytrip from Tokyo. Tomoko knows this area extremely well so she had everything planned out and adapted logistics as the day unfolded. She provided just the right amount and type of commentary on places visited and brought us to a very traditional soba&tempura restaurant for lunch. She is a natural conversationalist and will feel like a friend by end of the day. Her pre-tour communications are extensive as well. We had a great time with Tomoko and saw everything imagined and then some. We recommend Tomoko 100%, 10 out of 10, a top notch tour guide.

Josh K.

Tomoko H.

Thank you for the wonderful review. The Kamakura tour with you and your family was so much fun. Even with jet lag, everyone walked so well! The beautiful bamboo temple, Hachimangu Shrine, lunch and shopping, the Great Buddha and Hase-dera Temple, and then the caves carved by the waves on the back side of Enoshima (where the dragon lives!)—I’d secretly worried we might not make it that far. Since you told me your family’s specific requests and preferences in advance, it made planning much easier. I appreciate your cooperation. Thank you, Joshi, Amy, Caroline, and Adelaide!

Want to Personalize?

$432/ per group

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