When planning our adventure, we decided to book a day trip to Nikko via Klook. The tour was scheduled for 8:00 am. Having experience with the subway system for the previous day’s excursions, we were fully prepared to arrive at Tokyo Station at 7:45 am, easily in time for our tour.
A few minutes after 7:00 am, I received a WhatsApp message asking where we were. What??? We were at our hotel, about to begin breakfast. To our amazement, the tour company changed the time of the tour to 7:00 am without notifying us! Time for our first pivot!
We researched how to get to Nikko on our own…using subways, trains, and buses, we re-created the tour! By doing so, we enjoyed Kegon Waterfalls (trying hard to avoid the groups of school children), Lake Chuzenji, Shinkyo Bridge, and the absolutely magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Toshogu Shrine.
The day was long, including a delay caused by our first train (our of three) on our return hitting an animal…yet the sights were spectacular!
Kegon Waterfall
Fall foliage arrives!
Rocky path up to Toshogu Shrine
A stone lantern and fall colors on the way to Toshogu Shrine
Toshogu Shrine’s Nakajinko (Middle Storehouse)
Stone lanterns sporting autumn colors
Yomeimon Gate
Karamon Gate
Rinnoji Temple, part of the Toshogu complex
Shinkyo Bridge
