National Parks · Tochigi, Gunma, Fukushima
Nikko National Park
日光国立公園にっこうこくりつこうえんNikkō Kokuritsu KōenWhere Japan's grandest shrines meet volcanoes and waterfalls
Nikko National Park, in the mountains north of Tokyo, unites one of Japan's great cultural landscapes, the World Heritage shrines and temples of Nikko, with volcanoes, lakes, waterfalls and highland marshes. Designated in 1934 among Japan's first national parks, it extends from Nikko and Oku-Nikko to the hot-spring areas of Kinugawa, Shiobara and Nasu.
Overview
Nikko National Park spreads over the mountains of northern Tochigi and adjacent parts of Gunma and Fukushima. At its heart is Nikko, where the mausoleum of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, Tōshō-gū, stands among ancient cedars beside the older sanctuaries of Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji. Above the town, the volcano Nantai-san dams Lake Chūzenji, whose waters plunge over Kegon Falls; beyond lie the marshes of Senjōgahara and the hot springs of Yumoto.
The park also includes the Kinugawa and Kawaji hot-spring valleys, the remote Kinu-numa highland moor, the Shiobara onsen gorge and the Nasu volcanoes on the Fukushima border. This mix of religious architecture, volcanic scenery and resorts made Nikko one of the first places in Japan to attract Western visitors, and the Japanese saying 'Do not say kekkō (splendid) until you have seen Nikko' reflects its long fame.
Nikko was among the national parks designated on 4 December 1934. Its Oze area was separated in 2007 to create Oze National Park; the shrines and temples of Nikko were inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1999, and the wetlands of Oku-Nikko were listed under the Ramsar Convention in 2005.
Landscape and formation
The Nikko volcanoes, Nantai-san (2,486 m), Nyohō-san, Taro-san and Nikkō-Shirane-san (2,578 m), form a volcanic group on the edge of the Kantō plain. About 20,000 years ago lava from Nantai-san blocked the valley of the Daiya River, creating Lake Chūzenji at 1,269 m above sea level; the lake's overflow cut the gorge of Kegon Falls. Further lava and debris flows dammed the valley above it, which silted up to become the marsh of Senjōgahara and the smaller Odashirogahara.
Nikkō-Shirane-san, the highest peak in north-eastern Japan, is an active volcano with a crater lake, Goshiki-numa, below its summit. To the north-east, the Nasu volcanoes include the active Chausu-dake (1,915 m), whose fumaroles and ash slopes feed the springs of Nasu Onsen. River gorges cut into the older rocks at Kinugawa, Shiobara and Ryūōkyō.
Highlights
- 中禅寺湖Chūzenji-ko
A lava-dammed lake at 1,269 m below Nantai-san, lined with former embassy summer villas and the Chūzenji temple.
- 華厳滝Kegon-no-taki
A 97 m waterfall at the outlet of Lake Chūzenji, one of Japan's three great waterfalls.
- 男体山Nantai-san
The sacred 2,486 m volcano above Lake Chūzenji, climbed from Futarasan Shrine's Chūgūshi between May and October.
Senjōgahara
戦場ヶ原SenjōgaharaA highland marsh of reeds and larch with boardwalks, named 'battlefield' after a legendary fight between the gods of Nantai-san and Akagi-san.
Yumoto Onsen and Lake Yunoko
湯元温泉・湯ノ湖Yumoto Onsen, Yu-no-koA sulphur hot-spring village at the head of the valley, beside a small lake that drains over Yudaki falls.
Nikkō-Shirane-san
日光白根山Nikkō-Shirane-sanThe highest peak in north-eastern Japan (2,578 m), an active volcano reached from a ropeway on the Gunma side.
Nasu-dake
那須岳Nasu-dakeA group of volcanoes above the Nasu highlands, with the steaming Chausu-dake and a ropeway.
Nature
Ecology
The park's altitude range, from about 400 m to over 2,500 m, spans temperate broadleaf forest, beech and oak, subalpine conifers and alpine vegetation. The marshes of Oku-Nikko, Senjōgahara, Odashirogahara and the shores of Yunoko, form a Ramsar site with moor and fen communities, while the highland Kinu-numa is one of the highest-lying moors in Japan.
Sika deer have increased greatly since the 1980s, damaging forest understoreys and marsh flora; deer fences now surround Senjōgahara and other sensitive areas. Japanese macaques, often seen along the Irohazaka and at Lake Chūzenji, black bears and serows are common.
Flora
Shirane-aoi
シラネアオイshirane-aoiA large mauve flower named after Nikkō-Shirane-san, endemic to Japan, blooming in early summer.
Kōshin-sō
コウシンソウKōshin-sōAn insectivorous butterwort first found on Kōshin-zan in the Ashio mountains; its habitat is a Special Natural Monument.
Nikkō-kisuge
ニッコウキスゲNikkō-kisugeThe yellow day lily named after Nikko, blooming in highland meadows in July.
Mizunara oak forest of Kōtoku
光徳のミズナラ林Kōtoku no mizunara-rinOld-growth Mongolian oak woodland by the Kōtoku marsh near Senjōgahara.
Fauna
Japanese macaque
ニホンザルnihonzaruTroops frequent the Irohazaka and the lake shores; feeding them is prohibited.
Sika deer
ニホンジカnihonjikaAbundant in Oku-Nikko; stags' calls echo across Senjōgahara in autumn.
Asian black bear
ツキノワグマtsukinowagumaPresent throughout the forests, including near Senjōgahara.
Japanese serow
ニホンカモシカnihon-kamoshikaA goat-antelope of the steep forested slopes.
Culture
Nikko was a centre of mountain worship long before the Tokugawa. In the 8th century the monk Shōdō Shōnin founded the first temple and, in 782, reached the summit of Nantai-san, which has been venerated ever since as a sacred mountain; Futarasan Shrine enshrines the deities of Nantai-san, Nyohō-san and Taro-san. In 1617 the remains of Tokugawa Ieyasu were enshrined at Tōshō-gū, which his grandson Iemitsu rebuilt in lavish form in the 1630s, and Nikko became the spiritual seat of the shogunate.
In the Meiji era, diplomats and foreign residents built summer villas on the shore of Lake Chūzenji, including the British Embassy Villa associated with Ernest Satow and the Italian Embassy Villa, both restored and open to visitors. Nikko's lacquerwork, wood carving (Nikkō-bori) and yuba (tofu skin) cuisine are traditions tied to the shrines.
- 日光東照宮Nikkō Tōshō-gū
The richly carved mausoleum shrine of Tokugawa Ieyasu, with the Yōmei-mon gate and the carving of the three wise monkeys.
Futarasan Shrine
日光二荒山神社Nikkō Futarasan-jinjaThe shrine of the Nikko mountains, with sanctuaries in the town, at Lake Chūzenji and on the summit of Nantai-san.
Rinnō-ji
輪王寺Rinnō-jiThe Tendai temple complex founded by Shōdō Shōnin, with the great hall Sanbutsu-dō and Iemitsu's mausoleum Taiyū-in.
Nikko Cedar Avenue
日光杉並木Nikkō sugi namikiAbout 35 km of cedar-lined roads planted in the 17th century, both a Special Historic Site and a Special Natural Monument.
Italian and British Embassy Villas
イタリア・英国大使館別荘記念公園Itaria, Eikoku Taishikan Bessō Kinen KōenRestored Meiji and early Shōwa summer villas on the shore of Lake Chūzenji.
History
766
Shōdō Shōnin founds the first temple at Nikko, the origin of Rinnō-ji.
782
Shōdō Shōnin reaches the summit of Nantai-san.
1617
Tokugawa Ieyasu is enshrined at Tōshō-gū.
1636
Tokugawa Iemitsu completes the lavish reconstruction of Tōshō-gū.
1934
Nikko National Park is designated on 4 December.
1999
The Shrines and Temples of Nikko are inscribed as a World Heritage Site.
2005
The Oku-Nikko wetlands are listed under the Ramsar Convention.
2007
The Oze area is separated to form Oze National Park.
Through the seasons
Spring
Cherry blossom in the shrine town in April and in Oku-Nikko in May; azaleas bloom on the Kirifuri highlands and around Chūzenji in late spring.
Summer
Cool highland weather attracts visitors to Lake Chūzenji and Senjōgahara; the Nantai-san climbing festival is held at the start of August.
Autumn
One of the most celebrated autumn-colour regions in Kantō, descending from Yumoto in early October to the shrines in November.
Winter
Oku-Nikko is snowy and cold; Yudaki and Kegon partly freeze, and Yumoto is a base for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Routes and trails
Senjōgahara nature trail
A level boardwalk route of about 7 km from Ryūzu Falls across the marsh to Yudaki and Lake Yunoko.
Nantai-san from Chūgūshi
A steep climb of about 1,200 m from the lakeshore shrine to the summit; open from May to October with an entrance procedure at the shrine.
Lake Chūzenji shore path
A forest path along the southern and western shores to Senjugahama and the embassy villas.
Nikkō-Shirane-san from the ropeway
From the Marunuma Kōgen ropeway top station on the Gunma side to the summit crater; a half-day hike.
Kirifuri Plateau
Easy walks among azalea and day-lily meadows above the Kirifuri Falls, with views to the Kantō plain.
Practical notes
- Tōbu limited express trains from Asakusa and JR trains via Utsunomiya reach Nikko; buses run to Lake Chūzenji and Yumoto. The Tōhoku Shinkansen stops at Nasu-Shiobara for the northern areas.
- The Irohazaka road and the Chūzenji area are heavily congested on autumn weekends; allow extra time or travel early.
- Do not feed monkeys or deer; stay behind deer fences and on boardwalks in the marshes.
- Nikkō-Shirane-san and Nasu-dake are monitored active volcanoes; check alert levels before climbing.
- Temperatures in Oku-Nikko are around 7 to 10 °C lower than in Tokyo; bring warm layers even in summer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Nikko and Oku-Nikko?
Nikko usually means the shrine town at about 600 m, with Tōshō-gū, Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji. Oku-Nikko ('inner Nikko') is the highland above it, reached by the Irohazaka road, with Lake Chūzenji, Kegon Falls, Senjōgahara and Yumoto Onsen.
How high is Kegon Falls?
Kegon Falls drops about 97 m from the outlet of Lake Chūzenji and is counted among Japan's three most famous waterfalls. An elevator descends to a viewing platform at the base of the gorge.
Why is Oze no longer part of Nikko National Park?
Oze was part of Nikko National Park from 1934, but in 2007 it was separated and combined with the Aizu-Komagatake area to form Oze National Park, to reflect its distinct wetland character.
When are the autumn colours in Nikko?
Colours start at Yumoto and Senjōgahara in late September or early October, reach Lake Chūzenji and the Irohazaka in mid-October and the shrine area in early November.
How do you get to Nikko from Tokyo?
Tōbu Railway limited expresses from Asakusa reach Tōbu-Nikkō in about two hours; JR trains run via Utsunomiya. Buses continue from Nikko station to the shrines, Lake Chūzenji and Yumoto Onsen.
Related
Sources
- 1.日光国立公園 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省
- 2.国立公園の概要 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省
- 3.Nikko National Park (opens in a new tab) — Ministry of the Environment, Japan
- 4.Shrines and Temples of Nikko (opens in a new tab) — UNESCO World Heritage Centre