Nikko’s Festivals and Seasonal Events
Due to its extensive historical past and its stunning natural landscape, Nikko has many wonderful festivals and seasonal events which make it a special place to visit and plan your Japan itinerary accordingly to witness these special occasions. With Nikko also being a UNESCO Heritage Site, it makes visiting the area during these events even more impactful. We have created this page to provide you an overview of Nikko’s top festivals and seasonal events to help you plan your perfect Nikko trip! On this page you will find the following information:
— Nikko’s Festivals and Seasonal Events
— 20 Best Things to Do In & Around Nikko
— Where to Stay In & Around Nikko
WHERE IS NIKKO?
Nikko is a small city in Tochigi Prefecture, approximately 150KM / 2.5 to 3 hours to the north of Tokyo. Nikko is most famous for its striking Shinto shrines and mausoleums, that commemorate Tokugawa Ieyasu – the founding ruler of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1999, the Nikko shrine and temple complex attracts millions of visitors each year. Nikko and the surrounding region also boasts ‘onsen’ (natural hot spring) towns and the natural attractions of Nikko National Park. For visitors heading to Nikko from Tokyo, it is quick and easy to reach with a range of train services connecting the two – the easiest of which takes just under 2-hours, using the Tohoku Shinkansen to Utsunomiya Station and then transferring to the local JR Nikko Line. For full details, see ‘Getting to & Around Nikko’ below.
NIKKO’S FESTIVALS AND SEASONAL EVENTS
From religious festivals to historical re-enactments, and events to celebrate the changing of the seasons, Nikko has a plethora of wonderful celebrations and occasions that will make your stay in Nikko extra special and make you feel a deeper connection to this area’s heritage and culture. Read on to discover some of the top festivals and events you can catch throughout the year and different seasons!
1 / The Nikko Toshogu Shrine Grand Festivals / Autumn and Spring
The Nikko Toshogu Grand Festivals are two of the most important events held in Nikko and Toshogu Shrine. It is celebrated twice a year, both in the Spring and Autumn, and is deeply rooted in Samurai history and culture. The festival commemorates the legacy of Tokugawa Ieyasu as the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. If you want to plan your visit to Nikko around either of the two festivals held, it is highly worth it! Visitors can enjoy a number of impressive and immersive experiences such as the ’Hyakumonozoroe Sennin Musha Gyoretsu’, the Procession of 1,000 Samurai. This is a powerful reenactment of the funeral procession of Tokugawa Ieyasu from 1617 where participants dress as Samurai Warriors and march through Nikko. There is also ’Yabusame’, Horseback Archery. This is an ancient form of archery where skilled riders shoot arrows at targets while riding. It perfectly demonstrates the Samurai martial art traditions of the time. Finally, visitors can enjoy viewing the carrying of the ’Mikoshi’ or portable shrines. The shrines which are believed to carry the spirit of Tokugawa Ieyasu along with other deities, and are carried and paraded through the streets. Please check on the Nikko tourism official website for the dates of the two festivals.
2 / Yayoi Festival / April
The Yayoi festival is one of Nikko’s oldest festivals which celebrates the start of Spring and the arrival of new life, dating back over 1,200 years ago. During the festival, you will see festival floats decorated with flowers. These floats along with lanterns are paraded around the city of Nikko in large procession. The main highlight of this festival is the ’Yayoi Kouta’, which is a procession of eleven ’Mikoshi’ or portable shrines in English. These are beautifully decorated and carried as groups chant and dance. Each of the twelve ’Mikoshi’ represent each of the districts of Nikko. Visitors can even get involved and help to pull the Mikoshi along! The procession will usually start at Shinkyō Bridge, where they will then carry the floats around the town and World Heritage site over two days.
3 / Nikko Noh Theatre Performances / Throughout the Year
Noh theatre is a traditional form of Japanese entertainment that dates back as far as the 12th Century. Listed an a form of Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, this form of theatre is a very special event to witness. The costumes, music and singing make this a uniquely atmospheric event, but the most interesting part of it are the masks the actors wear to portray different characters and emotions. The Nikko Noh Theatre performances mostly take place in outdoor settings and stages, as do many traditional Noh performances. You can catch Noh performances throughout the year at a number of different events including during the Nikko Toshogu Shrine Grand festivals in the Spring and Autumn, and during the Yayoi festival. These events are held in the grounds of Nikko Toshogu Shrine and nearby Futarasan Shrine, and allows guests to enjoy this classical Japanese theatre against the backdrop of an historic setting.
4 / Autumn Leaves and Koyō in Nikko / October to November
The Autumn leaves in Nikko are world famous! With the autumn leaf season ranging from mid – October to mid-November, there is plenty of time for visitors to enjoy the vivid colours and Autumnal festivities. Nikko’s National Park is home to many natural wonders and you can find the majority of the Autumn foliage. The hot spots to see the best of Nikko’s Koyō or changing leaves, are in places such as Lake Chuzenji, Ryuzu Falls, Kegon Falls, Kanmangafuchi Abyss, Nikko Tamozawa Villa and the Heritage site home to all the stunning shrines and temples. Whilst there is no specific festival held, this natural event is a major draw for visitors all over Japan and the world, and make this a very special seasonal event. The vibrant reds, golds and oranges light up the usually green landscape, making it a great opportunity for photography and enhances the atmosphere of Nikko.
5 / Yunishigawa Onsen Kamakura Snow House Festival / January to February
During this event, the landscape turns into a winter wonderland as hundreds of ice sculptures and illuminated snow huts called ’Kamakura’ in Japanese, are on display across Yunishigawa Onsen. The entire landscape looks magical as it twinkles and sparkles during the darker hours. If you want a more immersive experience, you can book one of the huts to enjoy a nice dinner and drinks inside! During the daytime, visitors can enjoy snowy activities such as sledding and sleigh rides. You can reach Yunishigawa Onsen by taking the local bus from either Kinugawa Onsen Station for approximately one hour, or from Yunishigawa Onsen Station which takes approximately 30 minutes. We also recommend visiting Kegon Falls in Winter as this impressive waterfall freezes during the colder months, adding to the wintery charm of Nikko.
20 BEST THINGS TO DO IN & AROUND NIKKO
For many international visitors to Japan, Nikko is one of their ‘must-visit’ destinations thanks for the 17th century shrines and temples that are arguably the most beautiful historic buildings in the country. Spread across the Shinto shrines complexes of the ‘Toshogu’ and ‘Futarasan’ and the Buddhist temple complex of ‘Rinno-ji’, the Nikko shrine and temple complex comprises one hundred and three religious buildings set amongst a splendid natural setting. The main buildings of interest lie within an area of a couple of kilometres, making them easy to access on-foot or using frequent bus services that loop around the main sites. It is a destination that can be enjoyed all-year-round as each season highlights the beauty of the complex in a different manner. Indeed, while the shrines and temples are what draws most visitors to Nikko, once there you’ll discover a beautiful region of natural landscapes including waterfalls, gorges, hiking trails and hot spring towns worth taking time to enjoy over multiple days. Check out our ’20 Things to Do Around Nikko’ page to discover many of the wonderful attractions Nikko has to offer.
If you feel inspired to visit Nikko, join our ’1 Day Tour : Explore Nikko’s World Heritage and National Park’ tour!
1 Day Tour
| 1 Day Tour : Explore Nikko’s World Heritage and National Park | |
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| Period | April – October |
| Time | 08:40 – 19:15 |
| Meeting Place | Outside Asakusa Ekimise Department Store |
| Adult Rate | ¥24,900 |
| Child Rate | ¥18,900 |
WHERE TO STAY IN & AROUND NIKKO
The World Heritage-listing of the Nikko shrine and temple complex ensures that it attracts millions of visitor each year. With that, there is plenty of accommodation to choose from in the centre of Nikko town with just as much in the surrounding areas and hot spring towns. Thanks to its elevation, the area has long been used as a place of retreat from the summer heat and humidity of Tokyo, and to this day Nikko boasts some of Japan’s oldest and best Meiji Period hotels and other accommodation. Check out our ’Nikko – Where to Stay’ page for more information!
GETTING TO & AROUND NIKKO
Nikko sits around 160km / 2 hours to the north of Tokyo and is easy to get to using train services running from the capital and other locations. Once in Nikko, bus services operate to and from the most popular destinations with the ‘Nikko Pass All area’ available to visitors. For complete information, see our ‘How to Get to Nikko’ page.
PLAN YOUR VISIT TO JAPAN
Heading to Nikko using the rail system is quick, easy and comfortable. Unfathomable in its size and efficiency, moving around the country by train opens-up all regions of Japan for exploration. Our ‘Plan Your Visit’ page has everything you need to know about visiting Japan – from tips on the best time to travel, times to avoid, entering and exiting the country, money matters, staying connected, accommodation, staying safe and healthy and plenty more to ensure that you get the most out of your time here.
