A Romantic Nikko Getaway

中禅寺

Stay ~1h 15m

Start your journey with a peaceful visit to Chuzenji Temple, where the tranquil surroundings and stunning views of Lake Chuzenji offer a perfect escape. Notice the intricate carvings and serene atmosphere as you stroll through the grounds.

あしかがフラワーパーク光の花の庭

Stay ~2h

Experience the enchanting Ashikaga Flower Park Illumination, where millions of LED lights recreate the beauty of nature. It's a magical way to end your first day, especially during the winter season. Remember to bring a camera to capture the mesmerizing displays!

鹿沼屋台のまち

Stay ~1h 30m

Shin-Kanuma Station

In Kanuma, "yatai" means not food stalls but towering wooden festival floats, carved head to toe with dragons and mythical beasts by the same Nikko-trained woodworkers who built Toshogu. Twenty-seven of these floats belong to the old merchant quarters and come out only for the Kanuma Autumn Festival on the second weekend of October, when rival crews pull them nose to nose for "buttsuke" music duels — a ritual inscribed by UNESCO in 2016 among Japan's 33 float festivals. The rest of the year, three of the floats sit under glass in the exhibition hall at Yatai-no-machi Chuo Park, alongside the restored Kikusuien garden. The streets themselves are simply open town, best walked to read the neighbourhood names on the float storehouses.