Day in Nikko - from Tokyo

hopefully i'll be making the trip to Nikko from Tokyo later this year. End of November.

can anyone tell me how long the journey is from Tokyo? and what restrictions apply even though i have JR Rail Pass? (if any).

I've heard November is a good time to visit japan, i'm hoping Nikko is as picturesque as I've seen in pictures.

You can use hyperdia.com to check times. With a JR Pass you would take a Shinkansen to Utsunomiya which takes about 50 minutes from Tokyo Station, and then a local train up to Nikko which takes about 42 minutes. It's then a good walk or a short bus/taxi ride up to the shrine area. If you plan to include a bus up to Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls, you should limit your time around the temples and shrines, but it can be done in a day. Places further up the road would require an overnight somewhere.

have a nice trip :)

We (Tokyo residents) have been to Nikko on a day trip from Tokyo. Upon arrival at Nikko station, we got a 2-day Tobu bus pass (worth the round trip if you are going up as far as Lake Chuzenji/Kegon fall), took the bus up to one end of the Chuzenji Lake (the end closest to Nikko town) and done a short walk by the Lake Chuzenji, and had a good look at Kegon Falls, then taking the bus down to visit Toshogu Shrine and a few other shrines around it, as well as the Shinkyo bridge, at a no-rush, good comfortable pace.

What gets crowded is the winding road down the Iroha-zaka from Lake Chuzenji toward Nikko town, particularly in the late afternoon, so we wanted to first visit the lake area, then come down to Nikko town to the main temple/shrine area so that we wouldn't be worried about missing our train.

We've been to Nikko once in late October, and the autumn colors up in the lake area were already good (but that's some years ago). Please check on the autumn colors report :)

Thanks AK & Anaguma for the helpful replies.

I fancy the trip to Lake Chuzenji and Kegon falls. I plan on arriving in Nikko no later than 11am. I plan on coming back at about 7pm. Would this leave enough time to visit both the shrines and lake Chuzenji?

If I was to get the bus first to Chuzenji like you did AK, where would that bus be from?

Checking my old schedule... we reached Nikko around 9 am, and we left Nikko around 16:30 or so. It gets dark early in late Nov. and shops and temples close, so it might be advisable to start off a bit earlier.

The bus starts from Tobu Nikko station, which is a short walking distance from the JR Nikko station. There they sell the 2-day bus pass as well. It should be around 2,000 yen or so (possibly price raised due to the consumption tax increase). One way from Nikko station to Lake Chuzenji costs a bit over/around 1,000 yen, so it pays off even if you are going just for a day trip. We used it up to the lake, then down to the main temple area (Nishisando bus stop) on the way back.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3805.html

Reaching Nikko at 11am is very late.

If you meet with bad weather at Utsunomiya, you're better off changing plans in my opinion.

My 2 cents.

Also, Utsunomiya and Nikko are noticeably cooler than Tokyo so you would want to be prepared for that too.

Thanks for the heads up. I will try and get there much earlier.

[Traveling time]

I agree with hitori that reaching Nikko at 11am sounds very late.
Won�ft you leave Tokyo during the 7th hour?
Which area in Tokyo do you plan to start from?

[Nikko in late autumn]

If you travel in Japan on Monday, 24 November 2014, please note that it will be a holiday. That will practically expand the weekend from Saturday, 22 November. Many visitors to Nikko City are expected during the three days, including those in cars stuck in congestion, especially if the city is still in the autumn foliage season and the weather is forecasted to be fine.

It depends on weather conditions, but if you travel in Nikko City around 20 November, red and/or yellow autumn foliage is highly likely to be seen in the area around Tobu-nikko Station (where Toshogu Shrine and Rinnoji Temple are located); maybe it can be seen also from the twin Iroha-zaka slopes, which are known for many sharp curves.

[JR and Tobu transpirations and passes]

what restrictions apply even though I have JR Rail Pass? (if any).
I fancy the trip to Lake Chuzenji and Kegon falls.

Which JR pass do you plan to get? A Japan Rail Pass? Have you confirmed that the JR pass can pay off?

A Japan Rail Pass is not valid on Tobu Railway lines or Tobu Bus lines. Accesses by bus to major tourist spots in Nikko City are offered mainly by Tobu Bus Nikko. If you cannot make a Japan Rail Pass without this Nikko trip, it is worth considering that you get a Tobu Nikko Pass and make another choice for your JR rides.

A JR East Pass / a JR Kanto Area Pass is not valid on Tobu Bus lines, but it can cover basic fares and Ltd. Express charges concerning JR-Tobu through Ltd. Express trains to and from Nikko City, which are available, though only a few, from/to Shinjuku and Ikebukuro Stations of JR to/from Shimo-imaichi, Tobu-nikko or Kinugawa-onsen Station of Tobu.

Considering that you will not visit Kinugawa area, if you use Tobu Railway to and from Nikko City, I suppose a (4-day) Marugoto Nikko Tobu Free Pass can be a good choice.
: This Tobu Nikko Pass is available to any visitor, for 4520 yen per adult if you use it from Asakusa or Kita-senju Station of Tobu in November.
: This Tobu pass can be used on your accesses by Tobu Bus Nikko to and from Chuzenji area via the twin Iroha-zaka slopes. (The buses run via different Iroha-zaka slopes by directions).
: This Tobu pass is not valid for accesses to or from Kinugawa area.

A 2-Day Nikko Pass of Tobu (2670 yen per adult) is not valid for your access by bus to or from Chuzenji area. It can cover Tobu Railway basic fares to and from Kinugawa area.
A (4-day) All Nikko Pass of Tobu (4520 yen per adult) can cover Tobu bus fares between the area around Tobu-nikko Station and Chuzenji area, also Tobu Railway basic fares to and from Kinugawa area.

The latter two Tobu Nikko Passes are available only to foreign visitors, and you should use Tobu Railway from Asakusa Station when you travel with one of these foreign-visitor passes.

Unlike the above-mentioned JR East Pass / JR Kanto Area Pass, these three Tobu Nikko Passes do not cover any Ltd. Express charge. When you take a Tobu Ltd. Express train with one of these three passes, you should pay the additional charge.

If you use JR to/from Nikko Station, please note that only a small number of trains are available on Nikko Line connecting Utsunomiya and Nikko Stations. You may have to wait long in Utsunomiya Station. (I hear JR-East began voice announcement in English inside Nikko Line trains. That may help you if you travel on this line.)

[Chuzenji area]

Chuzenji is a name of a temple and a name of a lake.
I visited Kegon Fall twice in recent years, both on foot from Chuzenji-onsen bus stop. At the former time I watched Kegon Fall just apart from the outside. The latter time was during the autumn foliage season, and I utilized the elevator service for visitors to have close views of Kegon Fall.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3812.html
Regarding an access to Chuzenji Temple, I needed time more than I had expected to find a route even from the nearby Chuzenji-onsen bus stop; so I recommend checking your route in advance.

NOT: If you cannot make a Japan Rail Pass without this Nikko trip, ....
BUT: If you cannot make a Japan Rail Pass pay off without this Nikko trip, ....