Kinugawa Onsen: Getting there and around

The Tobu terminal station in Tokyo for trains to Kinugawa Onsen is Tobu Asakusa Station, which can be accessed by subway (Ginza and Asakusa lines). Travelers have the choice of fast and expensive limited express trains or slower but cheaper express and local trains.

There are 1-2 limited express trains per hour between Asakusa and Kinugawa Onsen, which take about two hours and cost 3040-3730 yen one way depending on the train set and travel date. Some connections require a transfer at Shimo-Imaichi Station. By express and local trains, the one way journey costs only 1590 yen, but takes at least half an hour longer and requires 1-3 transfers of trains along the way.

Tobu offers various passes, which include the round trip from Tokyo to Kinugawa Onsen as well as unlimited use of trains between Kinugawa Onsen and Nikko and buses in the Kinugawa Onsen area. Note that the passes do not cover the supplement fee required on limited express trains (1450-2140 yen one way). The Japan Rail Pass and other JR passes are not valid on these Tobu trains.

Three direct "Kinugawa" limited express trains per day, cooperated by Japan Railways (JR) and Tobu Railway, connect JR Shinjuku Station with Kinugawa Onsen Station. The one way journey takes about two hours and costs 4140 yen. All seats are reserved.

Because the trains between Shinjuku and Kinugawa partially use the tracks of Tobu Railway, the Japan Rail Pass does not fully cover the expenses of the journey. In contrast, the JR Tokyo Wide Pass, JR East Pass and JR East South Hokkaido Pass are valid for the entire trip.

There are no routes to Kinugawa Onsen that are completely covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Instead take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Utsunomiya (50 minutes, multiple trains per hour) and transfer to the JR Nikko Line to Imaichi Station (35 minutes, 1 train per hour). From there it is a ten minute walk to Shimo-Imaichi Station where you can take a Tobu train to Kinugawa Onsen (25 minutes, 270 yen, 2-3 trains per hour).

Alternatively, stay on the JR Nikko Line to Nikko Station and walk about 200 meters to Tobu Nikko Station. From there, trains depart for Shimo-Imaichi Station where you can transfer to a train bound for Kinugawa Onsen. The trip takes about 30 minutes longer than via the above route, but transferring between trains is easier.