Japan Travel Guide

photo credit: -ratamahatta-

photo credit: w00kie

photo credit: w00kie

Kinugawa-onsen is a hot spring village filled with nature, located along the Kinu-gawa River which runs through Nikko National Park.

Since early times, people have loved this hot spring saying, “Kawaji-onsen for wounds and Kinugawa-onsen for burns.” It is conveniently located and takes only about two hours travel from Asakusa, Tokyo.

There are also a number of theme parks and skiing areas nearby. If you go a little further, you can also enjoy a visit to Nikko to see Nikko-tosho-gu Shrine, a world heritage site, as well as Nikko-Futarasan-jinja Shrine and Rin-o-ji Temple. This is what makes Kinugawa-onsen one of the most popular destinations in Japan.

photo credit: vixyao

photo credit: lucamascaro

Nikko / Kinugawa

With over 1,200 years of rich history Nikko is widely regarded as one of Japan’s most sacred places. In addition to the Toshogu Shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, the Rinnoji Temple and Futarasan Shrine were selected as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1999. Other picturesque locations such as Chuzenji Lake, Kegon Falls, and Mt. Nantai draw visitors year after year. Looking down from the summit of Mt. Maruyama, the Kinu River Valley is a moving view no matter the season of your visit. Easily accessible by the Nikko and Kinugawa limited express direct trains from Shinjuku, this area makes for a conveniently located vacation spot.

From Shinjuku,Ikebukuro, Shibuya To Nikko station

• Route to Nikko
  • First, get on “Shonan-Shinjuku Line” from Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Shibuya to Ohmiya.
  • Second, get on Tohoku Shinkansen from Ohmiya to Utsunomiya.
  • And, you get on JR Nikko Line From Utsunomiya to Nikko.
• Price : ¥4,820 (fare :¥2,520 + shinkansen express fee: ¥2,300)
• Duration : about 2 hours

From Asakusa To Tobu Nikko station

• You can go to Tobu Nikko station directly from Tobu Asakusa Station
• Price : ¥2,620 (fare :¥1,320 + express fee: ¥1,300)
• Duration : about 2 hours

Nikko Edo Mura(Edo Wonderland)

You can feel Edo era not only your cloth, but also everything you can see and thouch. When you are into the Nikko Edo Mura(Edo Wonderland), you might be the person who lives in Edo at Edo era.

Amusement

There are many amusement experiences you can. Since you are in Edo, please recall your childhood and play in the village like a kid.

• Shuriken Dojo
  • Shuriken Dojo is where you can learn to throw Shuriken, one of Ninja’s weapon. You can be Japanese Ninja and become the Shuriken expert.
• Yakata Boat Cruise
  • The boat cruise will take you on a memorable trip through downtown Edo between Nihonbashi and Ryogokubashi. You can feel Edo era, and you can know how different now and Edo era, when you see real Nihonbashi, and Ryogokubashi at Tokyo.
• Edo-Style Kimono and Costumes
  • You can be real Edo citizen. Select what you want in Edo, samurai, ninja, shinsen-gumi, merchant, oiran, town maiden, etc. Once you put on the costumes and wigs, your heart and soul will travel to Edo. You do not need hesitate, and start up a conversation with the fellow Edo citizens you encounter in the streets! Let’s start your edo life!
• Yaba Archery Range
  • The samurais of Edo were experts in Kendo(sword-fighting) but another popular martial arts was Kyudo(Japanese archery), a disciplinary mean of self-improvement of the body and mind. Try your bow and arrow skills here to become the last samurai!

Points of interest

There are many points of interest in Nikko Edo Mura(Edo Wonderland). You can learn history and lifestyle through Nikko Edo Mura(Edo Wonderland). Discover your own points of interest as you walk through the streets of Edo, Japan.

• Nihonbashi
  • Nihonbashi is the famous bridge wher you can have a great view.
• Ninja Karasu Yashiki House
  • Ninjas lived in a secluded cabin away from Edo for secret training. In the Karasu Yashiki, various ninja weapons and tools are on display for you to take a peek into their enigma lifestyle.

Access:

• 15min by bus or 10min by taxi from Kinugawa Onsen Station

• Free bus! time schedule is following
• [Caution] Every wednesday is NOT available!

Information:

The Contents of Tour/Required Time

• Dressing (Dress up in Kimono as Edo residents) 60 minutes
• Terakoya (Calligraphy taught by master) 30 minutes
• Edo Play (Choose 1 from 5 plays) 30 minutes
• Take Tombo (Bamboo Dragonfly) Enjoy making Bamboo Dragonfly on your own, play it, and take it home!
  • Take-Uma (Bamboo Stilts) Be excited and enjoy playing the stilts!
  • Hago-Ita (Japanese Battledore) Be active and enjoy playing Battledore matches!
  • Otedama (Beanbag Tossing) Have fun making the beanmags and tossing them. Also you can take them home to play or as a gift.
  • Tampo-Yari (Cotton Ball Lancer) Be brave and learn how to do the lancer!
• 4. Change back to your clothes (Take home the play toy you make) 30 minutes
  • Total Required Time 290 minutes at minimum

Charge:

• Adults (15 years up) 4,500yen
• Children (7 to 14 years old) 3,000yen

• Above price includes:
  • All theater Entrance Fee
  • Exhibits (except game arcade, Yakata cruising boat, and horse riding)
  • Costume rental Fee
  • Costume Professional Dressing Fee
  • Terakoya Tuition
  • Play of Edo Period

Tour Starting Time

• March 20th to November 30th: 9:00a.m. to 12:00p.m.
• December 1st to March 19th: 9:30a.m. to 12:00p.m.

photo credit: lucamascaro

Nikko Toshogu

Toshogu is where Ieyasu Tokugawa (ruling from 1603 to 1605) is enshrined; he was the first shogun of the Edo Shogunate, which flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries. As many as 127,000 craftsmen were involved in constructing the shrine, using the highest level of technology available at the time. The two-story “Yomei-mon Gate”, decorated with brilliant colors and over 500 sculptures, is particularly famous. It is also called “Higurashi-mon (sunset gate)”, because people spend all day long gazing at its beauty.

If you pass under Yomei-mon, turn right and enter the avenue leading to the shrine at the back, you will see the “Sleeping Cat” overhead, a national treasure created by legendary master Hidari Jingoro. The story behind the carving is that the cat was to ward off mice, because it is situated near the gate leading to the grave of Ieyasu. In the “Shinkyusha (sacred stable)” for the horses serving God, there is a series of 8 carved boards on which the life of a monkey is illustrated, from birth to pregnancy, caricaturing human life. One of the sculptures, the “Three Monkeys”, is famous throughout the world for the “see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil” poses. The carved monkeys covering their eyes, ears and mouth, respectively, were inspired by the Buddhist teaching that if we do not hear, see or speak evil, we ourselves shall be spared from evil, and the theme was chosen here in the belief that the monkeys would protect the horses from disease.

In addition to these carvings, there is also one of an elephant, purely from imagination, in a temple called “Kamijinko”. The Toshogu Three Sculptures are small, but incredibly beautiful, and there is always a crowd of people in front of them.

• Access : 30 min by bus from Nikko station

From Shinjuku,Ikebukuro, Shibuya To Nikko station

• Route to Nikko
  • First, get on “Shonan-Shinjuku Line” from Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Shibuya to Ohmiya.
  • Second, get on Tohoku Shinkansen from Ohmiya to Utsunomiya.
  • And, you get on JR Nikko Line From Utsunomiya to Nikko.
• Price : ¥4,820 (fare :¥2,520 + shinkansen express fee: ¥2,300)
• Duration : about 2 hours

From Asakusa To Tobu Nikko station

• You can go to Tobu Nikko station directly from Tobu Asakusa Station
• Price : ¥2,620 (fare :¥1,320 + express fee: ¥1,300)
• Duration : about 2 hours

*[Caution] Tobu Asakusa Station is different from Tokyo Metro Asakusa station!

check Tobu Asakusa Station by this map