Which one to choose in Nikko
Nikko Futarasan Shrine vs Nikko Toshogu
Two temples in Nikko. Nikko Futarasan Shrine has no online ticket listed; Nikko Toshogu has 40 tickets and tours to book. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Nikko, Japan
Futarasan Shrine sells no online ticket of its own, and you do not need one. The main precinct in central Nikko can be entered freely; a small fee is charged at the gate only for the inner garden behind the worship hall and for crossing the vermilion Shinkyo Bridge over the Daiya River, which also belongs to the shrine. Pay in cash on the spot.
Most travellers come to Nikko as a day trip from Tokyo, either independently by train, which takes about two hours from Asakusa or via Utsunomiya, or on an organised coach tour. The guided day trips usually include return transport, an English-speaking guide, entry to the Toshogu mausoleum and sometimes lunch, then add Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls in the afternoon.
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Nikko, Japan
Nikko lies about two hours north of Tokyo by train, and the Toshogu shrine is its centrepiece. The entry ticket is bought at the gate and covers the main precinct and the climb to the tomb of Ieyasu; a few halls nearby, such as the Hall of the Crying Dragon belonging to Rinno-ji, charge separately. Independent travellers can come by Tobu train from Asakusa or by Shinkansen and local train via Utsunomiya, buy a regional pass, and walk or take a local bus up to the shrine.
Most organised trips are full-day tours from Tokyo by coach or private car.
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