Tochigi in One Day: Board taxi & Futarasan Shrine — Guide Yumi

Title: What Is a Private Nikko Day Tour from Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Kegon Falls, Yutaki Falls, and Toshogu Shrine

The guests were a group of three from North America. They were smiling throughout, spoke clear and easy-to-understand English, and were very friendly, while one member of the group was relatively quiet.

In the emails beforehand, they had many places they wanted to visit, so in order to fulfill their wishes as much as possible, the schedule became quite tight. However, they understood this and walked at a brisk pace, so although it was very close on time, we were able to visit all the places they hoped to see without too much strain.

Today there was a light drizzle, and at Kegon Falls the mist was thick, so only a faint outline of the entire waterfall was visible. In a sense, however, it was dreamlike, and since the water volume was high, they were happy in the end.

The taxi was chartered for three hours, so to make the most efficient route the usual order is Kegon → Yutaki → Lake Yunoko → Ryuzu, viewed from top to bottom. However, based on the taxi driver's advice that it would be better to save the most impressive Yutaki Falls for last, we went in today's order. Indeed, by leaving Yutaki Falls for the end, a powerful image remained at the finish, and the guests wondered aloud, "Kegon Falls was so crowded, so why is this wonderful waterfall so empty?" Kegon Falls is larger, but at Yutaki Falls you can feel the tremendous water volume and sound right up close, so they were delighted. (Depending on the taxi company, Yutaki Falls is considered too far and won't be included in a three-hour charter, but the company we used does go there. Among them, today's driver was especially accommodating.)

In Tokyo they had visited the Imperial Palace but were unable to see the palace itself, so they very much wanted to see the Imperial Villa in Nikko. When heading toward the Irohazaka area, there is usually no time to visit the Imperial Villa, but today by devising the order and improving efficiency, we were able to see everything in just over six hours, right at the limit. As a result, the impression of Toshogu Shrine remained at the very end, which may have been a good thing in its own way. To ensure there is never a shortage of time for the things I really want the guests to see, I always try to secure as much time as possible for Toshogu Shrine and never leave it for last. But since it is less crowded in the late afternoon, I felt there is room to reconsider the timing and order in the future.

To save time in the afternoon, I gave the explanation of Tokugawa Ieyasu that I usually deliver at Toshogu Shrine while in the taxi on the way to Kegon Falls instead. It was actually better, as I could speak calmly in the car. One of the guests had watched the drama "SHOGUN," so they understood it very well. My impression is that recently about 80% of foreign visitors who come to Nikko have seen "SHOGUN."

Click here for more details: Nikko Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Yumi

Hello! My name is Yumi. The Nikko area, Nasu area, in Tochigi Prefecture, and Aizu and Shirakawa area in Fukushima prefecture, where I will be guiding you, are not only surrounded by beautiful nature in all four seasons but are also full of historical attractions. Nikko, in particular, is a great place to learn about the culture and history that has shaped Japan to this day. In order for you to truly enjoy your day, I am flexible to your wishes and will prepare your day to be a great day. Because I am a local guide, you will surely see some sights that are not in the guidebooks. Is local food one of your favorite parts of your trip? I am also a sushi-making instructor for foreigners, so food is one of my specialties. I am also a certified sake navigator. Why don’t you come and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with me?