From Tokyo
First travel to Nikko by train (about two hours), then change to a Tobu bus outside the station. Door to door, Tokyo to Lake Chuzenji takes about three hours.
Buses from Nikko
Buses leave from JR Nikko station and then Tobu-Nikko station, roughly two to three times an hour to Chuzenji Onsen and about hourly to Yumoto, with fewer in winter. IC cards are accepted.
Two-day bus passes to Chuzenji Onsen or to Yumoto Onsen cost less than a return ticket and allow hop-on, hop-off travel. Tobu’s Nikko Pass All Area includes these buses.
| From Nikko station to | Time | Rough fare (one way) |
|---|---|---|
| Akechidaira (uphill only) | about 35 min | around ¥1,200 |
| Chuzenji Onsen (Kegon Falls, lake) | about 50 min | around ¥1,300 |
| Ryuzu Falls | about 1 hr | around ¥1,600 |
| Yumoto Onsen | about 1 hr 20 min | around ¥1,900 |
By car
From Nikko town, Route 120 climbs the second Irohazaka (uphill only) and descends by the first. Parking at Kegon Falls and the lake is paid. From December to March the road can be icy — winter tyres are essential.
Getting around
The same bus line links all the sights. Chuzenji Onsen’s terminal is the hub: Kegon Falls is five minutes’ walk, the boat pier ten. In summer and autumn a low-emission bus runs from Akanuma into the car-free Odashirogahara and Senjugahama area.
