Okunikko day trip

For my second day in Nikko i’m going to explore a nearby area called Okunikko. It’s a mountainous region of Nikko that lies at a higher elevation, deeper into the mountains. The sceneries are meant to be stunning there. I put my hiking shoes ready for a new adventure.

From Nikko station it takes about an hour in bus to reach Okunikko. The road goes higher in the moutains throught slopes. I stopped 10 min before the final destination at Akechidaira. From there you can reach a view point that overtakes the valley.

Cable car to the view point.

If you bought the Nikko All Pass this cable car will be free. All the buses around the area will also be free with that pass. You’ll save a lot of money by using it.

Akechidaira Plateau. You can spot the Kegon fall and the Chuzenji lake. This view was nice. I was looking forward to get closer to that nature.

Painter capturing the view.

I have found a small trail that was going slighlty higher. I wanted to get a different perspective. Five minute later I have reached the top of that trail.

Gorgeous nature.

The view from that plateau was just a taster. Okunikko is a remote area in the mountains that will give you stunnings view in a very natural setting. It was time to catch another free bus to the Chuzenji lake.

The lake was beautiful

View of the mountain from the lake.

The best time of the year to come is during autumn season. You can catch some stunnings sceneries with the trees changing colors. It was end of November so I missed it but still very beautiful nature all around.

A nice walk to do that will give you good views of the lake is to go to the Italian embassy. Sounds pretty random isn’t ? There is actually many embassies along that path. Theses guys have the best offices ever.

On the way to the Italian embassy. You can spot an israeli traveller. This guy was going up to a closed road to catch a great view. I hope he managed to get there.

Italian embassy. Very nice wooden construction.

The embassy was beautiful but the best part was the views around. I will recommand to go there because the surrounding is also very pretty. A good place to chill out.

Italian embassy pier with a view.

It was time for my lunch ! Thanks to Japanese supermakets I got some nice bento boxes.

The best and the cheapest restaurant in Okunikko. This bento boxes costed me 500 yen ( 4 euro). I couldn’t get a better view. It was a bit cold because of the wind and the altitude but still okay for a quick stop.

For my next destination I needed to catch another bus to the nearby Ryuzu waterfalls. I had to wait 40 min at the station to get the next bus. I had just enought time to go for dessert in a warm place. Nikko food speciality is the Yuba but I have also spotted many “cheesecake” shops around. I believe this is also another speciality which of course I endend up craving.

Matcha and cheesecake in a cute little café nearby the bus station. I wasn’t disappointed with the cheesecake. Great texture and great taste. Time to catch that bus now.

The Ryuzu waterfalls are located nearby the start of a famous hiking trail that I wanted to discover. You’ll find a cool café with big windows ovetaking the falls there. It could be a great stop option but I had a lot of hiking waiting for me and it was already 13h.

Along the Ryuzu waterfall. Going up the stairs you’ll find the beginning of the trail.

I’m going to hike the Senjogahara hiking trail that goes to Yumoto onsen. The hike should take about 2h30 on a flat land. At an altitude of 1400 meters above sea level, the Senjogahara Marshland covers the plateau between Lake Chuzenji and Yumoto Onsen. It offers some of the best hiking in the Nikko National Park. If you start if from Ryuzu waterfall you will be reward by natural hot springs at the end. What a great way to stay motivated along the way !

The hiking trail starts in a forest surrounded by theses plants.

Walking along the river , beautiful views.

I got a bit lost at some point and ended up walking on a paved road.

Yeah man ! After a few minutes in the wrong direction I realised this couldn’t be the actual trail.

Back on the trail now. At first the hike was pleasant but nothing special. I realised right after why this hike ismeant to be amazing. After 30 min walking you’ll reach wooden structures to walk onto. This is were the real immersion in Senjogahara began.

Senjogahara meant “battlefield” in english. You can understand why by looking at the nature all around. The immersion in that area was great. Thumb up for theses japaneses people to create that unique path. To me this area felt like the African savana.

Japanese ingeniosity. Expect to find many of theses along the trail. There is actually different hiking route in that area. I choosed the most popular one.

You will walk on theses wooden structures for most of the trail. At some point you’ll be just above a river.

After a good hike I have reached another waterfall. This one left me without voice.

Yadaki waterfall

You could hear this one from far away.  It was impressive to be at the bottom of it. Thoses falls are good reminders of our place in that planet. I was feeling so small and excited about the onsen ! From that fall you’ll have to hike 30 more minutes to reach Yumoto onsen.

1483 meter. The highest point of that day.

Next to the Yunoko lake you’ll find plenty onsens to recharge your body and your soul. At first I thought it was just ONE onsen but it turned out to be more than 20 hotels with onsens inside. It was a bit difficult to choose which one will be the best so I ended up picking a random one.

After almost 2 hours indulging It was time to catch the return bus to Nikko. I have met nice people in the onsen. Expect to smell sulphur when you leave as the water here have hight content of it. These onsens water have many great health benefits. In Japan I feel that onsens are like a religion. Each time it’s a ritual where you reconnect with the deepest layers of our planet. The hot mineral waters. There is something very strong about it and I love how japanese people cherish that.

I crashed in my bed for a good night of sleep. Tomorrow will be my last destination before the return flight in Tokyo. Let’s go to the laidback coastal town of Kamakura. From summits to sea. Time to slowly and gently finish that journey across Japan.