Hello!
We are planning to do a day trip to Nikko via hire car from Shinjuku. Thought it would be cool to go during the Toshogu Shrine Autumn Festival!
I understand the first days main attraction is Yabusame (horseback archery) starting at 1pm and the second days main attraction is procession of 1000 samurai (Hyakumonizoroi Denning Musha Gyoretsu) held from 11am. Has anyone been before and which day would you recommend as better to attend?
Apparently the festival is most famous for the 1000 samurai march which sounds like a great spectacle but horseback archery sounds really cool too. So looking for feedback from people’s experiences so we can make a decision!
We are wanting to also drive up to Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji at some point during the day too if that matters. Would also love any other recommendations of great restaurants, shops and other attractions around the area! Obviously we will go to Toshogu Shrine but I’ve heard Kanmangafuchi Abyss is worth a walk too.
Additionally, do you think traffic would be bad on this day? (Especially on the drive to Okunikko area) or not?
Thanks!
2 comments
I’m interested in this information as well as I was planning on going one of these two days in October, but did not realize there was a festival.
In my thread recently, u/Roygbiv0415 posted a suggestion about Nikko:
“Nikko is pretty much a day trip. If you want to go up to Kegon falls though, you’d want to arrive before noon. Kegon falls faces east, so as soon as the sun crosses mid-sky, the falls will mostly drop into the shadows. So you’re kinda forced to leave Tokyo fairly early (6 or 7 AM) for that. In the afternoon you’ll be touring Toshogu shrine, which is also very unique, and you’ll end late afternoon at Shinkyo bridge. Depending on where you’re having dinner, you’ll be back in Tokyo by about 8PM or 9PM.”
The drive to Okunikko is bumper-to-bumper during foliage season.