First time in Nikko — where to go?
A UNESCO shrine, a hundred-metre waterfall, a mountain lake — all in one trip

Picture this: you stand before the Yomeimon gate, nicknamed "the gate you could look at all day without tiring of it." Every corner is carved into dragons, lions, sages, flowers and children — more than 500 carvings in all, painted and gilded until the wood almost disappears. Toshogu was built to enshrine the spirit of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun who unified Japan. His grandson poured a fortune into expanding it into the most ornate shrine in the country — extravagant in craft, profound in meaning. Climb the stone steps past the five-storey pagoda and the Yomeimon gate to the tomb on the hill, reached by more than 200 steps.

Ever wondered where that image of three monkeys covering eyes, mouth and ears comes from? The original is right here at Toshogu, carved on the wall of the Sacred Stable (Shinkyusha) as part of an eight-panel series depicting the cycle of human life through monkeys. The three-monkeys panel carries the teaching: "see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil." The other carving people hunt for is the "Sleeping Cat" (Nemuri-neko), a tiny work above the passage to the tomb, attributed to the legendary sculptor Hidari Jingoro — so small that many walk straight past it. Look for the sign before the steps up to the mausoleum.

This is the first image most people see as they enter the shrine precinct — an arched wooden bridge painted bright vermilion, spanning the Daiya River where clear green water runs over the rocks. Legend says the monk Shodo Shonin, who founded Nikko's religious sites in the 8th century, couldn't cross the raging river, until the gods sent two serpents that coiled into a bridge for him. Shinkyo is counted among Japan's three finest bridges. Photographing it from the riverbank is free; to actually walk across costs around ¥300. Late October, when the mountains behind it turn, is the loveliest window.

Long before Toshogu existed, Nikko was a centre of mountain Buddhism for over a thousand years — and Rinnoji is the heart of that older era. The highlight is the Sanbutsudo, the largest wooden hall in Nikko, which enshrines three gilded Buddha statues more than 7 metres tall, representing the deities of Nikko's three sacred mountains. They stand in a dim, incense-scented hall — the kind of space that makes people fall quiet without being asked. Nearby is the Japanese garden Shoyoen, laid out around a pond for a gentle stroll, especially beautiful in autumn.

Honestly, most people see Toshogu and hurry back, never realising that a few minutes' walk further on stands Futarasan Shrine — the oldest shrine in Nikko, founded around the year 767. It's dedicated to the deities of the three sacred mountains (Nantai, Nyoho, Taro) that give this whole area its holiness. The mood is clearly different from Toshogu: quiet, shaded, not grand but deeply atmospheric, with giant cedars, a sacred spring, and stone paths softened by moss. Japanese visitors come here especially to pray for love and good fortune. Entry to the main precinct is free (some inner sections charge a small fee).

A quiet secret: if you want to escape the crowds around the shrines, this is the answer. Kanmangafuchi is a small gorge where the Daiya River runs over volcanic rock, and along a riverside trail of about 100 metres stand nearly 70 stone Jizo statues in a row, each dressed in a knitted red cap and bib offered by locals. Jizo is the bodhisattva who protects children and travellers. People call this row the "bake-jizo" (phantom statues), because legend says you'll get a different number every time you try to count them. The mood is calm and solemn, especially when red maple leaves meet the green moss on the stone — and there's no admission fee.

Ever stood by a waterfall so loud you had to shout to be heard? Kegon is one of those. Water from Lake Chuzenji plunges 97 metres down a volcanic cliff in a single column, hitting the bottom in a mist that fills the gorge. The upper viewpoint is free, but to see the full drop, ride the elevator nearly 100 metres down to the lower observation deck at the base of the falls — about ¥570 to ¥600, and well worth it to stand directly in front and feel the force of the water. The most beautiful window is mid to late October, when the foliage around the cliff blazes red, and winter, when parts of the falls freeze into ice.

Lake Chuzenji was formed when lava from Mount Nantai dammed a valley around 20,000 years ago, leaving a lake at 1,269 metres above sea level. The air up here is several degrees cooler than the town of Nikko — in summer people come to escape the heat, and in autumn the whole basin turns red and gold. Getting up means tackling the Irohazaka road, a switchback of 48 curves (named after the 48 characters of the old Japanese syllabary), climbing 440 metres — each curve numbered, with separate one-way roads for going up and coming down. Near the lake, the Akechidaira Ropeway rises to a viewpoint that frames both Kegon Falls and the lake in a single shot.

If you'd rather walk than queue for photos, head a little beyond Lake Chuzenji to Senjogahara, a broad highland marsh at around 1,400 metres. The name means "battlefield," from a legend of two mountain gods who fought here. A raised wooden boardwalk cuts across the grassland and bog — flat, easy walking, with Mount Nantai as a backdrop. On the way up from Chuzenji you'll pass Ryuzu Falls, where the water splits over the rocks into the shape of a dragon's head — especially beautiful in early October. This route suits travellers staying overnight in Nikko who want a full day in the mountains.