Buses and Free Shuttle Service

Via Our Free Shuttle:

Free Pickup service :

– Send an iMessage Instagram message, FaceTime Audio, SMS or – Call (20 yen at public coin phones)

Please confirm between 12 to 2 hours of check-in times listed below to reserve.

We only go if there is a reservation for each time listed)  

Public coin phones are located at train stations.  

Let us know the color of your backpack so we can find you in the crowd.

Please wait in front of the station you are arriving at >

    •    4:30pm JR Nikko station or Tobu Nikko station.

    •    6:30pm JR Nikko station or Tobu Nikko station.

    •    9:00pm JR Nikko station or Tobu Nikko station.

Which station are you arriving at  JR Nikko station or Tobu Nikko station?

    –    Late arrivals are possible after 9:30; pickup is Shimogoshiro station on the Tobu Nikko line or Fubasami station on the JR Nikko line.  Please arrange early.

In the morning the shuttle is only available to bring guests to the World Heritage area (Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple, Futarasan Shrine and Shinkyo Bridge) and to bring guests checking-out (by 12:00 noon) to Fubasami station on the JR Nikko line or Shimogoahiro station on the Tobu Nikko Line.

If you visit the world heritage area before coming to the hostel, it is best to use the lockers at JR Nikko or Tobu Nikko stations. Lockers at the stations cost 300 yen for small and 700 yen for large.

If you are transferring at Utsunomiya (coming directly to the hostel after check-in time of 4pm), try to call before you board the JR Nikko line (platform #5). Be careful, not every JR Nikko line train from Utsunomiya goes to JR Nikko. Some end at JR Kanuma station.

A 10yen phone call that lasts 10-20 seconds is all you need to let us know what train you are on. Within Japan call 080-1215-4018. Outside of Japan +81-80-1215-4018

Airports: airport bus

By Car:

Driving around Nikko by car is confusing if you reference travel guide books. Downtown Nikko is Imaichi and is 11km east of the World Heritage area (Shinkyo Bridge, Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple, Futarasan Shrine and Taiyuin Mausoleum) which is 2km uphill from the tourist area (around JR Nikko station and Tobu Nikko station).

So, street signs will have tourist Nikko one way and the World Heritage Area a somewhere else. Driving in Nikko, you’ll soon discover that it isn’t a small village, that it is the 3rd largest city in Japan according to land size with 12 train stations.

For GPS devices : 36.646609,139.649277

The landline telephone number for our neighbor (Yamagoya Seiryuen Cafe) 600 meters upstream is 028-863-3260

Address in Google Maps;

Parking at earth hostel : the riverhouse, Nikko Japan