How to Reach Earth Hostel — Nikko Riverhouse

Everything you need to get here, get around during your stay, and get back to the station when you leave.

Before searching Google Maps for directions: the hostel address and GPS coordinates are at the bottom of this page. Google results for “Nikko” directs you to Imaichi (central Nikko), which is a different part of the city than where Tobu Nikko and JR Nikko stations are located. Nikko is the 3rd largest city in Japan by land size, with 12 train stations — it is not a small village. Please read this page or your confirmation email first.

Free Shuttle Service — Available to All Guests, Every Day of Your Stay

The shuttle is not just for check-in and check-out. It runs for arriving guests, returning guests, morning day trips to the tourist area, and checkouts. You are never stuck at the hostel.

What the Shuttle Covers

1. Arriving guests (check-in). Pickup from JR Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station on the evening runs below.

2. Morning day trips. Drop-off at JR Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM, so you can head to the World Heritage area (Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple, Futarasan Shrine, Shinkyo Bridge).

3. Returning guests in the evening. Already checked in and coming back from town? Join the evening shuttle just like an arriving guest. This applies every night of your stay.

4. Guests checking out (by 10:00 AM). Drop-off at any of the following:

  • JR Nikko Station
  • Tobu Nikko Station
  • Fubasami Station (JR Nikko Line)
  • Shimogoshiro Station (Tobu Nikko Line)

Shuttle Schedule

Evening Pickups

TimePickup Location
4:30 PMJR Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station
6:30 PMJR Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station
9:00 PMJR Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station

Morning Runs (6:00 AM – 10:00 AM)

  • Drop-off at JR Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station for guests heading to the tourist / World Heritage area
  • Checkout drop-off to JR Nikko, Tobu Nikko, Fubasami, or Shimogoshiro stations

Late Arrivals (After 9:00 PM)

Pickup is from one of these stations instead:

  • Shimogoshiro Station on the Tobu Nikko Line
  • Fubasami Station on the JR Nikko Line

Please arrange late-arrival pickup early — ideally before you depart for Nikko.

How to Reserve Your Seat

Please confirm on the day of your arrival, at least two hours before each scheduled shuttle pickup time. The shuttle only runs if a reservation has been made for that slot.

When you message us, please include:

  1. Pickup time — e.g. “four thirty PM” or “four-thirty in the afternoon”
  2. Which station — JR Nikko or Tobu Nikko
  3. Color of your backpack so we can spot you in the crowd

Please use AM/PM, not a 24-hour format. Write the time the same way you would speak it — this prevents confusion.

How to Contact Us

WhatsApp is the best way to reach us. Instagram is second best. Email is a last resort.

A note on Instagram: if we are not following each other, your message goes into the Requests folder and may not be seen for hours. Message us well in advance to make sure it is seen.

No phone calls, please. There is no mobile phone reception here in the mountains — only dependable Wi-Fi at the hostel.

Where to Wait at the Station

Wait in front of the entrance of the station you are arriving at — either JR Nikko or Tobu Nikko.

We will pick you up in either the yellow car or the white van, both of which are shown in the photos on this page. Tell us your station and the color of your backpack when you reserve.

nikko shuttle
earth hostel shuttles
Hostel shuttle

A Few Practical Tips

Visiting the World Heritage area before checking in? Use the coin lockers at JR Nikko or Tobu Nikko stations to store your luggage. Then catch one of the evening shuttle pickups.

Transferring at Utsunomiya? Board the JR Nikko Line on platform 5. Not every JR Nikko Line train from Utsunomiya continues to JR Nikko — some terminate at JR Kanuma Station. Double-check the destination on the platform display before boarding.

Arriving from the Airport

There is a direct airport bus service. Details and routing are on our Narita to Nikko Airport Bus page.

Arriving by Car

Driving to the hostel is straightforward once you understand how Nikko is laid out — but it confuses a lot of first-time visitors.

The key thing to know: “Nikko” on road signs refers to Imaichi, the city center. The shrine and temple area — Toshogu, Rinnoji, Futarasan, Shinkyo Bridge — is what tourists usually mean when they say “Nikko,” and road signs direct you there separately as “UNESCO World Heritage” sites. JR Nikko Station and Tobu Nikko Station are located in that shrine/temple area, about 8 km from central Nikko (Imaichi).

So if a sign points to “Nikko,” it is pointing toward Imaichi, not toward the stations or the World Heritage sites. Keep this in mind while navigating — you may find yourself heading the wrong direction if you follow signs for “Nikko” alone.

GPS Coordinates

36.646480, 139.649480

Parking

Free guest parking is available across the street from the hostel.

Address

Earth Hostel — Nikko Riverhouse 2254-7 Minami-Okorogawa, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1353, Japan

Questions about getting here? Message us on WhatsApp before you travel — it’s much easier to sort out logistics in advance than from a train platform.

The shuttle is available to all guests every day of your stay. It picks up arriving guests in the evening, drops off guests heading to the tourist or World Heritage area in the morning, picks up returning guests after a day in town, and drops off checkouts at four different stations. You are not stuck at the hostel for your entire stay.

Evening pickups from JR Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station happen at 4:30 PM, 6:30 PM, and 9:00 PM. Morning runs operate between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM, dropping off guests at JR Nikko Station, Tobu Nikko Station, Fubasami Station, or Shimogoshiro Station. The shuttle only runs if a reservation has been made for that slot.

Message us on WhatsApp (preferred), Instagram, or email on the day of your arrival, at least two hours before your chosen pickup time. Include your pickup time written in AM/PM format, which station you’re arriving at (JR Nikko or Tobu Nikko), and the color of your backpack so we can spot you in the crowd.

Wait in front of the entrance of the station you are arriving at — either JR Nikko or Tobu Nikko. We pick up in either a yellow car or a white van. Tell us your station and backpack color when you reserve so we can find you easily.

Yes, but the pickup location changes. Late arrivals after 9:00 PM are picked up from Shimogoshiro Station on the Tobu Nikko Line or Fubasami Station on the JR Nikko Line — not from JR Nikko or Tobu Nikko stations. Please arrange late-arrival pickup before you depart for Nikko, not after you have already boarded the train.

WhatsApp is the best way to reach us at wa.me/818012154018. Instagram (@earthhostel.jp) is second best, but if we are not following each other, your message goes into the Requests folder and may not be seen for hours — message us well in advance. Email at riverhouse@earthhostel.jp is a last resort. There is no mobile phone reception at the hostel, only dependable Wi-Fi, so please do not call.

GPS coordinates are 36.646480, 139.649480. Important: road signs pointing to “Nikko” lead to Imaichi, the city center — not to JR Nikko or Tobu Nikko stations, which are about 8 km away in the shrine and temple area. Signs to the UNESCO World Heritage shrines and temples take you to the station/tourist area. Free guest parking is available across the street from the hostel.

Earth Hostel — Nikko Riverhouse, 2254-7 Minami-Okorogawa, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1353, Japan.

In Japanese: ?321-1353 ??? ??? ???? 2254-7 ??.

Board the JR Nikko Line on platform 5. Not every JR Nikko Line train from Utsunomiya continues to JR Nikko — some terminate at JR Kanuma Station. Double-check the destination on the platform display before boarding.

Yes. Use the coin lockers at JR Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station to store your luggage if you want to visit the World Heritage area before the evening shuttle pickup. Pick up your bags before the shuttle arrives.

earth hostel parking Parking across the street for earth hostel : nikko riverhouse, Nikko Japan