Midnight Hiking Nantai
For a week every summer there is midnight hiking sponsored by Nikko Futarasan Shrine.
Free
For a week every summer there is midnight hiking sponsored by Nikko Futarasan Shrine.
Sakura historically blossoms between early April to late April in this part of Nikko. Follow our instagram; we'll post daily updates as Instagram Stories as to the status of the blossoms once they begin to appear. Add this event to your calendar to get updates; we will revise the dates as the cherry blossoms occur. Nikko is quite large. The difference in elevation is from 200m to 2000m above sea level and mountains peaks being up to 2600m. This has a very large impact on the weather, temperature and in April, the (Sakura) cherry blossoms’ arrival. Earth Hostel - Nikko Riverhouse is in southern Nikko at an elevation of ~300m, so it is usual to experience cherry blossoms a 3 to 5 days before tourist Nikko (The Sacred Bridge, Futarasan Shrine, Toshogu Shire, JR Nikko Station and Tobu Nikko Station) and near Chuzenji Lake, Yumoto, Yunoko, Senjogahara, Odashigohara and Nantai Mountain. It is usually 2-3 weeks later that the cherry buds open around Chuzenji Lake, Yumoto, Lake Yu (Yunoko), Senjogahara, Odashigohara, Nantai Mountain. The plum blossoms (Ume) have been blooming for several days.That means that the cherry blossoms (Sakura) are next. The cherry petals are luminous and irridescent which gives them an edge on beauty as compared with the plum blossoms. Not to mention that it should be slightly warmer 3 weeks later when the cherry blossoms arrive and this must also contribute to their popularity. Keep in mind that Nikko, Tochigi is a large mountainous region. The difference in elevation between Toshogu Shrine and Chuzenji Lake is around 600 meters, so it is cooler near the lake and therefore the blossoms may bloom slightly later. 100m from the hostel is a famous place for parking to view the numerous cherry blossoms along Black River about 50m south of the hostel. the hostel is in southern Nikko and at 300m above sea level Keep your schedule open at this time of the year and be ready to have a cherry blossom party (hanami) on any night. It is quite rare that it lasts two weekends in any location. Enjoy the moment. The petals are delicate and will fall to the ground if it is windy or if it rains. Enjoy Spring. The park in the below post is a nice bike ride away to enjoy many sakura cherry trees along the river. The cycling post below is a beautiful, with or without cherry blossoms, drive or cycling ride in to or out of Nikko.
The Yayoi Festival Nikko symoblizes the beginning of spring. Yayoi means March on the ancient 24 season Japanese calendar. The festival, which has been around for 1,200 years, celebrates the coming of spring and hopes for good fortune in the year. The shrine can be accessed by bus or an uphill 25-minute walk from Tobu-Nikko and Nikko (JR) stations. The World Heritage bus is also available from Nikko (JR) Station or Tobu Nikko Station and takes about 10 minutes to Shinkyo Bridge. The festival is decorated in pink, representing cherry blossoms, which is the main theme of the event. The Yayoi festival is a traditional event held every year from April 13 to 17; (main event being 16th & 17th) at the Futarasan-jinja Shrine in Nikko. Although the festival has modernized somewhat, the traditional rules and customs are still closely followed. Portable shrines will be moved with much effort up the slope Omotesando street from Shinkyo bridge to Futarasan shrine. It is hoped that with such effort the reward of good fortune for the coming year will be plentiful. It is a beautiful festival with so much spring color. Visitors can expect to see a variety of traditional Japanese performances, such as Kagura (a Shinto theatrical dance). The festival is a great way to experience Japanese culture and traditions. It is a time to appreciate the beauty of the world around us and to celebrate the start of a new season. Some of the shrines will let you help push the shrines as they be getting tired and drunk on sake in the barrels at the back of some of the portable shrines. There is no fee to attend, but do bring cash for the food stalls.
The Nikko Toshogu Grand Spring and Autumn Festival is an biannual event held at the Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, Japan on May 17th and October 17th. If features various traditional Japanese performances and ceremonies, such as a horseback archery demonstration (1pm on the 16th), a sacred dance performance, and a procession of people dressed in traditional samurai costumes. On the 17th, a grand procession takes place where a portable shrine called mikoshi is carried through town by 1,000 people dressed as samurai. The procession of 1,000 samurai is from 11am with portable shrines to the Otabi-sho (Sojourn Hall) before returning to Toshogu Shrine to re-enact the burial of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The festival is held to honor the memory of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, who is enshrined at the Toshogu Shrine. During the festival, visitors can witness the ancient art of yabusame, which is horseback archery dating back to the Kamakura period. The yabusame event involves horseback riders shooting arrows at targets while galloping. This requires a high level of skill and precision, making it an impressive sight to behold. This procession replicates the funeral of Tokugawa Ieyasu, where his grave was moved from Mt. Kunousan in Shizuoka Prefecture to Nikko. The festival is a must-see event for anyone interested in Japanese culture and history.