Great Wisteria Festival, Lake Chuzenji & Ashikaga Flower Park in Nikko, Japan

I’m really excited to interview Derek Souza and Angus Miyaji of IACE Travel about Nikko, Japan. Their tips for the best things to do in Nikko are awesome because Derek is a Japan travel expert who’s been working in the travel industry since 2014, and Angus grew up in the Tochigi Prefecture. Together, they market the area on behalf of the local tourism board to attract overseas visitors.

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Lake Chuzenji in Nikko.

Nikko, Japan

We share a lot of resources and local suggestions in today’s podcast, but you should also check out Nikko Official Guide, the local visitor’s bureau. They are a wealth of information and can help you plan an itinerary based on your time, budget, and interests.

If you’d like to learn how to travel for free using airline miles and hotel points, check out my free 7-day email course.

Wisteria Festival at Ashikaga Flower Park.

Getting around Nikko

In order to get to Nikko, Derek says to fly into Tokyo International Airport (HND), and then take a bullet train to get to Nikko. Here is some information on how to get to Nikko once you arrive in Japan. Use our Expedia tool below to find flight, hotel, and rental car options.

Derek and Angus say that most areas within the Tochigi Prefecture are accessible by local train or the bullet train. The JR Shinkansen bullet train runs hourly from Tokyo most days. And the local train from Utsounomiya City is an excellent option to complete your journey.

Local buses by Tobu are very convenient when exploring Nikko. However, Derek says that some travelers may want to rent a car to explore at their own leisure. For the best rental car offers, visit Avis, Budget, or Hertz.

While Uber does exist in Japan it isn’t a form of transportation to rely on.

Hot Springs Japanese Onsen.

Places we talked about on the Nikko, Japan podcast

Here is a map of all of the places we talked about on the podcast episode with Derek Souza about Nikko, Japan. You can zoom into the map and click on each dot to explore the city.

• Red dots = best places to eat in Nikko, Japan
• Green dots = best things to do in Nikko, Japan
• Yellow dots = best places to stay in Nikko, Japan

Who is Derek Souza?

Derek has spent the last 15 years of his life studying and working in and around Japan and Japanese culture. He has been working in the Japanese travel industry since the early 2010s and has visited countless unique locations all across Japan, from Hokkaido to Kyushu.

Who is Angus Miyaji?

Angus Miyaji is the founder of NearbyTokyo.com and Japan World Link Ltd. He helps visitors discover off-the-beaten-track destinations in the North Kanto regions (Tochigi, Gunma, Ibaraki & Saitama north of Tokyo). He regularly travels between Japan and abroad, promoting tourism as well as Japanese sake in the area.

Click on the link below for more info on the Tochigi Prefecture:

• Tochigi Adventure Travel: Immerse Yourself in Japan’s Nature

You can learn more about the Tochigi Prefecture through its website and on social media on Facebook and Instagram.

Click here to download our one-page guide of Derek and Angus’ tips for Nikko.

Big thanks to today’s podcast partner – Bluffworks

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Utsunomiya Gyoza.

Stay tuned for our next episode

Listen to the next episode when Fernando Diez of Quasar Expeditions shares the best things to do in the Galapagos Islands. In this episode, Fernando and I talk about snorkeling with penguins, relaxing on the white sand beaches of Espanola, and exploring the island of Genovesa, a collapsed caldera known as Bird Island. We hope you’ll join us when We Travel There.

What’s your favorite part of Nikko? Send us a Tweet, let us know in the comment section below, or continue the discussion in our Facebook group!

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To see which cities we’ve interviewed and scheduled, please visit WeTravelThere.com/map. If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please submit an application at WeTravelThere.com/guest.

Related episodes for Nikko

To learn more about destinations in Japan, check out the episodes below:

• Snowball Fights, Murakami Gardens & Sado Island in Niigata, Japan
• Asuwa Shrine, 5 Lakes of Mikata & Echizen Ono Castle in the Sky in Fukui, Japan
• Hikone Castle, Genkyuen Garden & Chikubu Island in Hikone, Japan
• Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Manga Museum in Kyoto, Japan
• Obon Holiday, Hanami Cherry Blossoms & Osaka Castle in Osaka, Japan
• Sumo Wrestling, Sushi Train & Hachiko Dog Statue in Tokyo, Japan
• Eating Conveyor Belt Sushi in Kamakura, Japan with Corinne