From Tokyo: Nikko Sightseeing Customized Private Tour

We were very excited for this tour and the itinerary suited what we were looking for. The sites and Nikko prefecture were stunning and lovely, however, the tour was quite lacking and disappointing. Rather than a private tour, it felt more like we booked a chauffeur driving us to each location then us figuring out the rest. When booking a “tour” we had at the slightest expectation of a little history and information of each site, the area, Nikko, etc. Rather, we got “So this is [name of place]” and that was it. An area so rich with history, culture and beauty, but nothing more to say? Even our questions received generic or incorrect/misleading answers. When asked if Nikko area has any local food specialties the guide’s response was “just Japanese food” and doubled down that it was all the same. If anyone reading this is curious, Nikko has a few specialties: a tofu skin called yuba, a traditional red bean jelly called yokan, freshwater trout, soba, and Tochigi Wagyu beef. Another example when we were to trying and get some more info about what we were to see, we asked a more basic question of who built the Tosho-gu shrine and the guide informed us the monk, who is credited with founding Nikko, did. Tosho-gu was built by Tokugawa Hidetada to commemorate his father and founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, and then further expanded by his son. Sadly, no recommendations on specific things to see, things to try, where to go, etc. were offered. I have no issue with exploring and figuring things out on my own but when being dropped off somewhere where there’s so much to experience and in short amount of time, recommendations would be helpful and greatly appreciated. Thankfully we had cellular service and Google. Although we were disappointed with our tour, we made the most of what we were provided and enjoyed seeing Nikko. We booked this tour based on prior reviews and information of what to expect from the company, but, unfortunately, because of our experience I cannot recommend this booking. I hope to return one day as the Nikko prefecture has a lot to offer.

We had an amazing day exploring Nikko! The tour was absolutely wonderful, and we got to visit some of the most beautiful places, including Lake Chuzenji, the stunning Kegon Waterfall, the historic Shinkyo Bridge, and the beautiful temples and shrines of Nikko.

I had an amazing experience on the Nikko Tour with my family. We really enjoyed exploring Nikko and had a wonderful time throughout the trip. Everything was well organized, from the on-time pickup to the entire tour. Our guide, Asad was very polite, helpful, and made sure we were comfortable and enjoyed every moment. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Tokyo! And if you get the chance to do the tour with Asad, definitely go for it. You won’t regret it.