autumnal hike in nikko
It’s the time of the year when the leaves are showing their bright colors.. The trees and mountains have called for the turn of the season in Tochigi, and I’ve been enjoying the cozy feeling the leaves emit when I go on short walks around the neighborhood. This weekend a dear former colleague Nessa came to visit, and we went on a beautiful hike down in Nikko!
Loads of people also had the same idea of going to Nikko this weekend so we were stuck in a massive traffic jam on the way there, but the perfect weather and heartwarming scenery spreading in front of us made even the waiting in traffic durable. After passing the traffic we finally saw the view we were waiting for of the breathtaking Lake Chuzenji! I parked my car and we first fulfilled our stomaches after the three hour sit in the car with some well known yuba soba which I hadn’t had in a long time. Later on, we headed to the starting point of the hiking trail via a hybrid bus through an area fully secured from any regular vehicles to avoid unnecessary pollution. We had only realized during lunch that there was a bus running, otherwise we would have had to walk another good hour just to reach the start point!
During the 20 minute bus ride we saw numerous trees with what looked like white plastic strings around them. We were curios to know why the trees were banded with stings that only appeared as manmade pollution to us. We found out later on that they are actually strings made from corn tied to the trees as indicators to show whether there were any bears in the area. We did see trees with torn strings and carved tree bark so we knew bears were in the area at some point in time! The trail first led us to the corner end of Lake Chuzenji and then followed through into the woods to another small lake called Nishinoko. Unfortunately most of the trees had already lost their leaves, but there were some here and there still vividly standing and they were a beauty:) I especially liked the ones that showed an array of colors with various shades of yellow, orange, and red.
After our 2 hour hike, we drove to the main street of Lake Chuzenji to stop for an afternoon break while watching the sun set behind the lake. The trees surrounding the lake were in their best state with the sun shining down on their beautiful leaves! Nothing beats a day outside with that view:) We finished our day with a nice bath in the onsen which healed our tired bodies in the best way.
Despite the heavy traffic, it was a refreshing day out in nature, away from the everyday routine. The leaves had already fallen down in the upper area we hiked in, but it was a good timing to see the leaves around Lake Chuzenji. The leaves should still hold up for another week, so I highly recommend it :) Apart from the trail we took, there are around 12 more you can enjoy. I hope you take the time to do it:)
Nikko travel guide↓
https://www.visitnikko.jp/en/things-to-do/activities-and-experiences/
Nikko hiking trails↓