Twenty-one villas of over 100 square metres, each with its own hot-spring bath, sauna and kitchen; the best stay in Nikko for families and groups.
From £286 a night
For two on the night of 19 January 2027, on Expedia. Rate includes half board.
Tokorono, Nikko townOn our lists
Rakuten STAY VILLA Nikko is a set of 21 self-contained villas in Tokorono, on the hillside above Nikko town. Every villa is over 100 square metres and sleeps six to ten, and every one has its own natural hot-spring bath, a private sauna, a cold bath or jet bath and an open-air deck to cool off on, plus a full kitchen, a washer-dryer and a projector.
There is no restaurant. You cook for yourself, or order one of the meal sets through Rakuten, such as Tochigi wagyu sukiyaki or yuba shabu-shabu, and finish them in the villa. Check-in is self-service with a code and a tablet. It works best with a car or a taxi: the shrines and the stations are about five minutes' drive away.
The baths
Every villa has its own natural hot-spring bath and a private sauna, with a cold bath or a jet bath and an outdoor deck.
Getting around
On the hillside in Tokorono, about five minutes by car from the stations and the shrines; parking for 36 cars.
Good for
Not for
A day in a rebuilt Edo-period town: ninja and oiran shows, samurai lessons and costume.
Departs from Kinugawa Onsen · Valid 1 day
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Toshogu Shrine admission bought ahead, exchanged at the Tobu-Nikko Station tourist centre.
Valid 1 day
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Dress in kimono and make your own matcha with a certified teacher, in a tatami room by the river.
Departs from Nikko town · 1.5 hours
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Shinkyo Bridge, Nikko town · 4 stars · 63 rooms
Japan’s oldest classic resort hotel, opened in 1873 above the Shinkyo Bridge; for travellers who want history, French cooking and the shrines on foot.
From £83 a night
Daiya river, Nikko town · Ryokan
A ryokan above the Daiya gorge with a rooftop view bath and rooms with their own open-air bath; for couples who want dinner and a soak.
Shinkyo Bridge, Nikko town · Ryokan
A traditional family-style ryokan by the Shinkyo Bridge, with a hot-spring bath, a private bath to book and dinner; for a classic first ryokan night.
Sources: stay.rakuten.co.jp, expedia.co.uk. Last checked 21 October 2026.
