Oku-Nikko: Lake Chuzenji, the Moor of Senjogahara and the Embassy Villas
Behind the shrines of Nikko lies one of Japan's oldest national parks: a lake that was a summer resort for diplomats, a protected moor with boardwalks, and a lakeside conservation area reached only by boat or bus.
Most visitors come to Nikko for its shrines, but the mountains behind them are part of Nikko National Park, one of the oldest national parks in Japan. The Japan National Tourism Organization suggests a three-day visit between May and October, when early summer brings fresh leaves and autumn brings the colours of the fall foliage.
The base for the high country is Lake Chuzenji, the largest lake in Tochigi Prefecture. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries it was a popular summer resort for foreigners, and a number of embassy villas still stand on its shore. JNTO describes the Italian and British Embassy Villas as summer homes built for foreign diplomats, combining Japanese and European architecture; Tochigi’s own tourism site mentions villas of the French and Belgian embassies, so it is worth checking which are open on the day. A cruise on the lake tells the story of this period, and a lakeside walk leads back to the village of Chuzenji Onsen past Chuzenji Temple. Chuzenji Onsen is reached by bus from Tobu Nikko Station.
The lake empties over Kegon Falls, one of the park’s best-known sights, with Mount Nantai, at 2,486 metres, standing above the water.
A short drive away is Senjogahara, a high moor registered under the Ramsar Convention on wetlands. Wooden boardwalks cover much of the route, which protects the plants and gives a level surface; JNTO describes a guided walk of about three hours that suits most fitness levels. Tochigi’s tourism site counts about 350 wild plant species and many kinds of wild birds, with views of Mount Nantai. A local legend says the moor was the scene of a battle between gods for control of Lake Chuzenji. Next to it lies Odashirogahara, a marsh of grass and wetland known for a white birch called the lady of Odashirogahara.
On the western shore of the lake, Senjugahama is a nature conservation area where ordinary cars are not allowed. Visitors arrive on the Lake Chuzenji cruise, which serves it on a limited basis, or on the low-emission Oku-Nikko bus. Spring is the best season, and in June the pink Japanese primrose is in flower.
For something different, a guided night hike runs in Oku-Nikko, starting from the Akanuma Nature Information Center by shuttle bus. Walkers can see frogs, fish and nocturnal wildlife by moonlight or torchlight, and in winter the walk becomes a snowshoe trek through snow-covered forest. As always in the mountains, check the weather and the operators’ current information before setting out.
Sources
Japan National Tourism Organization, Nikko National Park itinerary; Visit Tochigi, Nikko summer itinerary; Visit Tochigi, Senjugahama.
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