Nikko - a combination of the familiar and the exotic, perfect for lovers of food

Nikko, with its combination of rich history and world-famous national parks, has long been a favourite destination for both domestic and international travellers alike.

Located in Tochigi prefecture and only less than a two-hour train ride from Asakusa, Nikko makes for a must-see part of any itinerary to Japan.

Nikko is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Toshogu Shrine, dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate and one of the most important figures in the nation's history.

The town is surrounded by diverse landscapes from lush green forests, hot springs, mountains and volcanoes to marshland, lakes and plateaus and sits at the foot of Nikko National Park, one of the oldest national parks in Japan.

Whilst the natural and cultural significance of the area make it an important part of any itinerary to the country - another big draw card is some of incredible local food experiences - something that many international travellers may not be as well across. From some beautiful traditional local cuisine to more contemporary fare, Nikko dishes up some food that will make anyone's trip there, the complete experience.

Here are some of the most luxurious food experiences to check out while you're in Nikko:

NIKKO Strawberry Park - all-you-can-eat luxury strawberries

Home to the “Skyberry” strawberry, Nikko Strawberry Park offers all-you-can-eat strawberry picking and is one of the few places in Nikko that grows the fruit.

The park was opened 16 years ago as Nikko's first sightseeing farm and draws tourists from across Japan. The park sells strawberries, direct from their greenhouses at their shop and also has a wide range of jams and other processed goods.

A big drawcard of NIKKO Strawberry Park is the “Skyberry”. Created in 2014, this unique strawberry was born from the cross-pollination of two different types of strawberries to create a fruit characterised by its well-balanced sweet and sour taste and mild flavour. The strawberry was named the “Skyberry” by the public, a reference to its size and beautiful appearance. It's also a nod to a famous mountain in Tochigi Prefecture - Mt Sukai (which sounds like “sky”)

The special berries aren't exactly cheap, costing between 350 to 700 yen for a single one or between 4,000-8,000 yen for a pack of 12, but well worth it.

Nikko Strawberry Park: https://www.nikkoichigo.com/eng/

CHOCOTTO NIKKO - Carefully curated local confectionery

Nikko City has started a culinary campaign called Chocotto Nikko to boost its tourism and economy. Nikko has the distinctive charm of a mix of Japanese and Western culture and so Chocotto Nikko believes that chocolate, a symbol of Western confectionery fused with a Japanese sensibility is the perfect way to convey the heart of the town.

During the campaign, selected local shops are selling special local chocolates and chocolate-flavoured sweets such as Nikko Pudding Tei's Chocolat Pudding.

Nikko Purintei (Nikko Pudding Tei) opened in 2017 in an attempt to create a new specialty sweet in Nikko. The Taisho-roman style interior is adorable, and it is now a popular store with a steady stream of customers even on weekdays.

The Chocolat Pudding is not only a feast for the eyes, but also has the highest quality ingredients. In addition to the local premium eggs “Nikko Goyouran”, characterised by their richly coloured yolk, local milk from Tochigi Prefecture is also used to create this luxurious pudding.

The pudding uses 70% cacao chocolate which is characterised by a slightly bitter and mature taste and also has a pudding base, giving it a rich feel.

The container also makes for a great souvenir of your trip.

The campaign has been highlighting the best chocolates and confectionery from across Nikko to create a carefully crafted selection of deliciousness for travellers to Nikko.

Their Instagram account is a nonstop assault of eye candy for sweet tooths everywhere giving a window into the incredible array of sweets produced locally.

Their selection continues to grow and change and so Instagram remains the best way to get a handle on their latest products and also the sales outlets that stock them.

Kujira Morning Market - Luxury moments that the locals cherish

For those wanting to explore what some boutique local vendors have on offer, make sure you check out the Kujira Morning Market if possible. Held once a month at TORCH Camping & Coworking Space in Kujira-machi, Nikko City, the market features organic and natural food products.

Although the number of vendors changes slightly each month, food and products usually come from Nikko and the surrounding area. The market has a lot of information in English and Chinese, making it tourist-friendly.

Kujira Morning Market: https://kujiranoasaichi.mystrikingly.com/

Drinking in the scenery from Tobu's SPACIA X Cafe

In July, Tobu Railway will launch its new luxury Limited Express train, the SPACIA X. As part of a limited offer on the train, which takes passengers from Tokyo (Asakusa) to Nikko the onboard cafe menu will feature a number of Nikko products.

Besides food from the local area, the cafe will also feature Nikko Coffee and a selection of craft beer by Nikko Brewing.

Nikko Brewing was opened in 2018 by Sanbonmatsu Chaya, a long-established souvenir shop in Senjogahara. The Brewery has a great range of beers but notably their delicious The Nikko Monkeys premium lager and pale ale craft beers are worth a try. Both beers are light session beers designed to maximise the use of the clean Nikko water used to brew them.

Whilst Nikko is a major tourist destination, the creators behind the craft beer brand felt that they wanted to add something exciting and new to help local tourism. They decided that craft beer was the perfect choice as it takes advantage of the local agricultural products such as strawberries, apples, and sansho (Japanese pepper) that would otherwise be thrown away as they were not for sale.

Nikko Coffee was created in 1999, when Kazama-san, a representative of the company, renovated a part of an old merchant's house in a back alley in his hometown of Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture, and started a 10-seat café.

Since then Nikko Coffee has expanded to five cafes in the city. The incredible coffee is brewed and served with care and soon it will be available on Tobu SPACIA X Cafe, allowing travellers to get a little taste of Nikko whilst taking in the countryside.

Nikko Brewing: https://www.nikko-monkeys.beer/

Nikko Coffee: http://nikko-coffee.com

Centennial curry

Since it opened in 1873, Western dignitaries have frequented the Nikko Kanaya Hotel, a hotel with a rich history and tradition and a staple of Nikko.

In 2003 the recipe for a traditional Taisho Era curry was discovered in the storehouse of the hotel and so staff decided to recreate it - The Hyakunen Rice Curry was born.

For those wanting to step back into the past and get a taste of a very unique period of Japanese history where Western culture was entwining with Japanese, this is for you.

Nikko Kanaya Hotel: https://www.kanayahotel.co.jp/eng/

Katayama Sake Brewery - Award-winning sake from a sacred spring

Good quality water is absolutely essential for sake brewing.

But Katayama Sake Brewery has done one better than that, the brewery uses water that comes from a sacred spring at a nearby shrine.

Since its establishment in 1880, Katayama Sake Brewery has used "Senryosui" water, which is subsoil water from the Oya River flowing from the Nikko mountain range. The water's source comes from a spring on the grounds of Takio Shrine, one of the three sacred springs of Nikko.

Takio Shrine is a branch of Nikko Futarasan Shrine, a famous World Heritage site in Nikko and a must-see for any tourists.

The spring is revered by sake connoisseurs for its ability to produce good sake, and has been the source of the water used by Katayama Sake Brewery since its establishment.

The founder of Katayama Sake Brewery set out from Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture, in search of good quality water, and finally chose the spring at Imaichi, Nikko City. The water is described as “soft and smooth” and when used for sake brewing, it produces a mellow flavour and aroma.

At Katayama Sake Brewery, visitors can observe the "Sase method" of pressing sake, which has been carefully passed down since the brewery was founded in 1878. Currently, only about 10% of breweries in Tochigi Prefecture use this method of pressing. If you're lucky enough to be there during the actual pressing season, you can taste the freshly pressed sake on the spot.

Katayama Sake Brewery: https://www.kashiwazakari.com/

Yuba meals 2.0

Nikko Yuba cuisine is a speciality of the city. “Yuba” is a thin skin created by boiling down soy milk and is used in this unique dish

Yuba is also popular in Kyoto but Nikko has its own variations of the dish. Nikko Yubamaki ZEN, a well-known and popular Yuba restaurant in Nikko, recommends to try the “Nikko Yubamaki” -

The dish looks somewhat similar to a sushi roll but is made from seasonal vegetables, seafood and incredibly high-quality local wagyu beef, wrapped with Yuba.

It is best enjoyed with the restaurant's special yuba white sauce, dashi broth and natural wasabi. Nikko Yubamaki ZEN is just one of many fabulous Yuba restaurants in Nikko and definitely worth a visit.

Nikko Yubamaki ZEN: https://nikkoyubamakizen.gorp.jp/

Updates from Tobu Railway: The NIKKO Pass is now digital!

Starting this year, Tobu Railway is offering the NIKKO Pass to international visitors in conjunction with Klook! This means that anyone who purchases the NIKKO Pass online via the Klook website or app, they do not need to exchange the pass for a physical ticket, but instead simply present the QR code to station staff to ride. How simple is that!

The NIKKO Pass comes in two options, the World Heritage Area pass, perfect for travellers who want to tour the temples and shrines of Kikko's world heritage area and enjoy the famous hot springs of Kinugawa Onsen, and the All Area pass, which covers the same area as the World Heritage Area pass plus other destinations including Okunikko and Lake Chuzenji, making them the comprehensive pass for any Nikko visitor.

Both passes allow you to take as many trips as you want around the Nikko area for a set period of time (Ts & Cs apply) , plus a round-trip between Tobu Asakusa Station and Tobu Nikko station, and now with the digital pass, any visit to Nikko will be completely hassle-free.

Learn morehttps://www.klook.com/en-AU/activity/79476-nikko-pass-dynamic-voucher/