A North American cafe surrounded by nature, Yama no Restaurant, is located a 15-minute bus ride away from Tobu Nikko Station. They serve grilled dishes made with local ingredients.

Indulge in the exquisite Tochigi Wagyu beef steak, nurtured amidst the pristine landscapes of Tochigi Prefecture, home to Nikko. This delectable steak showcases the renowned Tochigi Wagyu beef, known for its exceptional quality. With its delicate marbling, it offers a harmonious blend of lightness and richness, creating a truly delightful flavor profile.

The restaurant offers a special Tochigi Wagyu steak course for 11,550 yen (12,430 yen for tenderloin) that includes a selection of their finest dishes. This course includes hors d'oeuvres made from fresh seafood (today's feature is smoked sea bass), soup made with Tochigi vegetables, Caesar salad, freshly baked sourdough bread, popular cheesecake at the takeaway patisserie corner, and coffee.
The vegetables used for the hors d'oeuvres and soup vary depending on the season. You can enjoy the exquisite mouthfeel, texture and mellow taste of Nikko maitake mushrooms, asparagus, carrots, pumpkins, potatoes, and Japanese horse chestnuts along with Nikko's rich food culture. All the vegetables are fresh and tasty, and the steak packed with gravy is so soft that it will melt right in your mouth. This dish pairs well with their original sauce made with red wine and soy sauce.

This restaurant is adored by regular customers who love the quality of its dishes and the location. The view of Kirifuri-no-taki or Kirifuri Falls, one of Nikko's 3 popular waterfalls, from the terrace seats or from the window is simply awe-inspiring. Beside the restaurant, you can find a winding road leading to a viewing platform.

Waiting earnestly for the bus from the station, the manager, Mr. Hitoshi Kamiyama said, "We also have an English menu. We have a wide selection of beers and wines, so you can enjoy our dishes and liquor with an outstanding view. You're in luck if there's a terrace seat available."

The road leading from Nikko Station to the Toshogu Shrine is flanked by a variety of restaurants and souvenir shops. One particular store you should definitely visit is Fudaraku Honpo Ishiyamachiten, a Japanese sweets shop. Their specialty, priced at 450 yen, is Yuba Musubi, a rice ball wrapped in a dried tofu sheet.

This takeout delicacy is created by wrapping sticky rice, cooked in broth, with yuba or dried tofu sheet. Yuba is an ingredient that is usually reserved for high-end restaurants, but is offered at an affordable price here. The yuba is cut thickly so that it does not break in your hands. Its smooth texture and creamy flavor pair perfectly with Tochigi's glutinous rice. The simple taste of the sticky rice, seasoned with broth and soy sauce, allows the taste of the yuba to shine through. The dish also comes with pickled radish, a popular pickled vegetable from Nikko.

This product has gained immense popularity and has been featured on numerous TV shows. It was even featured on the cover of a comic set in Tochigi. As of late, there has been a significant increase in the number of tourists visiting the store by bus or car to purchase their sweets or stock up on souvenirs. There are days when they run out of stock during the day due to high demand.

Their handmade Rengeishi, stuffed with bean paste and sold for 300 yen, makes use of the natural sweetness of azuki beans. Because of this, its simple flavor coming from Dainagon azuki beans and granulated sugar goes really well with Japanese tea.

"We want everyone to taste the delicious rice cooked with Nikko's water and the azuki beans. Our sweets sell out quickly, so make sure to stop by before visiting the Toshogu Shrine," says the owner, Ms. Mineko Kawashima, with a smile, despite being busy with kitchen work and waiting tables.

Bonten is a ramen restaurant that stands along the road facing the Toshogu Shrine. They specialize in a dish called Bonten miso, which is made using local miso that has a sweet and rich taste. This dish is quite popular and is priced at 1060 yen. It goes well with a large serving of vegetables and is served with thick noodles.

Before having the ramen, the staff recommends trying Sapporo Classic, a beer that is exclusively sold in Hokkaido. It costs 500 yen and is a perfect accompaniment to the Bonten gyoza or crispy pan-fried dumplings, which are priced at 290 yen.

Another popular dish besides Miso ramen is the "Kogashi Soy Sauce Char Siu Ramen" priced at 1,070 yen. This ramen is topped with special burnt soy sauce, seafood broth, and pork back fat. The thick curly noodles used in this ramen complement the deep flavors of the soup very well. The Char Siu in this dish is perfectly braised, soft and tender, and melts instantly in your mouth, making it even more delicious.

They serve delicious Bonten gyoza or crispy pan-fried dumplings (5 pieces for 350 yen) that pair perfectly with beer. The restaurant offers an English menu, which includes shoyu (soy sauce) and miso ramen, as well as shio (salt) ramen, side dishes, toppings, and drinks. The menu also provides a comprehensive list of all the ingredients and seasonings used in the dishes. That's why many foreign tourists enjoy Japanese ramen so much these days.

Shoyu ramen and gyoza are two of the most popular dishes served in this restaurant. The menu offers a detailed explanation of how the gyoza sauce is made. Payment via credit card is accepted. The friendly staff at the restaurant also speak English, so feel free to visit us anytime.

Nikko Coffee Goyoteidori is the fourth cafe branch out of the five Nikko Coffee branches in the area. It takes about 10 minutes to get there by bus and then a short walk from Tobu-Nikko Station. If you choose to walk along Shinkyo Bridge on your way to the cafe, you'll be able to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery of Nikko, as it is a registered World Heritage site and an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

The shop is situated in a renovated building that dates back to the early Showa era (1926 to 1989). The decor features warm wooden tones that bring out the olden folk house flavor, and is complemented by historical furniture, books, ornaments, and other trinkets, all intended to help you relax while you enjoy your chosen beverage.

Nikko Coffee is best known for its kakigori (shaved ice), which is made using premium Yondaime Tokujiro brand of natural ice. However, after being featured on a few recent TV programs, their "Cafe Meal Set" - which contains gourmet gems like black curry and omelet rice - has become increasingly popular.

We offer a "Cafe Meal Set" that is available in two styles. If you choose "Comfort C.", you will receive a bag containing food, a drink, and a cake. On the other hand, if you choose "Business B.", you will receive a set meal consisting of food and a drink without any additional items. The set meal's food options are broken down into various choices for your consideration. We recommend the "Goyoteidori Black Curry" which is a popular item on the food menu. It is available in Comfort C. for 2,970 yen (tax included) and in Business B. for 2,310 yen (tax included).

This excellent dish features savory Nikko pork that's been boiled for three whole days alongside a special dry-roasted spice with a heavenly aroma. It comes with a hearty helping of salad and cooked vegetables to ensure meal completeness and is the perfect item to order for lunch.

If you have chosen the cake option, you are free to select any cake of your preference from the menu. Visitors from foreign countries seem to really enjoy the "2 Types of Scones" option, which happens to be our recommendation as well! You will be served with two different flavors of scones; plain and tochiotome. The latter refers to a specific type of strawberry produced in Tochigi. These scones complement perfectly with cream cheese and are extra tempting!

When it comes to drinks, we highly recommend trying out the "Nikko Cafe Original Blend"! This coffee is a blend of beans from Brazil, Guatemala, and Colombia, which creates a well-balanced coffee that is thick and sour, yet full of flavor and fragrance. We believe that this is the most delicious item on our menu and you should definitely give it a try!

Kamaya Cafe du Reverbere is situated directly across from Tobu-Nikko Station. This classic cafe and restaurant has been in operation for over 50 years. The building was once a bank, hence its stately, square design featuring red bricks.

The interior of the shop is illuminated by its iconic French street lamps known as "reverbere". These lamps create a warm and bright atmosphere in the space. Here's an interesting fact for customers seated further inside the shop: the dining area used to be a bank vault! Isn't that cool?
The Kamaya menu has been crafted by the owner, a chef and patissier, who gave scrupulous attention to ingredients and cooking methods. Most of the offerings here are hand-crafted with local produce and premium world-class ingredients.

Are you ready to try the "Nikko Don" – the signature dish of our restaurant? We only serve a limited number of bowls every day, so don't miss your chance! You can choose from three sizes: S, M, and L, starting from 1,750 yen (including tax).

What's in a bowl of "Nikko Don"? You'll find delicious homemade roasted beef made from Zen-Nikko Wagyu outer thighs, Nikko yuba roll sprinkled with a hint of light brown sugar, a locally harvested onsen egg, seasonal vegetables from local contract farmers, and koshihikari rice, also from local contract farmers. We finish it off with a dash of homemade teriyaki sauce that uses three-year balsamic vinegar from Italy.

But wait, there's more! To give you a taste of Nikko, we also include a serving of sashimi and yuba salad with your order. It's truly a culinary experience that's worth trying out when you visit Nikko!

The restaurant provides a diverse range of food options in addition to the popular "Nikko Don", including pizza, hamburgers, and more. Separate menus are available for individuals with allergies or specific dietary requirements, such as vegan, Halal, or other religious diets. While enjoying the unique atmosphere of the cafe, you can indulge in the full range of Nikko's flavors to satisfy your hunger.

Hongu Cafe is situated approximately one mile (1.6 kilometers) from Tobu-Nikko Station, on the way to Hongu Shrine, which is the starting point of the Shrines and Temples of Nikko World Heritage Site. This cafe is located in an ancient folk house that was constructed over 300 years ago and was once used by former priests as their shrine office and residence. The building has been renovated to create the Hongu Cafe.

The counter seats and flooring in this place are lovely and made from Nikko Cedar, which is a sacred tree. The walls have been brought to life by expert craftsmen who repair cultural assets. Furthermore, there is a terrace area that provides a stunning view of the important cultural asset, Shinkyo Bridge, and the Daiya River. Where else can you relish a delicious meal and tasty snacks while basking in the spiritual healing power of so many sacred trees?

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If you're looking for a delicious meal recommendation, we suggest trying the "Seasonal Clam Chowder (1,320 yen, tax included)" at Hongu Cafe. This dish is a signature item and has been featured in numerous media outlets.

To make this delectable dish, Hongu Cafe fills a hollowed-out "Royal Bread" - the square-shaped sandwich loaf from the Nikko Kanaya Hotel - with their special clam chowder. They then top it off with fresh local yuba and hen-of-the-woods to give you the full Nikko local food experience.

The cafe is known for its popular beverages like coffee, latte, and matcha. Towards the end of July, they start offering kakigori, a shaved ice dessert that uses natural ice from Nikko as an ingredient. This Hongu Cafe original is topped with summer strawberries from Oku Nikko Okazaki Farm, strawberry milk, premium adzuki paste, uji matcha syrup, and other delicious treats. Both locals and foreigners love this dessert!

In the photo, you can see the "Cream Anmitsu and Matcha Set," which costs 1,320 yen (tax included). This snack is decorated with an abundance of colorful and seasonal fruits, thick syrup, and ice cream, which make it look very appealing. You can enjoy this Japanese dessert with a cup of flavorful Uji matcha, and it will certainly lift your mood!

Cafe Senryo Chaya is located just a 10-minute walk away from Tobu-Nikko Station. The cafe is famous for its takeout-only baked sweet potato and standard cafe fare, including a refreshing bowl of kakigori! Depending on the season, the menu may change, but during hot summers, kakigori is their signature dish. The shop has been featured in several magazines and has earned a horde of loyal and adoring fans!

This photo shows the most popular kakigori option that visitors can choose from. It is called "Japanese-style Brown Sugar Kinako with Baked Sweet Potato (880 yen, tax included)". As the name suggests, it comes with a generous amount of homemade thick brown sugar syrup and kinako (roasted soybean flour) powder. The brown sugar syrup gives it a chocolate-covered look, and each order comes with a small side of premium baked sweet potato as well!
Let's talk a little about the sweet potatoes. The cafe mainly uses the "Benitenshi" and "Yumehiraku" strains in their products. It's said that their sugar content is boosted to a maximum of 47% when fully ripe, and you just can't get tired of this rich and classic taste! Since the sweet potato portions are paired with kakigori in this order, they've also gone through the frozen treatment and will be served chilled, giving it a texture that's not quite unlike potato paste, which makes it an excellent partner for a nice and cold bowl of shaved ice.

The ice has been shaved in a unique way to give it a fluffy yet crunchy texture, melting comfortably in your mouth. The brown sugar syrup and kinako powder help to create a "Japanese" feel, making it a popular choice among foreign visitors. Additionally, two rice flour dumplings have been hidden inside the mound of ice, making it a fun activity to find them and enjoy this cold dessert until the very end!

A highly recommended kakigori at a cafe is the "Strawberry Milk with Rich and Sweet Yogurt" which costs 990 yen (tax included). The cafe uses carefully selected Tochiotome strawberries, which are produced locally in Tochigi, and adds their original condensed milk to create a perfect balance of sweetness and sourness.

The dessert is slathered with a thick strawberry sauce that's not too sweet and thus well-liked even by adults. The shaved ice is fluffy like cotton candy, and the side portion of yummy yogurt enhances its taste.

Baked sweet potatoes are available for takeout all year round (sold in grams, may not be available depending on the day). This delectable treat has been the focus of much media attention this year, leading to a huge spike in its popularity and dwindling availability on most days. Still, if you happen to be in Nikko, it's always a good idea to drop by Senryo Chaya to see if you can get your hands on one of these precious baked sweet potatoes!

This souvenir shop, established in1958, stands in front of Tobu-Nikko Station, the gateway of Nikko. Its charm has captivated visitors and locals alike for decades.

The shop's specialty is their homemade "Fried Yuba (Tofu Skin) Bun", priced at 220 yen per piece, including tax. The bun dough is made by mixing Nikko's famous yuba and soy milk, and then deep-fried to a crispy texture. This signature dish has been featured in various media and has consistently been ranked as the number one souvenir in Nikko by several TV program surveys in Japan.

This steaming hot "Fried Yuba Bun" is then sprinkled with a smattering of rock salt that goes surprisingly well with its crispy exterior and moderately sweet red bean paste filling. The buns are packed individually in different bags when ordered as takeout, making it all the better for you to eat them on the go with!

This is the "Nikko Strawberry Kakigori (1000 yen, tax included)", another exquisite item we would love for you to try. The refreshing shaved ice is topped with a luxurious serving of three types of strawberries, soy milk, and condensed milk.

Cultivated carefully among Nikko's lush nature, which is considered a World Heritage, the crunchy strawberries' marriage with the cool and refreshing shaved ice made with the scarce and valuable natural water of Nikko (processed by Mitsuboshi Himuro) will be a grand treat your taste buds.

We did also mention this was a souvenir shop, didn't we? Besides the takeout menu, you can also buy souvenirs like yuba buns and yuba slices to bring home as a memento of your visit!

Uoyou is a soba restaurant located about a 12-minute walk from Tobu-Nikko Station. This restaurant has been in business for 100 years, and it used to operate as a fish merchant before starting a canteen at the beginning of the Showa era (1926-1989) to serve soba noodles to the masses. Even today, the restaurant continues to serve soba noodles. The name Uoyou, which means "fish needs," reflects its history as a fish merchant.

Cedar tree tables can be found throughout the shop, adding a woodsy warmth to the ambience that quickly lulls customers into a relaxed state.

The signature dish of the shop is called "Ganso Yuba Soba" (1,300 yen, tax included). It is made using three types of yuba, which are sourced from Fujiya, another well-established shop. The dish consists of a warm bowl of soba noodles along with four other ingredients generously sprinkled on top. This delicacy is highly favored by both locals and international visitors alike.

The soba noodles were hand-kneaded with buckwheat flour and ground using a millstone machine. Their smooth and chewy texture is gentle on the throat and they absorb the broth to further enhance their flavor.

The three types of yuba served on top of these hand-kneaded soba noodles are: Rolled yuba, tofu yuba, and osmunda yuba. All of them have been carefully seasoned and soaked in soba broth to make every bite deliciously succulent. Pilgrims visiting the area from all over Japan are familiar with the dish as a valuable source of protein. The large portions will ensure your stomach is properly filled to satisfaction and ready for the next leg of your trip!

Yuba is made from the thin layer of skin that forms on the surface of heated soy milk. Another place that's famous for their yuba is Kyoto, but Nikko's yuba is written with different Chinese characters, alerting people to the fact that there's a distinction between what the two regions have to offer. In Kyoto, the thin layer of surface skin is pulled up from the corners and shaped like a leaf, so yuba in Kyoto is written with the character for "leaf". In Nikko, however, chefs pull up the skin from the center and put it over another layer, forming characteristic creases that resulted in Nikko's yuba being written with the character for "waves"!

Besides their well-known "Yuba Soba", Uoyou offers a rich lineup of other food items as well. "Wild Vegetables Soba" (800 yen) is another dish that is popular among international tourists.

Nikko Pudding Tei is a shop located around 20 minutes away on foot from Tobu-Nikko Station and one minute away from Shinkyo Bridge bus stop. This shop specializes in puddings and uses premium Nikko Kirifuri Kogen Ozasa Ranch cow milk along with high-quality Nasu eggs to produce their sweet snacks.

The eatery is in a renovated olden folk house that's brimming with vintage Japanese charm and perfect for photographs! Speaking of photographs, you can't miss the array of colorful packaged puddings that welcome you into the shop as you enter, and believe us, these fanciful desserts are excellent subjects for amazing shots as well!

The shop offers a variety of pudding flavors at any given time. Among them are "Nikko Pudding," a sweet and creamy dessert, "Otome Pudding," which features Tochigi strawberries, and "Mitarashi Pudding," made with soy sauce from Nikko's quality water source. These locally-inspired puddings are a great way to experience the unique flavors of Nikko.

"Nikko Pudding" is the most popular dessert on the menu. It's made with premium milk from the Nikko Kirifuri Kogen Ozasa Ranch and high-quality Nasu eggs, resulting in a smooth and velvety texture that melts in your mouth. The Brown Swiss cow milk used in this pudding is still relatively rare in Japan. With 4% milk fat and 9% solid non-fat components, the pudding is rich in flavor and has a light sweetness that sets it apart from other flavors.

This is the "Otome Pudding", another popular item we highly recommend. The strawberry part of the pudding is made with strawberries cultivated in Tochigi, Japan's top producer of strawberries. That's not to say random strawberries are picked for the pudding. Only the choicest fruit with a good balance of sweetness and sourness will make the cut into the dessert - and your belly!

To ensure that you get maximum enjoyment from both the pudding and strawberries, a special manufacturing method is used for "Nikko Pudding" that also brings out the taste of the eggs in the dessert, giving the pudding a full-bodied texture. Depending on the season and the strawberries available then, the manufacturing method changes as well, keeping the product fresh and full of tasty surprises all year round!

The shop's "Original Pudding Ice-Cream" is yet another delectable treat you might want to consider trying. An overwhelming portion of creamy ice-cream is served on top of a half-jar of pudding. Its majestic stature demands a photo or three.

Our final destination for the food tour will be the Cottage Inn Restaurant & Bakery. It's located near the Kanaya Hotel History Museum bus stop and can be reached by a 10-minute bus ride from Tobu-Nikko Station. The restaurant is managed by Kanaya Hotel Bakery and started its operations in 2015, which is the same year the Kanaya Hotel History Museum opened. The restaurant sits on an adjacent plot of land to the museum.

The spacious interior of the shop has a classy feel that allows customers to enjoy their meal at a leisurely pace. The restaurant's main attraction is Kanaya Hotel Bakery bread, which has been pleasing bread enthusiasts for almost a century. The chefs use fresh and high-quality ingredients to prepare other signature dishes, ensuring that customers always receive the best.

One of the restaurant's signature dishes is the "Hamburg Stew and Bread Gratin," which features a hollowed-out campagne bread filled with demi-glace sauce and a hamburger patty, topped with cheese and toasted to perfection. Alternatively, you can try their classic "Beef Stew," made with tender beef and a special demi-glace sauce. The popularity of these dishes is a testament to their irresistible taste!

Clubhouse Sandwich (1,600 yen, tax included) is the most popular sandwich option on the menu. The eggs and bacon used in this traditional clubhouse sandwich are cooked only when someone orders it. They are then placed between slices of the best-selling "Royal Bread" of Kanaya Hotel Bakery along with other ingredients before being served.

Cottage Inn Restaurant opens at 9 AM every day and serves four types of breakfast meals until 11 AM. There are very few restaurants in the Nikko area that offer breakfast options, so this is a restaurant you shouldn't miss if you're planning to take a morning stroll around Nikko!

The bakery corner that is attached to this place offers a wide range of breads for takeout, including the "Kanaya Croissant" or the "Mellow Cream Bread". Each of these breads cost 281 yen per piece, including tax. However, availability may depend on the day you visit. All bread items are wrapped individually, making it easy for you to eat as you walk!

Next to the bakery is the Kanaya Hotel History Museum. You can learn about the Kanaya Cottage Inn, which was established in 1873 and was the previous incarnation of the Kanaya Hotel (Registered Tangible Cultural Property: Kanaya Samurai House). After indulging in some warm and delicious bread, you can head over to the museum and learn about the building's history throughout the years.

Besides the shops featured in our tour this time, you'll soon see that there are plenty of other food places all around Nikko Toshogu Shrine as well, waiting for your discovery! As you walk through Nikko taking in the sights, don't forget to enjoy the wide and varied food flavors the area has to offer as well

*This article was written based on information available in August 2019 and updated in October 2023