Hiking in Ryuokyo Ravine 龍王峡, Nikko 日光 Tochigi 栃木 - Kawaji Hot Spring 川治温泉・Kinugawa River 鬼怒川 (1/2 Southern Part)

Ryuokyo Ravine is known as a scenic spot and a popular hiking place for a day. It is located in Nikko 日光 City Tochigi 栃木 Prefecture, Japan.
You can enjoy the scenic views of Kinugawa river 鬼怒川, ravine, waterfalls forest, hot springs and Japanese food.

Ryuokyo Ravine is called Ryuokyo 龍王峡 (りゅうおうきょう) in Janese.
In English, it is also called

Ryuo Glen
Ryuokyo Gorge
Dragon King Trail
Ryu 龍 means dragon. O (Oh) 王 means king.

Table of Contents

Ryuokyo Station 龍王峡駅
Tategoto Falls 竪琴の滝
Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋
Musasabi Rest House むささび茶屋
Musasabibashi Bridge むささび橋
Information

Ryuokyo Station 龍王峡駅

Information of the station

There is coin-operated locker inside Ryuokyo 龍王峡 Station. If you will come back here after hiking, It would be a good idea to keep your unnecessary baggage in it.

In Japan, a prepaid IC card for train and bus fares called PASMO or Suica is useful if you use train and bus frequently during your travel in and around large cities, such as Tokyo.

However, when you travel farther from downtown areas via Shinfujiwara 新藤原 Station to Ryuokyo 龍王峡 Station, these stations and so on around the area don't have IC card ticket gates.

Therefore, when a ticket conductor comes by on the train you have to pay the fare difference by cash for going between Shinfujiwara 新藤原 and Ryuokyo 龍王峡 Stations which costs 200 yen.

After you paid the fare on the train, the ticket conductor will gives you a train ticket, and probably advise you as follows.

Ryuokyo Ravine 龍王峡 - Shinfujiwara Station 新藤原駅

If your train stops for several minutes at Shinfujiwara 新藤原 Station, you can temporally get off the train and scan your IC card at the ticket gate of Shinfujiwara 新藤原 Station (as pictured above) to pay (close) the fare, and then you can get back on the train.
The conductor will also give you a receipt for your proof of payment. When you use your IC card the next time, you will have to talk to the station staff and hand them the receipt and the IC card because your exit data hasn't been recorded yet.
Then, you can enter the ticket gate with your IC card.

I bought this 200 yen ticket on the train. This is not the receipt (proof of the payment).

When you exit from the station you need to put the ticket into this box 集札箱 at this ticket gate.

Ryokyo Station 龍王峡駅

There is a clean bathroom outside the station.
龍王峡公衆トイレ Ryuokyo Public Bathroom

There is Ryuokyo Ravine Hiking Map 龍王峡ハイキングマップ in front of the station.
English information is available on it. When you get there you should look over the details!

You can download similar type of the hiking map. It is more simple than the map above, and written in Japanese, though.

http://www.nikko-kankou.org/db_img/cl_img/42/document.pdf

Restaurants and souvenir shops

There are several restaurants around Ryuokyo 龍王峡 Station.

Restaurant name
Mendokoro Marumi 麺処丸三

They specializes in noodles food.

Restaurant name
Ryuokyo Takimichaya 龍王峡滝見茶屋

I saw charcoal grilled river fish in front of the restaurant.

Website (in Japanese)

岩の公園・龍王峡【滝見茶屋】

Get 10% coupon for food and souvenir on the website. Find this on their website above.
*It is not valid for the tourists who use travel agency and so on.

お食事・お土産割引券
10% OFF

おみやげ Souvenir
ソフトクリーム Soft-serve ice cream

Restaurant name
Warakujaya Chageikan わらく茶屋茶迎館

Restaurant name
Meshidokoro Ryuo めし処龍王

Website (in Japanese)

めし処｜龍王

サイトの説明

I talked with a staff member at this restaurant. She told me that most of the restaurants around the station open at 10:00 am or later, but only this restaurant usually opens at 9:00 am because some staff members live here.

Tempura
Oden
Several Kinds of Set Meals
Grilled River fish あゆ定食, いわな定食
Soy beans (It like tofu skin) 生ゆば定食
Meat 自家製もつ定食
Tempura
Noodles (Ramen, Soba or Udon)

Alcoholic Drinks
Beer
Sake
Non-alcoholic drinks
Coffee
Sweet Amazake (fermented rice drink)
and some kinds of non-alcoholic drinks

Main entrance was closed, but now, it is open again.

I went there on November 1, 2019. All photos of Ryuokyo were take at that time.

Restaurant name
Ryuokyo Shokudo 竜王峡食堂

竜王峡見学コース入口
Entrance of Ryuokyo Ravine

No admission
Open every day
Level: Beginner hiker

~~CAUTION!~~

~~This gate is the entrance to the hiking trail but it is closed as of November 1, 2019.~~

~~Only the section between this entrance and near Nijimi Bridge 虹見橋 is closed because the trail falls down and fallen trees. (2 points are broken.)~~

~~Please take a detour.~~

It is open again on March 18, 2020.

Detour (Old Information)

Left

Tategoto Falls 竪琴の滝
Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋

Right

Musasabibashi Bridge むささび橋
Kawaji-onsen Station 川治温泉駅
Kawaji-yumoto Station 川治湯元駅

IMPORTANT

The explanation on the board at this fork is hard to understand for even Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese who can read the Kanji (Chinese characters).

The left side message indicates that the trail is dangerous 危険 and closed because of fallen trees that are located 150m ahead. This announcement is provided by Nikko City Office 日光市.
The right side message indicates that this is the hiking trail.

To get to the main sightseeing location Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋 on the hiking trail you need to bear LEFT.

The sign is misleading because in actuality, the closed section is farther ahead than Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋.
(The closed section is between the main entrance and near Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋.)

First, when I had read this board I took the right as indicated but it was wrong way. I noticed this when I saw Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋 in the distance. Then, I had to walk back.

If you want to continue walking to the northern part of the hiking trail such as Musasabibashi Bridge むささび橋 after seeing Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋, you can come back to this fork or you can keep walking on another trail from Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋 that is also goes to the northern area. However it is mountain trail and longer than taking left side.

Tategoto Falls 竪琴の滝

Tategoto 竪琴 means Harp. Harp Falls

Beautiful! I like this place!

There is a fork next to Tategoto Falls. You can take the route to Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋.

~~The route between this bridge and the main entrance is closed. You can't get to Nijimi Waterfalls 虹見の滝 and Goryuoh Shrine 五龍王神社.~~

Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋

I went there on November 1, 2019. Some typhoons came to Japan and it was raining hard last month, so the river was still very cloudy. The river is sometimes clear like Tategoto Falls 竪琴の滝 as pictured above.

Good time to see autumn leaves is usually the beginning of November around Ryuokyo.
When I went there on November 1, 2019 it was early to see it.
This year, I think it is the best season to see autumn leaves around the middle of November in 2019.

This view is Nijimi Waterfalls 虹見の滝 from Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋.

After crossing over Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋, you can keep walking on the mountain trail that is also goes to Musasabibashi Bridge むささび橋.

落石注意 Beware of falling rocks.

The trail extends along both sides of the river between Nijimibashi Bridge 虹見橋 and Musasabibashi Bridge むささび橋.

I asked the local person who works at nearby restaurant about these trails.

She has walked both trails, and recommended that I hike along the east side trail as I wanted to take only one side to get to Musasabibashi Bridge むささび橋, and I didn't want to come back along the other side of the river.
(I walked from Ryuokyo 龍王峡 Station to Kawaji-yumoto 川治湯元 Station.)

She also told me that according to some hiking maps, both trails seems extend close along the river, but actually the east side trail is located much closer to the river. You have more chance to see the river view from the east side trail.
The east side trail is more well-maintained with a boardwalk and is mainly flat.

The west side trail is more like a mountain trail and a little longer. It is possible to see the river. You can also enjoy the forest atmosphere rather than east side.

Which one would you like?

I took the east side trail.

Musasabi Rest House むささび茶屋

There is only one store Musasabi Rest House むささび茶屋 along the hiking trails.
This store offers a few kinds of beverages as well as food. At this store there are both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, such as canned beer.

* Please take all of your litter with you except for the items that are sold within the store.

Food
Oden
Tokoroten
Cup noodles
Snacks

Alcoholic Drinks
Beer
Sake
Chuhai
Non-alcoholic drinks
Coffee
Sweet Amazake (fermented rice drink)
and some kinds of non-alcoholic drinks

There is bathroom next to Musasabi Rest House むささび茶屋.

Asiatic Black Bear
ツキノワグマ Tsukinowaguma
This sign board says that the area is a wild bear habitat in the mountains.
In my opinion, don't worry about the bears too much. It is rare of bear witness report here.