The 10 Best Places to Eat in Nikko, Japan

Nikko in the Tochigi prefecture possesses a lot of historical architectures which are some of the world heritage sites like [shrines and temples in Nikko] for example. It is also the place where the western culture has rooted as a summer resort for foreigners. Because of this reason, it is its characteristic that many restaurants offer the authentic western dishes, starting with some hotels. The dish, using yuba (tofu skin) is famous, isn’t it? I’m introducing the local gourmets as well as the superb western foods which you may not want to miss!

1. The famous gourmet at the western-styled residence where you can feel the history in Nikko. [Seiyo-ryori Meiji-no-yakata]

The [Seiyo-ryori Meiji-no-yakata] was constructed in the forest in the Meiji-era as the second house of an American trader and is a stone built western-styled house restaurant. There are many familiar menus, such as rice with hashed meat, crab-cream croquette and beef hamburger-steak. They all sound delicious and you may be confused as to which one you should order.

The popular menu item among them is Omelette-rice. The fluffy egg on the ketchup-rice topped with the particular demi-glace sauce looks refined, but somehow a nostalgic flavour spreads out in your mouth. Their cheese-cake is also famous, so please try all these when you visit Nikko!

2. The local gourmet with crispy texture! Just in front of the Tobu-nikko station [Sakae-ya]

The [Sakae-ya] is just in front of the Tobu-nikko station which is a 3-minute-walk from the Nikko station. Nikko in the Tochigi prefecture is famous for yuba (tofu skin). Yuba is a food made from the thin sheet which is produced from tofu when it is heated. At this shop, the unique, [Age-yuba-manju] has been very popular. The normal yuba-manju made from the yuba and soy-milk is wrapped with the shop’s proud sheet and then fried.

The crispy batter and slightly sweet strained bean-paste go together really well. The yuba, soy-milk and bean-paste are all produced in Nikko and they are the recommended gourmets made from the elaborate ingredients. I hope you will try and taste it!

3. Enjoy the travel sentiment, tasting the station-lunch! A company with your Nikko sightseeing [Sansho (Japanese pepper)-to-ekiben(packed lunch)-no Aburagen]

The [Sansho-to-ekiben-no Aburagen] has been a long-established restaurant since the Edo-era. You can enjoy the [Yuba-chirashi Bento] using plenty of a Nikko product, yuba, at this restaurant which is a 20-minute-walk or a 5-minute-ride in a car from the Tobu-nikko station. This is one of the recommended dishes of the famous product, yuba which you can taste until you are satisfied.

Apart from the famous product, yuba, the prawns, egg, Japanese butter-bur and the seasonal colourful namafu (wheat gluten mixed with rice flour and steamed in large blocks) is topped on rice. You can enjoy the colourful bento (packed lunch) not only with your tongue but also with your eyes! Why don’t you stroll around in Nikko, having the home-made packed lunch with the local ingredients with carried along you?

4. The first beef-steak specialist in Nikko! [Steak House Mihashi]

The [Steak House Mihashi] is recommended for people who want to eat a filling and juicy steak. This is the long-established locally famous beef-steak specialist who has been running for more than 40 years in Nikko. You can enjoy the carefully selected superb meat, such as the special Tochigi Japanese beef and black Japanese beef prepared on the piping hot iron-pan.

Apart from the steak, the hamburger and the grilled local chicken have been prepared for the people who are not very keen about steak. The interior has a nice good olden time atmosphere. Please drop in at this restaurant on your Nikko sightseeing trip.

5. The excellent shaved-ice at the old-styled Japanese house! The summer gourmet! [Nikko Coffee Goyohteidori]

What we want to eat in a hot summer is a cold sweet, shaved-ice, isn’t it? Using the cold winter and abundant water in Nikko, the natural ice is created, taking a long time. You can enjoy the shaved-ice, using the ice from the maker of the natural ice, [4th generation ice-maker, Tokujiro] at this [Nikko Coffee Goyohteidori]

This shop is an old-styled Japanese house café which used to be a merchant house in the Taisho-era. So, you can experience a good olden time Japanese atmosphere. The shaved-ice in such an atmosphere is irresistible! Please enjoy the surprisingly fluffy shaved-ice with the black syrup to the full.

6. The luxurious gourmet, the famous Nikko products, trout and yuba together! [Nikko Masu-zushi Honpo]

[Nikko Masu-zushi Honpo] is in the premises of the Tobu-nikko station. The local gourmet which you can buy here is the beautiful luxurious Masu-zushi in which the home-made yuba is inserted between the bright coloured superb trout. The rice is the koshihikari (brand) produced in Takanezawa. The trout and rice are firmly packed, so the meal is very filling!

When you eat a mouthful of this Nikko Masu-zushi, the refined vinegar sourness and the sweetness of the trout and yuba spread out in your mouth. It doesn’t last long, but you could buy it as a souvenir. It is so popular that before the evening it may be sold out, so please be aware of it. It is worth visiting there.

7. Very refreshing on the way down! The less-sweet Japanese sweet which you can taste in Nikko [Kibira-no-yohkan-honpo]

In Nikko which has been blessed with the clear water surrounded by Mother Nature, there are many shops which have been selling the Mizu-yohkan (a bar of sweet jellied azuki-bean paste). You may be confused in front of the lined up yohkan shops, as to which shop you should enter. The [Kibira-no-yohkan-honpo] which is a 5-minute-ride in a car from the Tobu-nikko station is recommended for people who are not keen on a very sweet yohkan.

The Mizu-yohkan from the Kibira-no-yohkan-honpo has the firm flavour of the azuki-bean, characteristic for being less sweet and refreshing. You can enjoy the different profound azuki-bean flavour. They are additive-free and are made with a labour of love. Why don’t you choose this product as your souvenir?

8. The local gourmet using the delicious water in Nikko! [Okorogawa Sankirai]

In Nikko where the water is delicious, the local gourmet which I’d like you to enjoy is the shop of the Japanese-styled food, buckwheat noodles. When you want to eat the superb buckwheat noodles in Nikko, try to go and taste some at the famous restaurant, [Okorogawa Sankirai] which is a 16-minute-ride in a car from the Shimokomatsu station in the Nikko-city. This shop is located in the deep mountains and is the buckwheat noodle shop well known to those in the know. You can taste the exquisite buckwheat noodles cultivated in the local area and are home-milled.

Apart from the aromatic buckwheat noodles made with buckwheat flour only, you can enjoy the fresh yuba, cold yuba-noodles with the yuba tempura on the top, cold sudachi (Japanese citrus) noodles which have a cool-appearance to your eyes and all are recommended. Please drop in there when you visit Nikko.

9. Feeling the Taisho romanticism! The Nikko classic gourmet [Nikko Kanaya Hotel Craft Lounge]

The Kanaya Hotel is the oldest resort hotel in Japan. The [100-nen (100 years) Curry] has been reproduced, based on the recipe which has been found in the warehouse of the Kanaya Hotel. You can taste this [100-nen Curry] at the Craft Lounge on the 1st floor of the Nikko Kanaya Hotel.

This [100-nen Curry & rice] is richer compared to a usual curry and a somewhat nostalgic flavoured mellow western-styled one. You can choose your favourite among beef, chicken, turkey and fried rainbow-trout. If you are a curry lover, it is a gourmet which you want to taste just once. Please enjoy the exquisite dish at the oldest resort hotel in Japan.

10. The traditional gourmet since the Edo-era! [Nikko Miyamae-dango]

The [Nikko Miyamae-dango] which started its business in the 8th year of Kyoho (1723) has been offering the unique dumpling made from rice and rice-flour without using the glutinous rice. The dumplings which are made in the same way as the one at the time of its establishment are grilled in aromatic dipping in the secret sauce and miso and are topped with raw sugar.

The dumplings from the [Miyamae-dango] give you a good olden time taste and they are famous as a lucky gourmet. The antique looking interior makes the taste more nostalgic and the atmosphere is fantastic. When you visit Nikko in the Tochigi prefecture, please enjoy the dumplings which you can’t taste the same at any other place. They may be a good company for your trip if you take them with you!

Let’s enjoy the Nikko gourmets which were born through history and Mother Nature!

Have you found any interesting thing in this article? I’ve introduced the 10 local gourmets which I would like you to taste when you visit Nikko on your sightseeing trip. Everything sounded tasty, didn’t it? The sightseeing spot, Nikko which you can get to by car from Tokyo has a lot of gourmets which have grown, receiving the blessing from nature and through its history. Please enjoy the superb gourmets which only Nikko can offer! Of course, please enjoy the sightseeing spots in Nikko as well.