This Luxury Hotel Is in a Japanese National Park—With an On-site Onsen, Kaiseki Dining, and Stunning Lake Views

When most travelers visit Japan, many stick to the gilded shrines of Kyoto or the neon-lit streets of Tokyo—and there’s nothing wrong with that, but that’s only half the story. The country has so much to offer to those willing to get off the beaten path.

Slip two hours north of Tokyo and you’ll find Nikko, a mountain town packed with UNESCO World Heritage Site-recognized temples and crisp alpine air—yet the crowds never quite reach the same peaks they do down south. Locals and travelers in the know have long recognized the area’s beauty, but Ritz-Carlton planted the region’s first international five-star flag here in 2020. After a week at the property last autumn, I finally see why brand loyalists rate this place among its best-in-class.

And sure, Nikko might be a little out of the way, but getting here is all a part of the fun. You can make the two-hour trek from Tokyo’s Asakusa Station aboard the Spacia X train, which launched in 2023.

Standard seats are fine, but the Cockpit Suite—a snug 120-square-foot nook up front—steals the show. Inspired by Nikko Kanaya Hotel, Japan’s oldest resort hotel, the suite has interesting retro design elements and gets you access to Goen Café, where a cold Nikko Original Craft Beer offers a taste of what’s coming. Then comes the half-hour climb to Okunikko (“inner Nikko”)—as the train weaves through maple-draped switchbacks, you’ll spot local macaques lounging on guardrails, watching you inch along as if it’s their personal roadside cabaret.

The Ritz-Carlton staked out prime real estate, claiming the 1898 Lakeside Hotel grounds between the Italian and British Embassy Villa Memorial Parks—it’s a diplomatic lineage that’s far from just for show. In June 2023, the property hosted the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Gender Equality, reaffirming Nikko’s cachet. Inside, 94 rooms blend political pedigree with the area’s natural scenery. The Ritz-Carlton preserved historic details like century-old shelving and original onsen (hot spring) plumbing without crossing into museum territory.

My suite overlooked Mount Nantai’s seasonal theatrics and served as the perfect setting for my time at the Ritz-Carlton, Nikko: dawn prayers with the resident monk, languid soaks in black-stone baths, and lake excursions skirting the former villas that once hosted Europe’s political elite.

“Experiences like a sacred fire ceremony at Chuzenji Temple are scarce in Japan,” general manager Alexander Westwood McBride said. “It’s our way of bridging both living history and unspoiled wilderness.”

That philosophy extends to the culinary lineup, where Italian-style aperitivos precede traditional kaiseki feasts, echoing the property’s east-meets-west undertones. At this hotel, you can live like a diplomat, meditate like a monk, and soak in hot springs like those famously unruffled snow monkeys.

This is what it’s like to stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko.

The Rooms

There are eight different room types at the Ritz-Carlton, Nikko, with options ranging from double or king beds, mountain or river views, and a selection of plush suites. Entry-level Riverside Garden Rooms measure a generous 613 square feet—a pleasant shock if you’ve ever squeezed into one of Tokyo’s shoeboxes.

The rooms’ interiors were dreamed up by the Australian Layan Design Group, and feature the use of natural materials and hand-finished details. A genkan (a traditional Japanese entryway) entrance—yes, do leave your shoes at the door—opens to shoji screens and a private engawa porch, creating a natural indoor/outdoor flow that anchors guests to the surroundings. Inside the bathroom, a collaboration with Nikken Space Design produced stone rotenburo (soaking tubs) precisely angled to take in the national park’s greenery through floor-to-ceiling windows—a scenic warm-up for your onsen soak. If you want the full ryokan treatment, opt for the 2,981-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Suite, complete with a private fitness area, massage room, and tatami-lined meditation area.

Food and Drink

Tochigi Prefecture’s agricultural renown takes center stage at each one of the property’s four drinking and dining venues: the Japanese Restaurant, the Western-style Lakehouse, the Lobby Lounge, and the Bar.

The Japanese Restaurant serves up three distinct offerings—sushi, teppanyaki, and kaiseki. During lunch, guests can choose from gozen sets, which involve a main entree served with rice and a collection of colorful side dishes. The Nikko-Gozen set is inspired by the favorite dishes of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled until the Meiji era in 1868. I was fond of the eggplant, beef, and yuba (a regional tofu skin specialty) dish.

Meanwhile, the Lakehouse, now led by Michelin two-star Chef Kanji Kobayashi, presents a clever east-meets-west spin—his Nikko-egg carbonara could convert any fusion skeptic. And during afternoon tea in the lobby, Tochigi Prefecture’s finest produce gets the spotlight: Nakagawa eel braised in red wine perched atop burdock tartlets, and meticulously layered chestnut parfait.

Over at The Bar, veteran mixologist Daisuke Tagami uses ice sourced from mountains to elevate cocktails like the Farmer’s High—a surprising harmony of sweet potato shochu, coconut, and cheese (yes, cheese). After dark, don’t skip The Bar’s collaboration with ramen brand Afuri: a yuzu-shio broth crafted with Mount Afuri spring water served in handmade bowls—it pairs well with the 80-label Japanese whiskey stash.

Activities and Amenities

I was ready to write off the activities menu as standard “luxury hotel perk” material—until I found myself in the lotus position, meditating alongside a Buddhist monk from a nearby temple.

The property’s deep ties to Nikko’s religious hubs unlock options typically reserved for locals and long-term devotees: private fire ceremonies at Chūzen-ji Temple, Shinto kagura dance performances in festival months, and more. You can also try your hand at furoshiki cloth wrapping or even craft prayer beads, but the real activity highlights align with the seasons. You can meditate near a waterfall in the spring, fish in clear streams in the summer, hike the national park in the fall (locals say the foliage is even better than Kyoto’s), and backcountry ski in the winter.

Getting easy access to Lake Chūzenji is perhaps one of the best amenities of staying at the Ritz-Carlton, Nikko. A ticket on a lake cruise lets you admire the basin from the water, drifting past preserved embassy summer homes—the Italian and British villas are the real standouts. It’s particularly spectacular in the fall, as maple and ginkgo foliage ignite the shoreline in vivid color.

The Spa

Nikko understood wellness long before “spa day” was a trend, and the resort’s onsen is proof. Fed by the mineral-rich springs of Yumoto onsen, the sulfuric water is a toasty 104 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows frame Mount Nantai, and you can book a private rotenburo that offers more discreet soaking. The Ritz-Carlton Spa menu here draws from local customs, and there are treatments on offer utilizing sake lees from a 150-year-old Tochigi brewery and volcanic stones that may have tumbled from Mount Nantai itself. There’s a 24-hour fitness center, too, stocked with weight machines, ellipticals, treadmills, and a sauna, but you’ll probably log more steps hitting the trail to the waterfall at sunrise.

Family-friendly Offerings

Technically, this is not a kids’ resort, but that doesn’t mean the property won’t work for families with children. There isn’t a standard kids’ club, but there are experiences here that can engage guests of all ages: relaxed temple tours tailored for shorter attention spans, e-bike excursions, plus seasonal fun like stargazing or paddleboarding. A family trip doesn’t have to feel like a compromise, and the Ritz-Carlton, Nikko, may just offer the right mix of culture, adventure, and, yes, the occasional meltdown-free moment.

Accessibility and sustainability

The property is made from several local materials, including Nikko and Ōya stone, regional cedar, and copper sourced from the nearby Ashio mine. The onsen operates on a closed geothermal system from Yumoto hot springs, while the kitchens use local ingredients sourced directly from Tochigi farmers. The hotel also has on-site electric charging stations and earned a Green Key certification (a mark of environmental responsibility) in 2024.

There is one room type, the King Bed with Garden View, that has accessibility features for those with limited mobility. The main entrance, fitness center, and restaurants are all accessible and valet parking can accommodate vehicles for people who use wheelchairs. The property has elevators and service animals are welcome.

Location

At 95 miles north of Tokyo, Nikko is an easy two hours away by car or train. It’s a three-hour drive if you’re coming directly from Narita International Airport (NRT) or Haneda Airport (HND). But, once you get to the hotel, you’ll be in the mountains of Nikko National Park, which has a microclimate with four distinct seasons—yes, real ones.

The entire circumference of Lake Chūzenji measures a little over nine miles and is lined with scenic trails. 318-foot-tall Kegon Waterfall is one of Japan’s three great waterfalls (and probably the least crowded, too), and it’s an easy five-minute stroll from the hotel. Winter typically sees an average of 16 feet of snowfall, while cherry blossoms bloom a cool two weeks behind Tokyo.

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay

Book through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts if you want sweet extras like early check-in, late checkout, and complimentary daily breakfast for two. If you book a trip before Oct. 15 this year, you can get a $125 property credit to use during your stay.

Since the Ritz-Carlton brand is a part of Marriott, you can book this property or earn points through the Marriott Bonvoy program. Since Marriott uses dynamic pricing rather than an awards chart, points prices fluctuate depending on demand. Peak pricing lands during cherry blossom season (late March and April) and autumn foliage season, which roughly takes place from October through November. Insider tip: the Lake View rooms in the west wing—specifically floors three through five—deliver a prime panorama without gouging your wallet.

Nightly rates at the Ritz-Carlton, Nikko start at 133,000 JPY (about $911 USD).