Where to Eat in Nikko: 12 Popular Restaurants Around Nikko Station and Toshogu Shrine

1. Komekichi Kozushi

This small, family-run restaurant offers sushi, yuba, and local sake (Japanese alcohol) in an elegant, Japanese-style interior. There is an English menu available, and the friendly hospitality here has earned it great reviews from international visitors.

If you're new to eating sushi in a Japanese restaurant, don't be intimidated! The English-speaking staff are happy to explain the menu, and even give information about sushi etiquette. Vegetarian options are also available.

2. Hippari Dako

This lively restaurant offers a range of popular Japanese dishes like yakitori (grilled chicken), yakisoba (fried noodles), and ramen noodles. You can also try some of Nikko's famous yuba dishes, too. Visitors love the generous portions and affordable prices here.

International guests are very welcome, with English menus, vegetarian options, and even a post-it board with messages from other travelers. Located just a short walk from Shinkyo Bridge, this is a great place to recharge during a busy day of sightseeing.

3. Bar de Nikko Kujira Shokudo

Bar de Nikko Kujira Shokudo specializes in omurice (Japanese-style omelette over fried rice). You can customize your dish with sauces like curry or cheese, or even add yuba for some local flavor. Omurice is a home-cooking staple in Japan, and the beautiful presentation here really elevates the dish!

If you're looking to relax with a drink, this bar has a variety of local sake and beer from the Nikko area, and a tapas menu to choose from as well. 

4. Ramen Bonten Nikko

You can enjoy many different types of ramen at this popular spot, but the Strong Salt Ramen (from 700 yen) with thick noodles and a rich and savory tonkotsu (pork) soup base is a customer favorite.

If you're running low on energy from all the sightseeing, try one of their affordable and filling lunch combos with add-ons like rice bowls and gyoza. It'll be sure to keep you going!

5. Steak House Mihashi

Located near Kanaya Hotel, this long-running steak house is perfect for a special meal. If you're looking to try a true local delicacy while you're in Nikko, try the luxurious Tochigi Wagyu beef served here. The strict requirements that go into producing this high-quality beef means it's not available everywhere - in fact, Steak House Mihashi is one of the few places in the Nikko area where you can try it!

For more local flavor, be sure to try a side dish made with carefully-cultivated Nikko maitake mushrooms.

6. Meiji no Yakata

For a step back in time, visit Meiji no Yakata and enjoy elegant dishes inspired by the Western-influenced cooking of the Meiji era (1868 - 1912). The American-style cottage that houses this restaurant has been registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property. Elements of local cuisine like yuba and kanpyo (dried gourd shavings) lend these dishes a special flavor you can only have in Nikko.

Try the Rice Omelette (1600 yen plus tax)! Its chicken pilaf base and demi-glace sauce makes this a perfect example of Western-style Japanese cuisine.

7. Fudan Kaiseki Nagomi Chaya

Fudan Kaiseki Nagomi Chaya is a small restaurant that specializes in yuba dishes. Guests can choose from two kaiseki lunch menu options here: Yuba Kaiseki (2,500 yen plus tax) and Kaiseki Lunch (1,500 plus tax).

A Japanese kaiseki meal involves a course of small dishes, so this is an opportunity to enjoy yuba prepared in a variety of ways while you're in Nikko. Dishes are made with locally-grown vegetables and yuba made in-house, making this a wonderfully authentic experience of local cuisine.

8. Yasai Cafe Meguri

This vegan cafe serves nutritious set meals made with organic vegetables, some of which are grown by the owners themselves. A range of vegan sweets and cakes are also available to enjoy here.

Housed in a 100 year old building, this cafe has warm, home-style atmosphere. It can be hard to find truly vegan food in Japan if you don't plan ahead, so be sure to bookmark this one if you're planning to go to Nikko!

9. Beer Restaurant Nikko Enya

Beer Restaurant Nikko Enya serves a range of steaks, including local meats like premium Tochigi Wagyu beef and Nikko Himitsu pork. A variety of grilled skewers can also be ordered by the piece, which is a great way to try some cuts of meat you might not see back home.

Like the name suggests, there is an extensive beer menu with a range of both imported and local beers to choose from, too. This relaxed restaurant is the perfect place to wind down over a hearty meal.

 

10. Maruhide Shokudo

Maruhide Shokudo is a perfect choice for groups with different dietary preferences. There's dishes made with local Himitsu pork dishes for meat eaters, while the teriyaki yuba burger is sure to please any vegetarians in your group. For ramen with a local twist, try the Yuba Tomato Ramen (950 yen)!

It's located just a short walk from Tobu-nikko Station, so why not stop by for a meal before your travels?

11. Lancatlgue Cafe Nikko

Furnished with modernist furniture, you can relax and enjoy playlists selected by the staff to match the time and weather in this stylish cafe. Lancatlgue Cafe Nikko's dishes are made with fresh local and organic ingredients, and a daily special menu is also available.

Take a break and enjoy a light lunch here, or just drop in for cake and coffee. Their Yuba Pudding (400 yen) is recommended for anyone with a sweet tooth.

12. Hongu Cafe

Hongu Cafe is located in a renovated 300 year old house near the entrance to Nikko's temple district. Surrounded by trees, this warm wood-toned space is a wonderful place to take a break from temple-hopping. Enjoy a range of drinks and Japanese-style desserts like Matcha Pudding (550 yen) or Mugwort Dumplings (500 yen).

For something more substantial, try the popular Clam Chowder (1200 yen). Served in an impressive, Instagram-worthy bread bowl made from Kanaya Hotel Bakery's Royal Bread, this clam chowder is topped with local yuba and maitake mushroom.