Nikko · Shinkyo Bridge and the shrines and temples

Shinkyo Bridge

How to get there and what to see · facts checked 2026-10-24

A red-lacquered wooden bridge at the entrance to the Nikko shrines and temples. It belongs to Futarasan Shrine and is part of the World Heritage site.

Nearest station: 20 min walk from Tobu-Nikko / JR Nikko Station
Hours: Apr–Oct 8:30–16:30; Nov–Mar 9:30–15:30
Admission: Adults ¥300; high school students ¥200; elementary and junior high students ¥100

What to see

The red bridge: 28 m long, 7.4 m wide and 10.6 m above the water. It is an Important Cultural Property.
One of Japan's three "strange bridges", with Kintaikyo in Yamaguchi and Saruhashi in Yamanashi.
Giboshi: the onion-shaped post caps should number ten but only nine remain on the bridge; the tenth is kept in Futarasan Shrine's treasure hall.
Night lighting: the bridge is lit up after dark.

History

Legend says the monk Shodo Shonin, blocked by the rapids in the late Nara period, prayed, and two snakes appeared whose backs sprouted sedge that formed a bridge. It became the red bridge seen today in 1636. A flood washed it away in 1902, and it was rebuilt in 1904.

Getting there

The bridge's own website gives 20 minutes on foot from Tobu-Nikko or JR Nikko Station, or 5 minutes by bus. Get off at the "Shinkyo" stop.

Address：Kamihatsuishimachi, Nikko, Tochigi

Directions in Google Maps →Official website →

Before you go

The official pages do not say whether this fee is for crossing the bridge, and we could not confirm the lighting hours.

Station and shrine area

Tap a red pin to open that sight's page.

Nearby sights

← Nikko guide: trains from Tokyo

Sources

Hours, prices and history come from the official websites and public tourism pages listed here. They can change, so check the official site before you go.