Yunoko 湯ノ湖

A lovely way to finish a trip to Nikko

On some trips to Nikko, I've visited Okunikko, the region above Nikko proper. Once, I took the bus up to the lake, Yunoko, and on another trip, I walked in for over three hours through Senjogahara marshland. I highly recommend the meandering trail which leads you through marshes, along boardwalks and rough trails, to see this gorgeous landscape teeming with wildlife. At the trailhead, another visitor wondered aloud if she could see woodpeckers, and just beyond the wildlife interpretation sign, there was one clinging to a tree. Yunoko itself is spooky with the steam rising off the hot springs. Around the lake are some hotels that offer day visitors a relaxing and peaceful onsen experience.