The Limited Express Kirifuri for Asakusa and Nikko

The Kirifuri is a limited express service operated by Tobu Railways that connects Tobu Nikko Station in Tochigi Prefecture with Tobu Asakusa Station in Tokyo. The train is named after a famous waterfall in Nikko, called the Kirifuri Falls.

The Kirifuri only runs on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, and there is just one Kirifuri service each way on these days. The Kirifuri is a little bit slower than more regular limited express services such as the Revaty Kegon, or the Spacia Kegon. However, the Kirifuri also has the cheapest fares for limited express services between these two destinations. All seats on this service must be reserved in advance, and there is a limited express surcharge in addition to the regular train fare.

At Tobu Nikko Station all limited express services arrive and depart at platforms 4, 5, and 6. At Tobu Asakusa Station all limited express services arrive and depart at platforms 3 and 4.

Key Destinations

The Kirifuri stops at the following nine stations:

Tobu Nikko – Shimo-Imaichi – Shin-Kanuma – Shin-Tochigi – Tochigi – Kasukabe – Kita-Senju – Tokyo Skytree – Tobu Asakusa

The key destinations and transfer points are listed below with rail fares (including limited express surcharges) and example journey times given from Tobu Nikko Station.

Tobu Nikko Station

The ancient town of Nikko is one of Japan’s major tourist destinations. Among its many shrines and temples, the Toshogu Shrine, Futarasan Jinja Shrine, and Rinnoji Temple, are all listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Nikko and nearby Oku-Nikko areas are also famous for their beautiful mountain scenery, many waterfalls, and hot spring spa resorts. Nikko and the Lake Chuzenji area are particularly popular in the fall for their spectacular displays of autumn leaf colors.

Shimo-Imaichi Station

This station is the transfer point for the Tobu Kinugawa Line which has services bound for the Tobu World Square theme park and the hot spring resort town of Kinugawa Onsen. The SL Taiju is a special steam locomotive service that runs on weekends and public holidays between Shimo-Imaichi and Kinugawa Onsen stations.

Shin-Tochigi Station

This station is the transfer point for the Tobu Utsunomiya Line.

Tochigi Station

Tochigi’s main sightseeing area is the old town of Kuranomachi which has many historic houses, temples, shrines, and especially wooden warehouses which are called “kura”. Local attractions include the Tochigi Kuranomachi Museum of Art which is located in three 200-year-old warehouses, the Tochigi Utamaro Museum which displays ukiyo-e prints by the artist Kitagawa Utamaro, and the Okada Memorial Museum which is the 500 year old residence of the Okada clan and has on display many fine antiques and historic artifacts. Boat tours on the Uzuma River are also a popular activity. Transfers can be made at Tochigi Station to the JR Ryomo Line.

Kasukabe Station

This station is the transfer point for Tobu Urban Park Line.

Kita-Senju Station

Kita-Senju Station is the transfer point for the JR Joban Line, the Tsukuba Express, and Tokyo Metro’s Chiyoda and Hibiya lines.

Tokyo Skytree Station

This station serves Tokyo Skytree which at 634 meters high is the world’s tallest tower. The Skytree is a popular tourist attraction in Tokyo with two observation decks at the top and lots of shopping and dining facilities below.

Tobu Asakusa Station

Asakusa is one of Tokyo’s main sightseeing and entertainment destinations. Among its top attractions are Sensoji Temple and its dramatic Kaminarimon gate, the retro rides at Hanayashiki Amusement Park, Nakamise shopping street, and the cheap and cheerful pubs of Hoppy Street.

Timetables

The Kirifuri only runs on weekends and public holidays. The times for the main stops on the Kirifuri’s route are given below:

INBOUND	Tobu Nikko	Tochigi	Tokyo Skytree	Tobu Asakusa
#284	13.59	14.43	16.01	16.05
OUTBOUND	Tobu Asakusa	Tokyo Skytree	Tochigi	Tobu Nikko
#281	10.29	10.32	11.41	12.34

Alternatives to the Kirifuri

The Revaty Kegon and the Spacia Kegon limited express services also run between the Tobu Nikko and Tobu Asakusa stations. These services run on weekdays as well as weekends and holidays and they are a little bit faster than the Kirifuri. While the Kirifuri takes 2 hours and 6 minutes to travel between Tobu Nikko and Tobu Asakusa Station, the Revaty and Spacia services take around 1 hour and 50 minutes. However, the Kirifuri is a little cheaper. While the Revaty Kegon costs 2,800 yen, and the Spacia Kegon costs 2,700 yen to complete the full journey, the Kirifuri costs only 2,390 yen.

Discount Passes

Because Tobu Railway is a private company its lines are not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. However, Tobu does have its own system of discount passes for international tourists. Special passes are offered that cover the Nikko area and the journey between Nikko and Asakusa. To find out more please visit the official Tobu Railway website.

Useful Links

The official Tobu Railway website has downloadable route maps of all the Tobu lines and complete timetables for all limited express services. To find the train times and routes that suit your own travel itinerary, we recommend using English language route finders like the Japan Transit Planner or Hyperdia.

Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.