Sightseeing
Irohazaka Winding Road
📍 Nikko-shi, Japan
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3.6/ 5.0
★★★★☆
Introduction
Irohazaka is the famed mountain road linking central Nikko with Lake Chuzenji, in two sections ('first' and 'second') totalling about 48 hairpin curves, its name from the 47-syllable iroha alphabet. Each autumn the maples blaze red and the switchbacks wind like ribbons through the hills — a top Kanto drive for foliage.
✨ Highlights
1
48 curves
Two switchback sections; a driver's road.
2
Autumn foliage
Red maples turn the climb into a painting.
3
Lake link
The required route from Nikko to Chuzenji.
🛈 Practical Info
→Location：Irohazaka, Nikko-shi, Tochigi
→Time needed：about 30 min drive (excl. stops)
→Access：Car or Tobu/Nikko bus
💡 Tips
• Foliage season jams badly — go at dawn or on a weekday.
• Many hairpins; cyclists and drivers keep speed down.
• Lookout stops overlook the switchbacks.
FAQ
Any practical tips for visiting Irohazaka Winding Road?
Foliage season jams badly — go at dawn or on a weekday. Many hairpins; cyclists and drivers keep speed down.
