All Reviews of Irohazaka Winding Road

While visiting Nikko, I took a bus to Lake Chuzenji. Along the way, it passed through the very famous Irohazaka Winding Road (いろは坂). Its most distinctive feature is the seemingly endless series of hairpin turns as the road keeps climbing up the mountain, with views of the forested mountains from different angles along the way. I was originally looking forward to enjoying the scenery outside the window, but once I actually rode the bus, I realized that this mountain road was much more thrilling than I had imagined!

The bus kept turning left and right, with a sharp curve every short distance. As it twisted and turned, I started to feel dizzy and even a little nauseous. Motion sickness was really unpleasant. Although the scenery along the way was beautiful, I wasn't in the mood to enjoy it at all and just hoped the bus would reach the destination soon.

In Nikko, you’re sure to pass through the famous Irohazaka Winding Road! The most distinctive thing about this mountain road is its series of curves. As it winds its way up the mountain, driving here really feels like a “mountain road adventure.”

As you head farther up the mountain, the scenery outside the window keeps changing, from forests to valleys, with the view becoming more and more expansive. Especially during the fall foliage season, the entire mountain turns red and yellow, and driving through scenery like this is truly beautiful.

Irohazaka is also an important road for reaching Nikko attractions such as Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls, so it’s usually included in the same itinerary. Although there are many curves along the way, they also make enjoying the mountain scenery more fun.

Passing through Irohazaka this time, I felt that it’s not just a “transportation route,” but part of the Nikko travel experience itself. If you come to Nikko by car or bus, seeing these continuous curves and the mountain forest scenery will help you appreciate Nikko’s natural beauty even more!

The Irohazaka mountain road is full of twists and turns, but the bus driver was incredibly skilled. I didn’t feel scared or carsick at all going up or down the mountain.

Watching the mountains covered in red autumn leaves through the window was amazing, and every turn brought a different view.

Even better, we didn’t run into the traffic jams we’d heard about. Being able to enjoy this fall foliage trip without having to drive ourselves made it absolutely perfect.