Tokyo to Lake Chuzenji and Ryuzu Falls: Private day trip

This is Japan's highest natural lake of its size, where autumn colors arrives weeks before the lowlands. What to see:

• Lake Chuzenji, created roughly 20,000 years ago when an eruption of Mount Nantai dammed the Daiya River valley
• Kegon Falls, a 318-foot (97 m) cascade counted among Japan's three most beautiful waterfalls, with an elevator descending to a viewing platform at its base
• The Irohazaka switchback roads, 48 hairpin bends named after the 48 characters of the classical iroha alphabet

What to do:

• See the Akechidaira Plateau, reached by ropeway, for a panoramic view taking in the lake, the falls and Mount Nantai together
• Visit the Chuzenji Temple, founded in 784 by the monk Shodo Shonin and home to a Kannon statue carved from a living tree

What to eat:

• Himemasu, the kokanee salmon introduced to the lake in the Meiji era, served grilled with salt or as sashimi at lakeside restaurants
• Yuba ramen, a highland twist on Nikko's signature tofu skin

What to buy:

• Smoked and dried himemasu, vacuum-packed for travel
• Local sake and mountain-water craft beer
• Handmade wooden crafts and lake-themed prints from shops near the boat pier

Take note:

• Foliage at the lake peaks earlier than in Nikko, usually early to mid-October, thanks to the elevation
• Temperatures here run several degrees cooler than the valley below, so pack an extra layer
• The Kegon Falls elevator charges a separate fee and can queue during peak foliage weekends

Ryuzu Falls splits around a boulder into twin streams said to resemble a dragon's head.

What to do:

• View the falls from the teahouse at their base, where a picture window frames the cascade and the maples above it
• Walk the riverside path alongside the Yugawa, a gentle 20-minute climb beside the rushing water
• Continue upstream towards Senjogahara Marshland for a longer highland walk on raised boardwalks

What to see:

• Ryuzu Falls, a 688-ft (210 m) cascade that slides down a slope of solidified lava laid by Mount Nantai's eruptions instead of plunging vertically
• Japanese maple and Kalopanax turning scarlet directly over the water, making this one of Nikko's most photographed autumn scenes

Take note:

• The riverside path has steps and can be slippery when wet, so wear sturdy shoes