NATURE OF NIKKO

The post-merger city of Nikko covers a large area (1,449.87 km2) of rural northwestern Tochigi. It is the third-largest city (by area) in Japan.

Lake Chuzenji and the Kegon Falls lie in Nikko, as does the Nikko Botanical Garden. The city's many mountains and waterfalls have made it an important source of hydroelectric power.

The weather in Nikko is fairly similar to that of Hokkaido even though it is much closer to Tokyo than Hokkaido. The elevation of Nikko plays an important role in this fact. It will usually get cooler as one ascends the mountain.

The average temperature of Nikko is around 7°C (44°F) with the warmest months reaching only about 22°C (72°F) and the coldest reaching down to about -8°C (17°F).

Nikko experiences a humid continental and hemiboreal climate with cold, snowy winters and predominantly mild, very wet summers. Nikko is situated at an altitude of 1298m above sea level.