The core of Nikkō is the UNESCO-listed shrine and temple complex on the wooded slopes northwest of the town. The Tōshōgū Shrine is the centrepiece — one of the most lavishly decorated buildings in Japan, built in 1636 to enshrine the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Rinnō-ji Temple and the Futarasan Shrine complete the UNESCO site.
For nature, the road above the shrine precinct winds up the Irohazaka switchbacks to Lake Chūzenji and Kegon Falls, one of Japan's three great waterfalls. The falls are 97 metres high and best seen from the observation deck below the lip, reached by an elevator cut through the rock.
The Kanmangafuchi Abyss — a quiet lava gorge lined with stone Jizō statues — is one of Nikkō's best and least-crowded sights. The Cedar Avenue of Nikkō stretching south of the town is remarkable: 35 kilometres of cedars planted in the early 17th century, listed as a UNESCO heritage road.