The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko
Add: 2482 Chugushi, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1661, Japan
Tel: +81 288-25-6666
Website: www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/tyonz-the-ritz-carlton-nikko
Visited on: March 2025
After leaving Nasu, we drove on toward Nikko. The mountain road ahead was famously winding, so we decided to return the car at Tobu-Nikko Station and continue up by taxi instead. For the next three days, the plan was simple: stay in, slow down.
離開那須之後，我們驅車前往日光。由於上山的路十分蜿蜒，所以決定在日光東武車站就將車還了，改搭計程車上山。接下來的三天，就打算在飯店裡悠閒渡過，不出門了。
Crazy hair pin twists
We were lucky – just two days before our arrival, Nikko had been blanketed in fresh snow. The journey up was lined with thick, powdery drifts, and for Em, it felt as though she had stepped straight into her beloved World of Frozen.
非常幸運地，在我們抵達前兩天，日光剛下過一場大雪。沿途盡是厚而蓬鬆的積雪，對 Em 來說，簡直像走進了她最愛的 Frozen 世界。
Nikko is home to the UNESCO-listed Futarasan Shrine, Nikko Toshogu, and Rinno-ji, but traveling with little ones meant we kept our cultural agenda intentionally light. We were mainly in Nikko for one reason – to try out the hotel described by many as “almost perfect” – The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko.
日光有著著名的世界遺產 “二社一寺”（二荒山神社、日光東照宮、日光山輪王寺），不過因為帶著孩子，我們沒有規劃太多的歷史文化行程。此行主要的目的，是入住那間被許多人稱為「幾乎完美」的 The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko。
定制的鐘，在客人離開時會敲響祝福。
Set along the shores of Lake Chuzenji, the hotel felt especially serene in that in-between moment of late winter and early spring, softened by lingering snow. The lobby was beautiful – a soaring space where wood, light, and air intertwined, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the snowy landscape and drawing the sunlight gently indoors.
酒店坐落在中禪寺湖畔，正對男體山。我們抵達時是冬末春初，有大雪的覆蓋，尤其安靜。一踏入大廳，果然很美。挑高的空間裡，木質、光影與空氣交織，整面落地窗將雪景與陽光毫無保留地引入室內。
We were guided to a seat by the fireplace for check-in. Hot tea for the adults, apple juice for the children – everyone’s happy.
我們被帶到火爐旁辦理 check-in。大人有熱茶，孩子有蘋果汁, everyone’s happy。
The lobby was busy in the afternoon, but as the elevator doors opened onto our floor, everything stilled. Plush carpets softened each step, corridors hushed to near silence (broken by none other than my own children…) A single cherry blossom branch had been placed outside each door, signifying the arrival of spring.
午後的大廳略顯熱鬧，但當電梯門在客房樓層打開，一切都安靜了。柔軟的地毯、無聲的走廊。每間房門前都插著一枝櫻花 – 窗外仍是白雪，但其實春天已經悄悄來了。
We stayed in a Lake Chuzenji View Room, about 57 square meters in size. Soft beiges and pale wood tones set the palette, creating a space that feels both light and warm. Nothing excessive, but all the details reveal a sense of craftsmanship.
我們入住的是 Lake Chuzenji View Room。約 57 平方米的空間，以日式簡約融合現代設計 – 米色與淺木色為主調，輕盈而溫暖。沒有多餘裝飾，卻在細節處處見工藝。
Wooden lattice screens gently divide the room, offering structure without interrupting the flow.
木格屏風將空間柔和地分隔。
Out on the balcony, a small patch of karesansui (dry landscape garden) became the children’s favorite playground over the next three days.
陽台有一小片枯山水，是孩子們這三天最愛的遊樂場。
The welcome fruit was Tochiaika strawberries, a local variety from Tochigi. Delicately textured and fragrant.
迎賓水果是是栃木縣當地的草莓品種 Tochiaika，果肉細緻，香氣甜美。
The children were also given a special treat: monkey-shaped chocolate cream monaka. I didn’t usually let Em have chocolate, but this felt like the kind of moment worth saying yes to.
孩子們額外獲得了猴子造型的巧克力奶油最中（monaka），平時不讓 Em 吃巧克力的我，也破例讓她開心了一次。
In the bathroom, a square soaking tub sits right beside a full-height window. Even during a bath, the lake and snow remain quietly within view.
浴室的方形浴缸緊鄰整面落地窗，自然光灑落，泡澡時也能欣賞湖與雪。
One of the dual vanities. Amenities from diptyque.
雙洗手台之一。備品皆來自 diptyque。
Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, Lake Chuzenji stretches out in stillness, with mountains layered softly in the distance. As the sun slips behind the mountains, the sky and lake take on hues of violet and gold, clouds drifting like cotton candy.
落地窗外，是靜靜鋪展的中禪寺湖與遠山，湖面反射著午後光影，像是一張流動的畫布。夕陽慢慢墜入山後，天空和湖被染上了紫與金，雲像棉花糖一樣。那一刻，真的很慶幸選了湖景房。
是誰的小腳印呢？
Breakfast at The Japanese Restaurant 早餐
Of all the meals we had during these three days at the hotel, the one I found myself looking forward to most was breakfast at The Japanese Restaurant.
這三天兩夜，我們幾乎沒有離開飯店，早餐、午餐、晚餐，都在這裡吃。其中我非常喜歡的是在 The Japanese Restaurant 的早餐。
At the entrance, an abundant arrangement of cherry blossoms.
餐廳入口處，一大束奔放的櫻花。
Breakfast offered a choice between Japanese and Western set menus, alongside a small but beautifully curated buffet of local milk, juices, and sweets.
早餐可選日式或西式套餐，另有一小區精緻的自助吧，提供當地牛奶、果汁與甜點。
Both sets begin with a salad made from local vegetables. Fresh, simple, vibrant.
無論哪一種套餐，都是從一份以在地蔬菜製作的沙拉開始。
My Western breakfast featured a perfectly made omelet – color, shape, and texture on point, I still find myself thinking about it.
我選的西式早餐裡有一顆完美的歐姆蛋，色澤、形狀與口感到現在都還讓我念念不忘。
A trio of petite breads, stamped with the hotel’s logo.
可愛的小麵包 trio，烙印著飯店 logo。
Mr. A chose the Japanese set, which looked just as delicious.
A先生選的日式套餐，看起來也非常可口。
Local milk, a must.
當地牛奶，每天都要來一瓶。
For the children, Japanese omelets and croffles (a croissant-waffle hybrid). The croffle itself was excellent, but it was the whipped cream – generously speckled with real vanilla seeds – that made it extra memorable. So on the second day, we ordered the exact same breakfast again (it may have been more for me than for the kids).
孩子們的兒童餐，第一天選了煎蛋捲和 croffle（可頌華夫餅）。Croffle 本身非常好吃，搭配的鮮奶油里還很有誠意地添了滿滿的香草籽，於是第二天又幫孩子點了同款早餐（其實是我自己想吃）。
We opted for room service the other morning. The spread was so generous it nearly outgrew the table, thankfully there’s an extended ledge by the minibar for the drinks. A small, clever design detail.
第二天，我們選擇在房內享用 room service。餐點豐盛到桌面不夠放，還好 mini bar 的延伸檯面派上用場，是個聰明的小設計。
Dinner at The Lakehouse 晚餐
On our first night, we tried the Momiji kaiseki at The Japanese Restaurant. It was pleasant, but not particularly memorable. A friend later told me that sukiyaki is the true highlight here (saving it for next time). Dinner on our second evening at The Lakehouse, on the other hand, lingered with me.
入住的第一晚我們試了 The Japanese Restaurant 的 Momiji 日式套餐料理，無功無過，並不令人驚艷，後來聽朋友說在這家餐廳選壽喜燒才是正解（只好下次了）。倒是第二晚在 The Lakehouse 的西式晚餐更讓我印象深刻。
The Lakehouse offers two seating times, and with children, the 5:30 pm slot is the only option. For us, it was perfect – early enough that the children were still happy, and timed just right for that fleeting, golden hour view out the windows.
The Lakehouse 分兩個入席時間，帶孩子的話只能選擇5:30pm的時段。這對我們來說也完美，一來孩子不會太累，二來正好是夕陽西下、窗外看出去最美的時刻。
The restaurant is overseen by Chef Kanji Kobayashi of the Michelin two-star and Green Star restaurant Villa Aida, and the cuisine draws its inspiration from the land itself. The menu we experienced reflected the transition from late winter to early spring – light, layered, expressive.
這裡由米其林二星及綠星雙重得主 Villa Aida 的主廚小林寬司 Kanji Kobayashi 擔任顧問，料理以「土地」為靈感。當晚的套餐是冬末初春的版本，清新而有層次。
The first course, Japanese butterbur, kale, iro-iro rice, opened with the gentle bitterness of spring vegetables balanced by the soft sweetness of multigrain rice.
第一道 Japanese butterbur, kale, iro-iro rice，以蜂鬥菜、羽衣甘藍、彩色雜谷飯開場，有著春季蔬菜的微苦與米飯的甘甜。
Next came smoked Itadaki trout, seasonal vegetables, presented in a crêpe. Beneath the tender spring vegetables lay delicately smoked trout, its flesh fine and fragrant with a subtle smokiness.
第二道 smoked Itadaki trout, seasonal vegetables 以可麗餅的方式呈現，春日蔬菜下方藏著鮮美的煙燻虹鱒，肉質細膩帶有煙薰香。
The third dish, mustard greens, rigatoni, paired the peppery bite of mustard greens with the richness of cheese, tucked into perfectly cooked tubes of pasta.
第三道 mustard greens, rigatoni，意大利水管面里塞著芥菜的辛香和芝士的濃郁。
4th course, carrot, buckwheat, minimalistic and delicious.
第四道 carrot, buckwheat 紅蘿蔔與蕎麥，極簡而美味。
5th course, sustainable fish (I forgot what fish it was, oops), spring onion, celeriac.
第五道 sustainable fish, spring onion, celeriac，白魚（忘了是什麼魚…）佐青蔥與芹菜根。
6th course, Tochigi kirifuri kogen beef, radish, dried vegetables.
第六道 Tochigi kirifuri kogen beef, radish, dried vegetables，栃木霧降高原牛佐白蘿蔔與乾燥蔬菜。
7th course, strawberry, beets, chocolate.
第七道 strawberry, beets, chocolate，甜點以草莓、甜菜與巧克力收尾。
There was also a small, heartfelt surprise. We happened to be staying over Mr. A’s birthday, and alongside a celebratory dessert plate, the restaurant presented a hand-drawn birthday card. Such a lovely, thoughtful touch.
最後還有一個小驚喜。我們入住期間正逢 A 先生生日，餐廳除了生日甜點盤之外，還附了一張手繪生日卡，太暖了。
Lunch at Lobby Lounge 午餐
After consecutive days of indulgent dinners, we decided to keep lunch simple at the Lobby Lounge.
帶著孩子天天吃大餐實在太累了，第二天決定在 Lobby Lounge 輕鬆解決午餐。
Nasu pork tonkatsu sandwich.
那須豬肉的炸豬排三明治。
Nasu white ham and Comté cheese sandwich.
那須白火腿 & 孔泰乳酪（Comté cheese）三明治。
Nikko cherry trout fish & chips. It was my first time having fish and chips made with cherry trout, the flesh tender and moist, so good.
日光櫻鱒 fish & chips。用櫻鱒做的 fish & chips 第一次吃到，肉質鮮嫩多汁，非常喜歡。
I had heard that the cocktails at Ritz Nikko are particularly well done, but we didn’t make it to the bar this time. Instead, I ordered a sencha gin and tonic with lunch…a small indulgence, just enough to satisfy the curiosity.
Ritz Nikko 的調酒聽說都很出色，這次沒機會去酒吧，趁午餐時間點了一杯煎茶 Gin and Tonic 解饞。
By lunchtime, some tables had already begun their afternoon tea. The set at the table next to us looked almost too pretty to touch. Even without staying overnight, coming here simply for afternoon tea seems like a lovely way to experience the hotel.
午餐時間已經有人在吃下午茶了，這是隔壁客人的 set，很美麗的樣子。即使不入住，來喝個下午茶似乎也是一種愜意的體驗方式。
Other Moments within the Hotel
Beyond the meals, there was, of course, the onsen. This is the very first property under The Ritz-Carlton brand to feature natural hot springs, and following the staff’s advice, I went around 2 pm – after the previous guests had checked out, and before the new arrivals began to filter in. The timing was perfect.
In the open-air bath, there was snow, a clear blue sky, and the soft curl of steam rising into the cold air. It would have been absolute stillness – if not for Em, happily chattering beside me the entire time 😆.
飯店裡的其他活動
除了吃，當然還有溫泉。這是 Ritz-Carlton 品牌第一間擁有溫泉的飯店，我照著工作人員的建議在下午兩點前往， 前一批住客已退房，新住客還未抵達 – 剛好避開人潮。露天風呂裡，有白雪、藍天、和空氣中緩緩升起的水氣。如果沒有 Em 一直唧唧呱呱跟我聊天，應該就完美了 😆。
當時還小小的，現在又長高了。
Onsen lounge. (No photos are allowed inside the baths, but images can be found on the hotel’s website.)
這是溫泉休息區。溫泉池裡無法拍照，照片可上官網看。
The hotel has also offers a handful of activities for younger guests, such as the Monkey Treasure Hunt and evening fireworks. I had initially worried that traveling with little ones might feel disruptive in such a serene setting, but upon arrival, it became clear how family-friendly the hotel is. There were many families like ours, and that alone made everything feel more relaxed.
飯店也有設計一些小旅人專屬的活動，比如 Monkey Treasure Hunt 尋寶遊戲，晚餐後的花火等。本來有點擔心帶著小小孩的我們會吵到其他客人，但抵達後發現飯店非常兒童友善，而且現場有很多跟我們一樣的家庭旅客，讓人放寬了心。
Although we didn’t make it to Nikko’s famed UNESCO sites, we did join a short, guided walk arranged by the hotel to Chūzenji Temple, just about ten minutes away on foot. The snow along the path delighted the children, and from the temple grounds, the view over Lake Chuzenji blanketed in white was breathtaking.
雖然這次沒有安排去日光著名的世界遺產 “二社一寺”，但有在飯店工作人員的帶領下參觀了步行10分鐘即能抵達的中禪寺。沿路的雪讓孩子們開心不已，從寺廟高處時望向中禪寺湖的雪景也令人讚嘆。非常幸運，能在這個季節造訪日光。
The hotel library also hosts a zazen meditation session led by a monk from Chūzenji Temple. Thanks to Mr. A for holding down the fort with both kids so I could slip away and sit in stillness, if only for a little while.
每天早上飯店的圖書館還有由中禪寺僧人帶領的坐禪，有興趣的人可以去體驗看看。（感謝此時此刻在房裡一打二的A先生，讓我能參加坐禪，享受片刻的安靜…）
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We barely stepped beyond the hotel during these three days. Travel used to mean full itineraries, checking one box after another. Now, it feels more like choosing a beautiful setting in which to simply be together as a family.
So, is The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko perfect? In terms of design and physical space, yes. Service-wise, there is still room for a touch more refinement – particularly in English communication and the coordination of activities. But none of that takes away from the desire to return. Next time, I would love to come back in a different season, to see the greens of summer, or the deep reds of autumn.
這三天，我們幾乎沒有離開飯店。以前旅行總是塞滿行程，現在更像是換一個地方，跟家人好好相處，珍惜還能一起出門的時光。
那麼，Ritz-Carlton Nikko 是不是完美？硬體幾乎無可挑剔。服務上，仍有些可以更細緻的地方，例如英文溝通與活動安排。但這並不影響我想再回來的心情。下一次，想在不同季節再訪，看看夏天的綠，或秋天的紅。