Originally Posted by
manneca
I went to Nikko, about three hours north of Tokyo and found it stunning. (One train a day makes the trip in about two hours.).....
... We wanted to rent a car to get into the countryside, but International Drivers Permits for Japan were required.
....
Both JR and Tobu lines go there. Must be more than 1 train a day. JR I think is via Utsunomiya and Tobu line is more direct. I can't remember the stn on Tobu line, about two or three stations before Nikko, the train dwindled down to two or three cars, then bunch more people got on. This is almost in the middle of nowhere and Tobu employees pushed passengers into the cars and we were packed in like sardines until the Nikko stn.
Coming down from the upper lakes area was a series of switch backs. Looking out from the bus is just straight down. It would be interesting driving it.