I took the slow train to Nikko seven years ago and it was a blast, almost as interesting as Nikko itself. It leaves Tokyo and goes through increasingly suburban areas until finally you find yourself out in the sticks meeting local yokels who haven't seen foreigners before. (My friends and I had schoolgirls giggling amongst themselves about our eyebrows, of all things.)

Quite a fun change of pace from the more cosmopolitan lifestyle many of us get used to in Japan...