Edo Wonderland

Nikko Edomura is a full-scale reconstruction of a town of the Edo period - a post station street, a merchant quarter, a samurai district, a ninja village and a magistrate's office - staffed by several hundred performers who stay in role, so the town is populated rather than empty. The programme runs to a timetable: a ninja show with wirework in a theatre built for it, a water-based ninja performance, an oiran procession, a courtroom drama in the magistrate's office played for comedy, and street performances of daikagura and taiko. Visitors can hire costume - townsman, merchant, samurai, ninja, or the more elaborate princess and oiran outfits - and spend the day dressed, which is what most Japanese visitors do. There is a haunted house, a maze and a small museum. It is squarely a theme park and does not pretend otherwise.

The main sights

• A populated town - several hundred performers staying in role through the day.
• A show timetable - ninja theatre, oiran procession and a comic courtroom drama.
• Costume hire - visitors dressed as townsfolk, samurai or ninja for the day.
• Full-scale reconstruction - post street, merchant quarter and magistrate's office.

When to go

April to November. A full day; plan around the show timetable.

What to expect

It is a theme park rather than a heritage site - nothing is original. Entry and costume hire are both expensive. Shows are in Japanese. Winter opening is reduced and the site closes for a period.

Nearby

Nikko's shrines are west; Kinugawa Onsen is north.