A lot of travelers hit Nikkō on a long day trip from Tokyo but I think it's worth staying for a couple nights, as we did. Connections from destinations besides Tokyo are sketchy but it's worth the detour. We had to take 3 trains to get there from Karuizawa but it was worth it to see the Tokugawa clan's former stomping grounds. Absolutely beautiful small city that is unspoiled, no McDonald's, no Starbucks, and there are tourists but nowhere near the level of a destination like Kyoto, for example.