Rykene or Rygene is a village located along the river Nidelva in Agder county, Norway.

Rykene is located about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the town of Grimstad and about the same distance south of the city of Arendal.

Historically, the village grew up due to its close proximity to forests as the timber was floated down river to the sawmills in Rykene.

[1] The village sits along the river Nidelva, at a waterfall called Rygene.

The name comes from the Old Norse name: rjúkandi which means "smoking", possibly referring to the mist at the base of the waterfall.