Wandering Japan: A day trip in Nikko
While I was in Japan, working on a long term project, I had the opportunity to visit the country. I did many trips either of one day or weekends. It was always an adventure and a very rewarding experience, visually and socially. The trip illustrated below is a one day trip to Nikko.
The day started in Tokyo on a Saturday morning early by train as always here, where convenience and efficiency is paramount. After about 90 min of scenic views, we arrived in Nikko. There is a lot to see just in walking distance from the train and you can easily fill a day of visit.
Shinkyo Bridge 神橋
At 28 meters long and nearly eight meters wide, the beautiful, vermilion-lacquered Shinkyo Bridge sits at the entrance to the Nikko mountains. According to legend, Buddhist monk Shodo, the first head priest of Nikko, asked the mountain deities for help crossing the Daiya River, at which point two snakes appeared and transformed into a bridge. The bridge belongs to Nikko Futarasan-jinja Shrine and was designated a World Heritage site in 1999. Caption courtesy of the Nikko Official guide
Wondering away from the station, after passing the Shinkyo bridge, I arrived at the Toschogu temple, a place rich of historical architecture, intermingled spirituality of Shintoism and Buddhism, and of course tourists with cameras 🙂
Toshogu Shrine (東照宮, Tōshōgū) is a magnificent memorial to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, "Great Deity of the East Shining Light". Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 17th century.
(Caption courtesy: Japan-guide.com)
Visiting crowd
🔼 "see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil" monkeys 🔼
After exhausting the rich views of the temple, eating in small shops, I ventured further to the lake and on the way catching of view of the Kegon falls. I then made my way back to the city and the train.
There was a lot more to see but I will leave it to you or my next trip to Nikko.
Among other remarkable sites you will want to hit:
Kanmangafuchi Abyss, 憾満ヶ淵, the Chuzenji Lake Observation deck, and for those with the weekend available, the Nikkowanoshiro Onsen.
Come visit Niko and enjoy!
On the Tobu line or the JR I do not exactly remember
The images above are part of a larger project created and owned by Patrick Metzger. © 2000 - 2023 Eclecbeauté All rights reserved.
