Nikko (日光）

Yesterday, I went to Nikko. It's a famous place in Japan that is actually in Tochigi prefecture. It's also easy and inexpensive to get to. I had hoped to see some fall foliage (紅葉 - koyo), but there wasn't much yet.

But there is plenty to see. Tokugawa Ieyasu's mausoleum is there, along with several shrines and temples. Tokugawa founded the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled Japan from 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was born in Okazaki Castle, which I've visited before.

To get to Nikko, I went to Utsunomiya, and took a train to Nikko. Tobu Railways also operates an express train from Tokyo to Nikko. Here is some harvested rice, seen from the train.


Here is the JR Nikko Station. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It started operation in 1890.

The weather was beautiful, but it's a long weekend, so it was crowded. There are a lot of good hiking trails, but you have to take a bus from the train station in Nikko. With the crowds, what would normally be a 45 minute bus ride was taking 3 hours. So I stayed in Nikko proper and walked everywhere. I love my hiking boots! And I'll come back to Nikko for the hiking.

Nikko is surrounded by mountains. It's been a summer getaway for Tokyoites for centuries.












This is the sacred Shinkyo bridge.










Here is a view of the Shoyo-en strolling garden. Another week or so, and the maples will look gorgeous!

















This is Sanbutsu-do. It's the largest temple in the Nikko mountains.

Usually, I think of zen-like simplicity when I think of Japanese architecture. However, the mausoleum and shrines were built to amaze and impress. So, there is a lot of ornate detail.




















































Have you heard about the "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" monkeys〔三猿）? They are a carving on one of the buildings in Nikko.













Another famous carving is the Sleeping Cat (眠り猫）. You have to pay extra to see this carving, and go up to the shrine behind it.

As an aside, I am voting by absentee ballot this year. I have my ballot, but I need to have an American witness that I voted my ballot without anyone doing it for me. The only other two Americans that I knew in Nasukarasuyama have since moved. So, I brought my ballot along with me, since Nikko is a touristy place. I managed to find a nice American (Thanks, Elizabeth from Ohio!) to witness my voting and sign my envelope so I can send it in this week.
Here you can see how crowded it was.









There is plenty of nature around, too. These cryptomeria (a cypress called Japanese Cedar) tress are TALL!


























Let no-one accuse the Japanese of taking religion too seriously.















Here are some more pics for your enjoyment.