Woah, world heritage...Nikko!
Hello together,
after visiting Enoshima and Kamakura, two days later, I made a one day trip to Nikko. ^^
Just can't get enough! :D
Nikko (日光市) is a city in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, approximately 140 km north of Tokyo and a popular destination for Japanese and international tourists. Nikko had been a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship for many centuries. Today Nikko with his shrines and temples is declared as a world heritage.
And it's totally easy to get to Nikko.
You can start just at Asakusa Station not far away from the Hostel.
There are some different types of tickets you can buy then, but I think, the most convenient is the "World Heritage Pass". It costs 3600 Yen for an adult and is a two day ticket, so if you have the time, you can stay for one night in Nikko! ^^ And this ticket included the admission fee for Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple and Futarasan Shrine, so you don't have to care about that either. ^^
The train ride to Nikko is about 2 hours with express and it's really fun. When big city buildings are more and more disappearing and you can see this beautiful nature, only small houses and villages. That fascinates me very much.
When we had arrived Nikko, we had to make the desicion to take the bus to all the places of interest (the bus is included in the ticket, too) or to have a maybe long, but really nice walk.
The decision was easy - and if you have the time, you should take a walk, too. ^^
Look at this pictures. Would be a pity, not to enjoy this! ^^
Our first aim was Shinkyo, the sacred bridge. Maybe you know this bridge already from pictures about Japan, it's really popular (and looks so wonderful). This bridge was build in the Nara period and should be something like the front entrance of the sacred place Nikko.
After making one billion of pictures later, we found the real today's entrance to the world heritage shrines and temples of Nikko. ^^
There's sooo much to see! ^^
When we went much more closer to all this beautiful places, you will see later, we realized, that it's getting totally cold (maybe because the many trees hold the sunlight back a little bit more). So please, wear thick clothes, if you visit Nikko in Winter. Special tip from freezed me! :D Icy!
The first temple, we visited was then Rinnoji Temple, we only had knew from pictures. This temple is one of the three main temples of Buddi\hism's Tendai sect founded in 766 A.D.. Because this temple is maybe in renovation at the moment, it's hidden in a big hall (which on the first sight seems a little bit strange, but when you went in, it's totally beautiful). To save all the ancient cultural monuments in there, unfortunately taking pictures wasn't allowed.
But inside this temple, you could see the three popular wooden and golden statues of Buddha, which are each 8,5 m high!
After that first impression, the further we go, the further it seems like entering another, old and ancient world. Fantastic, somehow surreal atmosphere, you'll never forget!
And suddenly you are lost in this magically world of shrines and temples - it's a huge area and so wonderful!
First you'll enter Toshogu Shrine, which is known for it's pompous buildings and richly coloured sculptures.
Here are some pics for you! ^^
I hope, all their wishes will come true!
And I was freezing so much, but look, how I can smile after five warm cans of coffee :D
We went more and more in this wood of mystery, being fascinated. ^^
After sneaking around for a long time, making pictures as much, as we could, we found them! ^^
The three monkeys!
You know them for sure!
And here's the explanation. ^^
After that, we were freezing more and more and so we did the only thing, which you can do then (even if it's two o`clock pm :D). Drinking some sake in a small izakaya directly in the temple area! ^^
Wow, it was such a big portion, in Germany this serving would be for two people! :D
But fortunately, we see the Taiyuin Mausoleum, where we went next, clear and not two times (ok, we felt a little bit dizzy, but warmer, too)! ^^ The Taiyuin Mausoleum was founded 16 years after the completion of Toshogu Shrine.
On our way back, we recognized a little fountain and it's water should have healing power. Some people put it's water in big bottles. ^^ And please don't throw coins in it! ^^
When watching at the clock, time has flew by so fast and we had to eat something. So we take the bus back to the big street near the station, where you can find much small stores and restaurants.
We choose this ramen restaurant, which I want recommend to you, too. It's totally nice in there and the ramen is really delicious! ^^ And the prices are great, too :D Sorry for that crooked picture, I swear, it wasn't the sake! ^^
And then I've eaten that big bowl and this small bowl and felt great (both together cost under 1000 Yen!!!). :D
Ahhh...yes...I really was hungry...
After eating these delicious things, we went back to the train station (as it was better to get the last train at 6:10 pm for us ^^).
The way back was around three hours, because the last train isn't an express train, but I've slept the whole time. ^^
Nikko with all it's temples and shrines is really great and fascinating!
And there were much more things, we couldn't get in one day - but we picked out really great places! ^^
So I think, you should visit Nikko, if you had the chance and time for a one day trip, when you are in Tokyo.
It's totally enjoyable and you feel like diving in the past! ^^
When my friends from Germany will visit me, I want to go there a second and third time (as often as possible ^^), because they really shouldn't miss Nikko!
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