Attractions and Tips When Touring Nikkō
When thinking about the nation of Japan, there are quite a few locations that probably pop into your mind. The obvious for many being Tokyo, the technological metropolis that everyone equates to Japanese culture. It could be Mount Fuji, the standard photo you often see in travelling pictures. If your a history buff or interested in the development of Japanese culture, maybe it is Kyoto or Nara. One place that probably won’t come to mind is Nikkō. That’s not to say there isn’t many international people who make their way to Nikkō, but it is often from being told by the Japanese to visit Nikkō. There is a popular saying, “Nikkō o mizushite “kekkō” to iunakare.” This essentially means, “Never say “beautiful” or “satisfied” until you see Nikkō!”
Getting to Nikko
Nikkō station is not on the main rail line of the Shinkansen, better known as bullet trains around the world. Meaning you will have to take a local line to get to Nikkō. This is by no means difficult, as once you get off the Shinkansen at Utsonomiya station, there are signs that direct you to the conveniently named Nikkō Line. There are huge posters claiming “Nikkō is Nippon (Japan)”, as you walk through Utsonomiya station. It’s a pretty slow train having to make stops at everything in between, with no seeming option for rapid transit that are often offered on other local lines. That being said it’s a rather cheap ride at only 900 yen and still only an hour or so ride.
Exploring the Mountain range
So what exactly makes “Nikkō Japan”? Well that’s a good question. It could be the natural surroundings, with the city being situated amongst the mountains. Japan is a small island with an incredibly high amount of mountain ranges. Nikkō city is at the base of Mt.Nantai and Mt.Nyoho. There is a road called Nihon Romantic Highway that will lead you both up and down the mountain side. It is labeled as highway 120, so follow the signs as they are both only one way.
The city of Nikkō was originally at just the base, but has been amalgamated with surrounding villages in the area as a way to market it as a mountain resort city. In those mountains you will find a couple lakes, hotsprings and Nikkō National Park.
As you scale the levels on the mountain you reach several different points. The first point after a 20 minute drive, you reach the Akechidaira Ropeway. This short gondola ride will give you a spectacular view of the mountains and lakes surrounding Nikkō. It is closed for the winter months however and re-opens at the start of April. The second level after another 5–10 minute drive, you reach Lake Chūzenji. There are pedal boats and various other water based activities you can partake in, once again open during the spring and summer months.
Continuing down Nihon Romantic Highway, you will reach Ryuzu Falls and Ryuzu Bridge. This is part of a river that connects Yuno Lake which is at a higher altitude, with the much larger Lake Chūzenji. This river runs around Nikkō National Park. Ryuzu Falls, called Ryūzu no Taki in Japanese means “dragon head waterfall”. While it is nice to look at, the better view may come from Ryuzu Bridge less than a hundred meters away.
Past Chūzenji and Ryuzu Falls, you will find Nikkō National Park. Several restaurants and small shops are at the opening of the hiking trails. It is known for snowshoeing as the combination of the trees, scenic views of the mountain tops and fresh air is quite appealing to tourists. You can rent snowshoes for 1000 yen, which can be kept all day. Some paths are quite narrow and creating your own way through the park is half the fun!
Past Nikkō National Park you can once again follow Nihon Romantic Highway that elevates you to the final destination. This spot is a little cluster of hotels, restaurants and onsens (hotsprings), that are beside Yuno Lake. The most famous onsen there is Okunikkoyumoto. A Buddhist temple that has a public onsen for visitors. There are many other options however ranging from 700–1600 yen. The onsens water are naturally heated from the volcanic mountains. There is a strong smell of sulphur, which may be unappealing for some but is quite good for your skin. Hot spring bathing is also done so in a public setting, so be prepared to be naked amongst strangers.
Tattoos are often forbidden from onsen but there are quite a few places that will make exceptions. The reason for this being, tattoos have long been attributed to gang members in Japan and the stigma is still there. For non-Japanese, it may be easier. If your tattoos are not super visible while submerged in water, it will greatly improve your chances. Small tattoos can often be covered with hand towels tied around it. Pretty much if you don’t have large scale tattoos of intimidating things like tigers,dragons or demons, you’ll probably be fine.
Getting down the mountain is a bit of a slower process. The main road swerves down the mountain side where tight turns every few hundred meters will have to be made. It will make you wonder about your driver being a second to slow, tumbling down thousands of meters into a ravine or forest. The bus is a little bit more expensive than most tour busses in Japan when descedning from the high point of the mountains. That being said to get from the onsens to the JR station in Nikkō is only 1650 yen for about a 55 minute ride.
Cultural Heritage Sites
Possibly other reasons for why “Nikkō is Nippon”, are the cultural sights that can be found there. During the Nara period in Japan, a powerful Buddhist priest named Shodo Shonin crossed the Daiya River which Nikkō is built upon. He would go and construct the Rinnō-ji Temple in 766. Legend has it that Shodo Shonin didn’t simply walk across the river like some commoner. Rather he rode on the backs of two huge serpents that carried the esteemed priest to the other side. This would establish Nikkō as a prominent Buddhist-Shinto religious center that would catch the eye of warlord Tokugawa Leyasu centuries later in the Edo period.
Tokugawa Leyasu decided that this would be the place for his mausoleum to be built. The initial sight was built in 1617 but was not completed until grandson Lemitsu would enlarge his gran pappis mausoleum in 1634. The site is called Toshogu Shrine (Nikkō Tōshō-gū) and is one of 103 Shinto/Buddhist religious buildings in the area. The front gate and main building are lacquered in decadent white and gold, done so to symbolize the wealth of the Tokugawa clan. The site itself is surrounded by massive trees, hiding it from the roads around it.
There is also a massive pagoda at the site, scaling about 36 meters. Intricate stone and wood structures are found surrounding the buildings. The bright red and detailed artwork make it quite a sight.
Getting to the mausoleum, temples and bridge sites are only a 20 minute walk from the JR station. A bus for 200 yen will also get you within a 2 minute walking distance of these sites.
Food
If your looking for some delicious delicacies, there is no shortage of local dishes to be found. Most of the dishes are vegetarian. This is due to locals in the past following a Buddhist diet. Since the establishment of Rinno-ji Temple by Shodo Shonin, Nikkō was a hub for Buddhism and Shintoism. Most Buddhist sects forbid the consumption of any other sentient beings flesh. So with this in mind, lets take a look at some of these dishes that the monks were known to eat.
Nikkō-yuba
Yuba is “tofu skin”, a by product of the tofu making process. It is a thin layer that is appears at the top surface of boiled soy milk. It can often be found as a side garnish of a noodle dish. In this case it is dried and fried. It is also enjoyed in a sashimi style, where it is served to you raw and fresh. You do see creative ways yuba can be utilized, in wraps or sushi like presentation.
Soba
Soba is one of the original dominant noodle dishes in Japanese cuisine. It is a noodle made from buck wheat and is a healthier option than the much more internationally known ramen noodle. Soba noodles were very popular especially in the Edo period where it was often sold as street vendor food. Nikkō is known as a soba city. There is a festival in the fall that coincides with the harvest season. Nikko soba is made by hand with quality craftsmanship. Soba is either served hot in a soup or cold with a dipping sauce.
Shisomaki Togorashi
A hot red pepper native to the region. It is pickled in salt and rolled in Japanese basil by hand. It is said that priests would carry this around during the winter months to keep warm. A side dish or appetizer, usually served with rice.
“Never Say Kekkō Until You See Nikkō”
If you ever get the chance of visiting Nikkō while in Japan, I’d highly recommend it. Not very far from Tokyo or Yokohama, it really isn’t out of the way of the major tourist destinations your likely to visit. Do yourself a favour and take 2–3 days to visit and see for yourself why “Nikkō is Nippon”!
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