what the outback of Nikko shows (VIDEO)

The Russian-language telegram channel “And where next” travels through the Land of the Rising Sun.

The Japanese have a saying: “Nikko o mizushite kekko to yu koto nakare”, which translates as “If you haven’t been to Nikko, don’t tell kekko.” Kekko means “Beautiful.” Well, since the Japanese say so, then you and I will go to Nikko and look at this city. Fortunately, it is located nearby, just a couple of hours from Tokyo by train. I’m sure you’re aware that in Japanese culture in general there is a fairly popular story regarding admiring and uniting with nature. So Nikko is a great solution if you suddenly want something like this. Temples, waterfalls, lakes, forests – it’s all there. Yes, the best time to feel all this is, of course, autumn, when everything is in bright colors. But spring will come too!

Nikko is home to one of the main shrines in Japan – Nikko Toshogu. Here lies the ashes of Tokugawa Ieyasu – this is the shogun who put an end to civil strife in Japan and led it to a centralized state.

Nikko Toshogu was built for many years by regarding 100,000 craftsmen from all over Japan, the temple is decorated with a carving of three monkeys (the same ones that I don’t see, I don’t hear, I don’t speak), there are many beautiful and interesting buildings on the territory. But getting there is not so easy, you have to stand in a long line, since the place is iconic, Japanese residents come here from all over the country. Therefore, we will look not at Nikko Toshogu himself, but at other temples. To visit them you need to purchase a single ticket for 1000 yen (you can pay by card). It allows you to visit 3 locations. There are also options to pay for one ticket everywhere, but wholesale is more profitable. The place is atmospheric, so take a couple of hours to walk around and see all the shrines and temples in the area.

In fact, it is better to go to Nikko either in summer or early autumn, when everything is in bloom and the colors are bright. During this period you can just catch some very beautiful waterfalls. For example, Kegon Falls is one of the most famous waterfalls in Japan. You can look at it for free (at the observation deck), or you can take the elevator down and look up – it costs 570 yen per adult, 340 yen per child. You can get to the waterfall by bus from Nikko, the fare will cost regarding 1000 yen, depending on which stop you go from.

Not far from the waterfall is the mountain lake Chuzenji. It is located at the foot of Mount Nantai of the sacred Nikko volcano. Judging by the hotels on the shore, it is crowded during the season. Well, now it’s quite deserted, but it’s good, you can sit on the shore in silence. There are few operating restaurants and cafes. You can walk from the waterfall to the lake. And then go back to Nikko by bus. From Kegon station to the train station the ticket is 1500 yen ($9.8).



Ancient temples.



Frightening deities.



Seascapes.