Daytrip to Nikko

While the town of Nikko houses some of Japan's most well known cultural artifacts, it in many ways is the antithesis of Japan and parts of Japanese culture. Nikko is nestled in a rural part of Japan 90 miles north of Tokyo. Nikko is cool and crisp to Tokyo's hot and muggy. Nikko looks like an alpine village to Tokyo's concrete jungles. Tokyo is modern while Nikko is steeped in cultural tradition. Nikko is home to a spectucular array of colorful temples and shrines that one would argue are a better in China than in Japan. It's one of my favorites places in the area.

Nikko was founded more than 1200 years ago, but didn't become a draw until after one of Japan's most famous rulers - Tokugawa Ieyasu - commissioned a shrine and his final resting place as a legacy to his rule. If you've read the book Shogun, it's based on this guy. He is credited for unifying Japan's feudal Lords under one regime with the samurai class at the top of the food chain. His rule sparked more than 200 years of Tokugawa rule that was eventually toppled in the Meiji Restoration, which restored the Emporer as sovereign of Japan.



When you come upon Nikko you first pass over Shinkyo Bridge, which spans a small river. Before modern roads, this was the only "legal" way one could cross the river to the shrines. Only samurai, other top government officials and religious leaders were allowed to cross the bridge and enter the holy shrines and temples of Nikko.

It's quite a breathtaking site for a few reasons - one it's sheer beauty, and two the elevation. Not only are you in the mountains, but there is a fair amount of step climbing that's done throughout the course of the day. Ella was so overwhelmed in her Baby Bjorn that she promptly pooped all over me. That felt nice. Anthon did an admiral job considering he wasn't interested in one thing we saw. He was interested in throwing rocks, touching important artifacts that you're not supposed to touch and wandering in directions we as a group weren't intending to go.

But as far as highlights go, you have to see the see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil monkeys (Anthon does his impression in the picture gallery). There's the carving of an elephant done by someone who had never seen an elephant before. You have to try yuba in soba noodles, which is the skim of tofu in warm noodle soup. Go into the Futarasan Shrine (circa 800 AD), and try throwing rocks onto the lower bar of the torii gate (for good luck!) and drink from the sacred spring water for longevity. Listen to the dragon cry at Yakushido Hall. See the hundreds of stone lanterns covered in moss. Though we didn't have time, definitely go up to Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls.

We did this in one day, and each of my now five times I've done one-day trips. But this would be an easy overnight trip, especially if you're going to do some hiking and spend time at an onse (natural hot spring).