日光 Nikko

Where did we go? This last weekend, Takae and I, went to Nikko for two days. Nikko is a few hours North of Tokyo. It is famous for it's natural beauty and the temples that blend the Shinto and Buddhist religions.



How did we get there? Takae and I got on highway early Sunday morning and drove 350km (6 hours) to Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture. We started at sea level, where it was warm and sunny. After we had driven through Niigata and Gunma, we got off the expressway and started gaining altitude. Before we knew it, there was snow on the sides of the road and a ski resort still running its lifts! We went over a pass at about 2,000 meters and then dropped down into the Nikko area past lakes and along rivers on very narrow, very curvy, and very steep roads. The worst area of the road is known as Irohazaka Road, named after the Japanese syllabary, because it has 48 curves. It was both breathtaking and stomach churning. Thankfully, Takae loves to drive and has a cute little red sports car that did the job well! We weren't the only ones that had decided to go to Nikko this weekend. A lot of people from Tokyo drive up to Nikko in their fancy sports cars or motorcycles. In fact, I think every motorcycle in Japan was in Nikko for the weekend. Takae and I both oohed and awed and decided we both want to get a motorcycle some day!!



How was the weather?
Perfect!! In the mountains it was a bit chilly and had snowed earlier that day. But by the time we got down to Nikko, only at about 700m, it was warm. At the viewpoints you could see layers and layers of mountains. And the blue sky made the immediate mountains that much more brilliant. It was sunny with not a cloud in sight for two days! Perfect weather!





Where did we stay?
Originally, we had planned to stay in Nikko for 2-3 days. We were going to stay at several different places and do some camping. But work schedules made it impossible. So we opted to go for a quick trip and only stayed one night. We stayed at the Daiyagawa Youth Hostel. It is a little house with several dorm rooms and a common eating area. It is set behind the main street, but really close to the main temple area. And it overlooks the river. The owners are really friendly and very helpful. And the 420Y breakfast was fabulous! The owner likes her guests to get along and make friends, so she seated us with two university boys, Yuuki and Yohei, for breakfast. They weren't particularly talkative, and neither were we. They did ask if I was German. That seemed to be a common theme throughout the day. Do I look german? Do I wear German shoes? Why German? As we left the hostel they followed us and asked to take a photo with us. Cute!



What did we see?
As soon as we arrived we went directly to the Toshogu Shrine area. It is a huge national park with lots of different shrines, temples, museums and halls. Because it was such a beautiful day and a holiday, it was pretty busy, but not overwhelmingly so. We were able to get into all the buildings without having to wait.
The entire park is so stunning because of the natural landscape as well as the colors and architecture of the buildings. The temples were some of the most colorful and
brilliant I've seen in Japan. It reminded me of some of the temples I saw in Korea. Touring all the buildings took about 3 hours, and that was without guided tours or stopping to read and study about each structure. After all that walking we were exhausted and needed rest and food.

On day two we left central Nikko and went back up into the mountains and spent the morning at Lake Chuzenji. This lake is pretty touristy and has lots of swan and heli-paddle boats, as well as fishing and sightseeing boats. The road along the lake is lined with gift shops and restaurants. Away from the main road is an older temple that looks out over the lake and towards Mt. Nantai. It's too bad we couldn't stay longer. I would have loved to climb Mt. Nantai. Maybe on my next trip!

The main reason tourists visit the lake is to see Kegon Falls. You can stand above the falls and take pictures. Or for a more stunning view you can pay to take an elevator down to the base. The view of the falls and the surrounding environment is often described as looking like the earth just drops away-kinda true. It does just drop! But coming from a state like Oregon, I was expecting a bigger waterfall. Regardless it was beautiful. And we even spotted a few monkeys hanging around near the viewpoint.



What did we eat?
We were exhausted and starving by the time we started looking for dinner our first night. We had set out to eat at a local foreigners hang out that offers a variety of food, but they were closed. So we went next door and ate a fabulous Korean meal. I don't really like Korean food, but it was absolutely delicious...as testified by all the pictures and comments of their customers (Japanese and foreign) that decorate the walls.


But we couldn't leave Nikko without eating the local specialty, yuba, or tofu skin. We had tried yuba ice cream but we wanted the real thing. So, after viewing the falls, touring another shrine and walking near the lake, we found a little restaurant with a fabulous view of the lake and Mt. Nantai that made fresh soba and served up yuba! Yuba is often served in a roll, similar to the Japanese dish tamagoyaki. But it has a distinctive tofu taste. I really liked it and bought some yuba omiyage for my schools!



Where did we bathe?
On our way out of town, we stopped at Yumoto Onsen. It sits on Yunoko lake, just up the road from Lake Chuzenji and Mt. Nantai. Before bathing in the sulfur rich water, we walked around the lake to Yudaki Falls trying to avoid the snow and mud. We saw lots of beautiful and interesting birds on the lake. The fishing season opens today, so fisherman had been out already to reserve their spot on the lake by marking it with a cooler, or fishing rod holder. We finished our sightseeing day by soaking in a hot bath near the lake. And then we jumped back into the car and drove 5 hours back to Toyama!


Would I go again?
Absolutely!! I would go back to Nikko any day, but next time I want to stay longer and explore more! My recommendation, if you come to Japan, or have a few extra days, visit Nikko! It's best with a car, but the bus system seems pretty good...if you don't mind buses on really curvy roads!

And that my friends, was probably my last trip in and around Japan! It's time to pack. It's time to plan the next adventure! It's time to say good-bye to Japan!