We took our first bullet train of the trip from Tokyo to Nikko. The shinkansen on the way there maxed out at 150mph and the one on the way home 170mph. Despite the speed it took about two and a half hours each way taking a local train to the Shinkansen and then another local train to Nikko. Of course it was totally worth it. Nikko is incredibly beautiful and so full of history. It was founded in the 8th century and is home to Nikko National Park (one of the oldest in the country). The red Shinkyo Bridge has contrasted the green foliage since the first monk established the area. You need to pay a nominal fee to walk out on the bridge but it prevents it from constantly being lined with people, making for much nicer pictures. Although all of the 103 shrines and temples have been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site we focused on one area in particular, Toshogu Shrine. It was constructed by the Shogun’s grandson in 1636. Toshogu is famous for its ‘hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil’ monkeys,110 foot tall colorful pagoda and over 5,000 carvings. The six hours we had in Nikko flew by like two Shinkansen going in the opposite direction.
こんにちは
Kon’nichiwa- Wow, what memories!! We visited Nikko on a teacher exchange back in July 17, 1986. Besides the beautiful grounds, buildings and carvings, I remember that cobble walking area. I’m loving this…….. (we’re friends with Denise and Steve)
Oh wow. I have heard of those teacher exchange trips from Denise! Nikko is so beautiful. I have been once before but we visited a different temple. And anyway, it was so long ago (almost two decades!) I was more than happy to return. Thanks for the comment!