When the cherry threes are done blooming in Tokyo, they are still in full bloom in Nikko, with mountains covered in snow all around.
It takes about two hours travelling to Nikko by train, and then you can have one day to catch the glorious temples that were arisen by shogun Tokugawa Iesayu in the early 1600’s, and the Buddhist temples that were built in the 800’s. The temples and the sanctuaries lie in a thick cedar forest outside the small town. You can either walk or take a city buss to the temples a couple of kilometres from the train station.

When the cherry threes are done blooming in Tokyo, they are still in full bloom in Nikko, with mountains covered in snow all around.
It takes about two hours travelling to Nikko by train, and then you can have one day to catch the glorious temples that were arisen by shogun Tokugawa Iesayu in the early 1600’s, and the Buddhist temples that were built in the 800’s. The temples and the sanctuaries lie in a thick cedar forest outside the small town. You can either walk or take a city buss to the temples a couple of kilometres from the train station.

Myths

The entrance to the temple area is marked by a bridge, the Shin-jyo-bridge. According to the myths this was created when two snakes made a bridge to help an important Buddhist priest over the deep river creek in the 8th century.
The first temple is Rinno-ji, a Buddhist temple which was founded as early as 766. The temple has tree enormous gold plated Buddha statues sitting on gold plated lotus flowers. Japanese tourists are staring speechless and throwing sacrifice coins in front of the statues.

Nikko’s main attraction

Further up in the forest you go through a tall torii-gate to Nikko’s main attraction, the Tosho-gu-sancturary. At the left of the gate, which is two stone pillars with two more on top, drawn as phi, lies a five floor high pagoda almost hidden behind the trees. The entrance to the Tosho-gu is through the Omote-mon.gate with two terrifying warrior statues on each side.
The Togsho-gu was built as a mausoleum for shogun Tokugawa Iesayu, which stood for the reunion of Japan in the early 1600’s and which founded its capital in Edo – now Tokyo. But his grandson was not happy, and built the glorious temples you can visit to day. For hundreds of years the samurais of Japan travelled to Nikko several times a year to honour the founder of Edo.

Glorious gate

At the top of the stairs you get to the hysterical glorious Yomei-mon-gate (the burning sun gate) with carvings in wood and stone everywhere. Along the walls to right and left there are birds and flowers in blue and gold, and in the ceiling, the gables and the pillars and all surfaces at the gate, there are detailed carvings of flowers and trees, bamboo, turtles, elephants, tigers and dragons.
Inside the gate there is another gate before arriving at the mausoleum, where you have to remove your shoes to visit. 200 stairs up the hillside behind the mausoleum is the grave of Tokugawa.

Warm springs

There are more collections of temples to see further inside the forest, not at least Futarasan-jinja. But you may also go for long walks in the cedar tree forest or by the lake Chuzenji-ko and the Kegon falls, or travel further with the train to the village Yumoto with its many warm springs and an onosen (mineral bath) where you can rest your sore muscles. If you choose to make this a two day trip there are many guesthouses, so called Japanese ryokans, and hotels of all categories, also the most luxurious, both in Nikko and Yumoto.

Good to know

To Japan you may fly with many airlines i.e. SAS, Finnair, Lufthansa. To Nikko the Tobu-Nikko train goes from the Asakusa station, which is easy to reach with the subway. Limited Express takes about two hours and costs 2.740yen, and Rapid takes 2hours and 20minutes and costs 1.320yen.
You may also take the Japan Rail shinkase (high speed train) from Tokyo or Ueno station, but that is more expensive and takes longer because you have to change trains.
If you plan to stay in the Nikko area for two days, you should buy a free pass at the Asakusa station, which includes the trip to and from Nikko, buss in the area Nikko_Chuzenji-ko and Yumoto, and cover at the temples.
Good guidebooks for Japan are both Lonely Planet and Rough Guide.