Hello Jaspers!
Throughout the course of this trip we have visited many wonderful sites but there were only a few places which really captured my attention. One of which was the Nikkō National Park. Nikkō is a town located at the Northwest corner of Tochigi Prefecture. It is known for its picturesque beauty and its amazing structures. This small city has 1,200-year old history, nature and culture that has been nurtured quietly by its citizens. The beginning of the history of Nikkō starts in 766 when Shodo Shonin, a Buddhist priest, founded the Shihonryuji Temple (the origin of the Rinnoji Temple). This is when the mountains of Nikkō became a sacred place. The "Shrines and Temples of Nikkō", a UNESCO world heritage site, consists of 103 religious buildings within the Toshogu and the Futarasan-jinja (Shinto shrines) and the Rinnoji. Nikkō is a beautiful example of how Buddhism and Shintoism do not clash but instead flow together and empower one another.
The train ride to Nikkō from Tokyo was long but it was amazing. The change from big city and tall buildings to rice fields and bamboo forests really set the mood for what was waiting for us at the last stop. Soon as we hopped off of the train we were greeted by a beautiful mountainous region in a small warm town that seemed to be out of a fairy tale. On our way to the mountain we stopped at the Shinkyo Bridge. A beautiful bright red wooden structure that crosses the Daiya-gawa (a river). Legend has it that when Shodo Shonin could not cross the river he asked for help from deities and Buddhas and two snakes appeared and transformed to the bridge.
As we made our way through the sacred grounds I could not believe my eyes. The artistry, careful handcrafting, astonishing buildings all took my breath away. To just think about all the money, the will power, the man power that must have been used to create these beautiful structures and to keep rebuilding after natural disasters blows my mind. Every building caught your attention, every building made you take a closer look at the details, every building was powerful. Nikkō has to be one of my best experiences here in Japan, it is a true masterpiece.
Throughout the course of this trip we have visited many wonderful sites but there were only a few places which really captured my attention. One of which was the Nikkō National Park. Nikkō is a town located at the Northwest corner of Tochigi Prefecture. It is known for its picturesque beauty and its amazing structures. This small city has 1,200-year old history, nature and culture that has been nurtured quietly by its citizens. The beginning of the history of Nikkō starts in 766 when Shodo Shonin, a Buddhist priest, founded the Shihonryuji Temple (the origin of the Rinnoji Temple). This is when the mountains of Nikkō became a sacred place. The "Shrines and Temples of Nikkō", a UNESCO world heritage site, consists of 103 religious buildings within the Toshogu and the Futarasan-jinja (Shinto shrines) and the Rinnoji. Nikkō is a beautiful example of how Buddhism and Shintoism do not clash but instead flow together and empower one another.
The train ride to Nikkō from Tokyo was long but it was amazing. The change from big city and tall buildings to rice fields and bamboo forests really set the mood for what was waiting for us at the last stop. Soon as we hopped off of the train we were greeted by a beautiful mountainous region in a small warm town that seemed to be out of a fairy tale. On our way to the mountain we stopped at the Shinkyo Bridge. A beautiful bright red wooden structure that crosses the Daiya-gawa (a river). Legend has it that when Shodo Shonin could not cross the river he asked for help from deities and Buddhas and two snakes appeared and transformed to the bridge.
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| A store house decorated by artists who had never seen elephants |
As we made our way through the sacred grounds I could not believe my eyes. The artistry, careful handcrafting, astonishing buildings all took my breath away. To just think about all the money, the will power, the man power that must have been used to create these beautiful structures and to keep rebuilding after natural disasters blows my mind. Every building caught your attention, every building made you take a closer look at the details, every building was powerful. Nikkō has to be one of my best experiences here in Japan, it is a true masterpiece. |
| Storehouse with "Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil" monkeys |
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| The Five Storied Pagoda |
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| Toshogu Shrine |
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