FALLING IN LOVE WITH NIKKO

33°C feels like 43°C. Have you ever feel that weather? I have felt it in Tokyo. I drank water so many times to protect my body from dehydration. That condition made me think where was the location that I can find rain or the colder weather in Japan. And I checked it in google and I found Hokkaido. I am so happy when found it, but Hokkaido was too far from Tokyo since I just have 2 days at the weekend to go outside of Tokyo because I have class on Monday. Yaps I joined the summer program at Meiji University, Tokyo.

Finally, I didn’t go to Hokkaido, because I should need more time to stay in Hokkaido, but gratefully my classmate Michaela asked me to join her to go to Nikko. Then I checked it in the google how Nikko looks like and Nikko’s weather and after that, I decided to join her to go to Nikko. She said it was just a one day trip. Yaps perfect, I can go to another place in the next day I think. 

The day has come! We went to Nikko by train in the morning. By the way, we used the JRPass and we’ve reserved for a seat the day before. We went there from Tokyo Station and we transited in Utsunomiya station to change another train, the train is covered by JRPass too, but we didn’t reserve the second train because it wasn’t needed. The total travel time required to get to Nikko Station is 2 hours. It was not that long, I enjoyed it, actually I just slept in the train Hahaha, yaps I am serious when I said we went to Nikko in the morning.

Finally, we arrived in Nikko after the long way. I was really surprised when I came. It was a beautiful city and I like the weather not that hot like Tokyo. It even rained there when we had lunch. I love it. It was a nice choice to joined Michaela in here.

Nikko from Bus

Nikko is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. The Japanese saying “Never say ‘kekkō’ until you’ve seen Nikkō” (Lohn, Steve (11 September 1983). “Shrine of the Shogun”. The New York Times) —kekkō meaning beautiful, magnificent or “I am satisfied”—is a reflection of the beauty and sites in Nikkō.

We took a bus from Nikko Station. It was just 30 minutes from Nikko station. Along the road, the view was very nice. I like the view because I like playing in nature. If I can compare this view maybe you can imagine if you are in Tawangmangu, Indonesia. And finally, we’ve arrived at the first stop. Here we were. 

Futarasan Shrine

Futarasan Shrine has been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is incorporated in the “Shrines and Temples of Nikko” along with Nikko Toshogu and Nikkosan Rinnoji. It was a big Shrine. When I was there I just imagined how beautiful the shrine when winter comes. We went up and entered the temple by paying JPY200. The shrine grounds were mostly free to enter except for a small paid area to the left of the offering hall (haiden).

Futarasan Shrine
From “small paid area”

Rinnoji Temple

Taiyu-In Temple

Taiyu-In Temple was near to Futarasan Shrine, we went there by walk. The bus stop was near from Futarasan Shrine and Taiyu-In Temple, so you can choose which one you will visit first.

The mausoleum was listed among the Nikko UNESCO Heritage Temples and Shrines too. I was stunned by the character of the temple. This temple is in the region of Rinnoji temple. It was filled with gold, intricate engravings, and interesting statues.

We climbed so many stairs to went to the topmost temple. The atmosphere was very natural. We came in the morning so it was still very quiet, not many people came. I was very amazed to be there. I can feel the serenity that blends with nature. The temple location is among hundreds of tall and beautiful old cedar trees, it is a place of rare splendor. I liked that atmosphere.

Old cedar trees..

Sanbutsudo

The way to Sanbutsudo

The third-place that we visited was Sanbutsudo. Sanbutsudo is in the region of Rinnoji Temple too. Sanbutsudo is the temple’s main building. It was not far away from Taiyu-In Temple. We went there by walk in 15 minutes, but I am not sure, because we enjoyed when we walk and took so much photo. In the road from Taiyu-In Temple to the Sanbutsudo has a beautiful view, actually like photo spot that intagramable Hahaha.

Sanbutsudo..

We went inside the Sanbutsudo. We bought a canal ticket with Taiyu-In Temple. Unfortunately, when we went there, Sanbutsudo was currently undergoing repairs but we were still able to enter. When we were in Sanbutsudo, there were more visitors here than at Tayuin Temple.

Shinkyo Bridge

We saw Shinkyo Bridge when we were in a bus to went to Futarasan Shrine, but we decided to went to Futarasan first because near from the bridge there was a lot of food shop so we can lunch at there.

The bridge was not that far away from Sanbutsudo. It took 15 minutes on foot, but you have to be careful because the road is a bit slippery when it rains, because when we through that road, it was raining.

The water in the river was really clean. We entered the bridge by paying 300 Yen. If I may suggest you better not go in because the bridge is better enjoyed outside the paid area. But if you want to stay in, obviously it’s OK because in the paid area there are also instagramable spots.

Outside the paid area..
Paid area

Lake Chuzenji

We went to Lake Chuzenji after we had lunch near in Shinkyo Bridge and the rain stopped. A trip to the lake took 1 hour by bus uphill and winding. My suggestion is please not to play cellphone while on the bus because even if you sit you still have to hold on to keep your position, especially if next to you another person, it will be awkward. The scenery during the trip is very beautiful.

Finally, we arrived at the Chuzenji Onsen bus stop. Not far from the bus stop, just walked 5 minutes the lake was visible. The air is so fresh, cool and comfortable even that was in summer.

It was a really big lake, you can take a boat too to explore these lakes. I didn’t do it but Michela did. I just seated in the convenience store to enjoy the view and enjoyed a jelly drink while Michela rides a boat. I was falling in love with that view, actually with Nikko.

There was rain too in the lake. We enjoyed it while we took a photo Haha. Sorry, we took a lot of photos haha. There was a souvenirs shop near to the lake and sure we bought some souvenir too.

Kegon Waterfalls

Our last stop was Kegon Waterfalls. Kegon Waterfalls was near to the bus stop. The direction was opposite to Chuzenji lake and easy to find. Nikko is known as a city that has many beautiful waterfalls. Kegon waterfalls were the most famous of Nikko’s many beautiful waterfalls.

So sad, the elevator was closed..

Kegon Waterfall has a height of almost 100 meters. We can go down to the deep of waterfalls by elevator, but the saddest thing was the elevator has closed when we arrived in the waterfalls. We found this waterfalls accidentally. We did look for a waterfall in Nikko but never found it until we finally decided to went to Chuzenji lake. After that when we decided to back to Nikko station, we instead found the waterfall accidentally, but luck was not on our side, the elevator was closed. We just saw the waterfalls from the top. Beautiful but we still curious about the deep of the waterfalls.

Yeah, that was all our destination in Nikko in one day trip. I just wanna say I am falling in love with Nikko so much. I love the weather, the air, and the atmosphere. There are still so many places I want to visit Nikko. When I have a chance again to go to Japan, I am sure I will come to Nikko again.

Thank You Nikko..
Written by: riskidysas

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