Nikko, Sacred mountain city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.
Description
Nikko is a mountain city in Tochigi Prefecture that spreads over forested slopes and valleys where rivers and streams run. Streets wind between traditional shops, guesthouses and homes before branching into hiking paths and forest trails that lead to waterfalls and lakes.
History
A Buddhist monk founded a temple here in the eighth century, after which more religious buildings followed. In the 17th century a large mausoleum for a shogun was built, turning the place into an important pilgrimage site.
Culture
Shrines and temples at the town's edge draw pilgrims and visitors who walk through cedar avenues and over stone bridges. Many buildings carry ornate carvings and lacquered surfaces, created by centuries of craftsmanship and still carefully maintained today.
Practical
Trains connect Tokyo with the local station in about two hours, with several connections running each day. Autumn brings most visitors because of the foliage, while winter offers snow and quieter trails.
Did you know?
A lake in the mountains was shaped by volcanic activity thousands of years ago and now sits higher than almost any other natural lake in the country. Visitors find cool weather and thick woods there, even in summer.
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Photo license: GFDL
Nikkō Tōshō-gū
9.9 km
Kegon Falls
17.6 km
Ashio Copper Mine
25 km
Lake Chūzenji
21.2 km
Futarasan Shrine
10 km
Mount Nantai
19.2 km
Rinnō-ji
9.3 km
Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura
7.9 km
Ryūzu Falls
22.4 km
Shrines and Temples of Nikkō
9.7 km
Yudaki Falls
25.5 kmWestern Village
6 km
Mount Nikkō-Shirane
30 km
Nikkō Kanaya Hotel
9.1 km
Okunikkō
22.7 km
Cedar Avenue of Nikkō
740 m
Mt. Sukai
32.4 km
Mount Takahara
21 km
Mount Nyohō
17.7 km
Roadside station Utsunomiya romantic-Mura
15.3 km
Akechidaira Ropeway
16.4 km
Chūzen-ji
18.5 km
Nikkō Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park
10.2 km
Kirifuri Falls
9 km
Kirifuri Highland
12.7 km
Shinkyō
9.2 km
Mount Aizu-Komagatake
47.7 kmKonsei Shrine
29.2 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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