Nikko: A must-visit if you are ever in Tokyo

This small pocket of nature and temples is perfect for a day trip out of central Tokyo. Just one hour away on the bullet train, Nikko is a popular destination during the cherry blossom and autumn seasons where the trees are a riot of colour. I would also recommend Kamakura, which is about an hour away from central Tokyo, too.

The kangaroo’s mum had never been and I showed her all the famous sights in Tokyo within two weeks so Nikko was something new without being much of a hassle.

After you get off at Nikko station, head for the tourist information counter and buy yourself an entrance ticket to all the major temples (four in all methinks) that is cheaper than buying individual tickets. Then hop onto a bus at the stop that is labeled “World Heritage” which will take you to the shrine area.

Nikko is most famous for the Toshogu, Japan’s most lavishly decorated shrine complex and mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. I only managed to take note of two— Rinno-ji temple and Futarasan shrine. It all becomes a blur after awhile and these Shinto shrines tend to look the same, but don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy a walk through a jinja (shrine) occasionally.

We stopped for some ice-cream and I chose yuba (beancurd skin), a specialty of Nikko. It really was lightly-flavoured with soy — I thought it was perfect for lactose intolerant people like me or vegans because I don’t think they used any dairy. The kangaroo’s mum thought it was a bit plain compared to vanilla so that should give you an idea of its flavour.

I couldn’t resist taking this shot because this happens a lot when we walk around and the kangaroo’s eyes are greedy for kanji. He would deconstruct the different elements and would speculate their combined meaning.

My favourite part of the day was at Gammanga-Fuji Abyss, a quiet park that houses Jizo statues. Apparently Jizo is a protector of travellers and souls of children who have passed away. Despite the slightly morbid connotations of these statues, it is a very pretty and tranquil walk punctured by the rush of the river that is on the right. The greenery is certainly more wild and not manicured like the Zen gardens in the centre of Nikko. The air was much cooler, too, and I was relieved to get away from the crowds at the temples.

An eroded Jizo statue…

I went to an onsen when I first went to Nikko with my friend John and it was just perfect after a day of hiking and weaving through the crowds of tourists. I would highly recommend leaving Tokyo at 8am so you can squeeze in the temples in the morning and then head over to an onsen.

If you’re not so keen on temples, there are several lovely walks within the national park so there’s a variety of things to do in Nikko.

My legs ached like mad after hours of walking and the guilt of pigging out at Hippari Dako, a Nikko travellers’ institution, melted away. It’s actually quite near the station and all you need to do is walk up the hill towards the temples and you would stumble upon it.

What’s special about this place is they’ve got thank you notes, foreign currencies, and business cards pasted all over the walls.

I found a SGD2 note….Well the kangaroo spotted it first….

But seriously, the stars of this hole-in-the-wall eatery are their gyozas. They are the best I’ve ever tasted — pan-fried ones that have super crispy skin and juicy savoury minced pork within.

The yakitori and yaki udon were both delicious and we washed them down with Cokes. It’s one of those casual joints where there’s good, cheap food in a quirky ambience and the staff are friendly, too.

In short, it was a top day.

No related posts.