Sights in Nikkō
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Tōshō-gū
A huge stone torii is a fittingly grand entrance to this storied Shintō shrine. To the left is a five-storey pagoda (34.3m) dating from 1650 and reconstructed in 1818. The pagoda has no foundations but contains a long suspended pole that swings like a pendulum, maintaining equilibrium in the event of an earthquake.
The entrance to the main shrine is through the torii at the gate, Omote-mon, protected on either side by Deva kings. Just inside are the Sanjinko (Three Sacred Storehouses). On the upper storey of the last storehouse are imaginative relief carvings of elephants by an artist who famously had never seen the real thing. To the left of the entrance is Shinyōsha…
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Rinnō-ji
This Tendai-sect temple was founded 1200 years ago by Shōdō Shōnin, and today some 360m of zelkova trees make up the pillars in the current building. The three gilded images in the Sambutsu-dō (Three Buddha Hall) are the largest wooden Buddhas in Japan (8m). The central image is Amida Nyorai (one of the primal deities in the Mahayana Buddhist cannon) flanked by Senjū (1000-armed Kannon, deity of mercy and compassion) and Batō (a horse-headed Kannon), whose special domain is the animal kingdom.
A room to the side contains a healing Buddha, holding his ring-finger over a medicine bowl, said to be the origin of the Japanese name for this finger (kusuri-yubi, medicine…
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Taiyūin-byō
Enshrining Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu (1604–51) is Taiyūin-byō. Though it houses many of the same elements as Tōshō-gū (storehouses, drum tower, Chinese-style gates etc), its smaller, more intimate scale and setting in a cryptomeria forest make it very appealing.
Among Taiyūin-byō's many structures, look for dozens of lanterns donated by daimyō, and the gate Niō-mon, whose guardian deities have a hand up (to welcome those with pure hearts) and a hand down (to suppress those with impure hearts). Inside the main hall, 140 dragons painted on the ceiling are said to carry prayers to the heavens; those holding pearls are on their way up, and those without are returning…
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Kanman-ga-Fuchi Abyss
Another quiet alternative is the 20-minute walk to Kanman-ga-Fuchi Abyss, a collection of jizō statues (the small stone statues of the Buddhist protector of travellers and children) set along a wooded path. It's said that if you try to count them there and back you'll end up with a different number, hence the nickname 'Bake-jizō' (ghost jizō). Take a left after passing the Shin-kyō bridge and follow the river for about 800m, crossing another bridge en route.
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World Heritage Sites
The World Heritage sites around Tōshō-gū are Nikkō's centrepiece. A ¥1000 'combination ticket', valid for two days and available at booths in the area, covers entry to the temple, Rinnō-ji, the shrines, Tōshō-gū and Futarasan-jinja, but not the Nemuri-Neko (Sleeping Cat) in Tōshō-gū and Ieyasu's Tomb.
Most sites are open 08:00 to 17:00 (until 16:00 November to March). To avoid hordes, visit early on a weekday.
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Shin-kyō
This much- photographed red bridge over the Daiya-gawa is located at the sacred spot where Shōdō Shōnin was said to have been carried across the river on the backs of two giant serpents. It's a reconstruction of the 17th-century original.
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Nikkō Woodcarving Center
You've seen Nikkō-bori, the traditional local woodcraft, all over temples and gift shops. Here you can try your hand at making your own, daily from 9am to 11am and 1pm to 3pm (from ¥900). Groups of five and over should reserve in advance. There's also a shop and on the 2nd floor a collection of museum-grade showpieces.
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Futarasan-jinja
Shōdō Shōnin founded this shrine; the current building dates from 1619, making it Nikkō's oldest. It's the protector shrine of Nikkō itself, dedicated to the nearby mountain, Nantai-san (2484m), the mountain's consort, Nyotai-san, and their mountainous progeny, Tarō. There are other shrine branches on Nantai-san and by Chūzenji-ko.
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Nikkō Tamozawa Goyōtei
The 1899 Nikkō Tamozawa Goyōtei was the largest wooden imperial villa (106 rooms) in two generations of Emperors, and it where the Emperor Shōwa (aka Hirohito) spent WWII. It has been painstakingly restored to its former glory and is well worth a visit. It's about 1km west of the Shin-kyō bridge.
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Nikkō Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park
The Nikkō Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park is a splendidly restored royal mansion of more than 100 rooms showcasing superb craftsmanship, with parts dating from the Edo, Meiji and Taishō eras. It’s about 1km west of Shin-kyō bridge.
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Hōmotsu-Den
In the temple grounds, this museum has a splendid collection of temple artefacts, sculptures and scrolls. Admission to Hōmotsu-den includes entry to the lovely Edo-period garden Shōyō-en.
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Tōshō-gū
The entrance to the main shrine is through the torii (shrine gate) at Omote-mon (表門), a gate protected on either side by Deva kings.
Just inside are the Sanjinko (三神庫; Three Sacred Storehouses). On the upper storey of the last storehouse are imaginative relief carvings of elephants by an artist who famously had never seen the real thing. To the left of the entrance is Shinkyūsha (神厩舎; Sacred Stable), adorned with allegorical relief carvings of monkeys. The famous 'hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil' monkeys demonstrate three principles of Tendai Buddhism.
Just beyond the stable is a granite font at which, in accordance with Shintō practice,…
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Takinō-jinja
In between Futarasan-jinja and Taiyūin-byō a stone-paved path leads to Takinō-jinja (25 minutes), less grand than the main attractions and thus delightfully less crowded. The stone torii gate, called Unmeshi-no-torii, dates back to Iemitsu's time (1696). Before entering, it's customary to try your luck tossing three stones through the small hole near the top. Head back down to the fork in the path and take the trail to the left to pass a handful of small temples and the tomb of Shōdō Shōnin before coming out behind Rinnō-ji.
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Rinnō-ji
This Tendai-sect temple was founded 1200 years ago by Shōdō Shōnin. The Sambutsu-dō (三仏堂; Three-Buddha Hall), constructed from some 360m of zelkova trees, is the main attraction. It's undergoing construction until 2020, though it is still possible to enter. Inside are three 8m gilded wooden Buddha statues. The central image is Amida Nyorai (one of the primal deities in the Mahayana Buddhist canon), flanked by Senjū (1000-armed Kannon, deity of mercy and compassion) and Batō (a horse-headed Kannon), whose special domain is the animal kingdom.
Rinnō-ji's Hōmotsu-den houses some 6000 treasures associated with the temple; the separate admission ticket includes…
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