Page 298 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

EXPERIENCE Northern Honshu Looking over Lake

Chuzenji from the
Futura-san Shrine

1 and Taro, their child. It is
actually the main shrine of
NIKKO three; the other two are at
Lake Chuzen ji and on Mount
Nantai. The bronze torii here
has been designated as an
日光 Important Cultural Property.
But the shrine’s most inter-
! F4 ⌂ Tochigi Prefecture £ JR and Tobu-Nikko lines
n At Tobu Nikko Stn; www.nikko-travel.jp/english esting feature for visitors is
a tall bronze lan tern, nick-
Written with characters that mean “sunlight,” the named the “ghost lantern”,
mystical town of Nikko has become a Japanese byword which is said to take the shape
for splendor. In 766, the formidable Buddhist priest of a monster at night. The
Shodo Shonin founded the first temple here. This was gashes in the lamp are from
the sword of terrified samurai
the first of many and Nikko became a renowned who attacked it when the
Buddhist-Shinto religious center. flame started to flicker in
a peculiar way. A vermilion
Daiya River where, legend has fence now protects the
1 " it, Shodo Shonin crossed the lantern from attack.
Takinoo Shrine water on the backs of two huge
serpents. The original bridge,
⌂ 2310-1 Sannai § (0288) Takinoo Shrine
21-0765 # 24 hrs daily which was built in 1636 for the 4 " 0 meters 500 N Futara-san 0.7 miles (1.2 km)
exclusive use of the shogun Shrine Nikko
This peaceful, rustic shrine, and imperial messengers, Rinno-ji 0 yards 500 Tosho-gu Woodcarving
thought to be dedicated to a was destroyed by a flood. ⌂ 2300 Sannai # 8am– Shrine Center
female deity, draws women The current bridge dates 5pm daily Taiyuin-byo
Urushi
and those looking for love. from 1907. Shrine Tosho-gu Treasure Hall Museum
Toss a stone through the hole The first temple founded at and Museum of Art
in the top of the torii and into Nikko, by Shodo Shonin in SANNAI
the shrine grounds and your 766, Rinno-ji was originally Rinno-ji Tsuruya Yuba Restaurant
wish, they say, will come true. 3 " called Shihonryu-ji. When it NIHON RO M A N T I C HIGH WAY N I K K O - I M A I C H I L I N E 7 miles (11 km)
YASUKAWACHO
Futara-san Shrine became a Tendai-sect temple HANAISHICHO HONCHO
in the 17th century it was Shinkyo
⌂ 2307 Sannai # 8am–5pm Nikko Tamozawa Bridge
2 daily ∑ futarasan.jp renamed. Its Sanbutsu-do Imperial Villa TAKUMICHO GOKOMACHI
(Three Buddha Hall) is the
Shinkyo Bridge Founded by Shodo Shonin in largest hall at Nikko. It is Nikko Botanical N I K K O - K A I D O
This red-lacquered wooden 782, this shrine is dedicated to undergoing major renovations Gardens Nikko station
bridge, just to the left of the the gods of the mountains until 2020, but remains open. Kanman-ga- 650 yd (600 m)
road bridge, arches over the Nantai (male), Nyotai (female), The three gilt images, of Fuchi Abyss
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