Page 103 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Tokyo

NIKK O  101

of temple treasures, VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
mainly dating from
the Edo period. Practical Information
Behind it is the Tochigi prefecture. * 84,000.
Shoyoen, a lovely n at Tobu Nikko stn (0288)
landscaped Edo-style 54-2496. _ Tosho-gu Grand
19th-century stroll Festival (May 17–18); Tosho-gu
garden for all seasons. Fall Festival (Oct 17).
∑ nikko-travel.jp/
Its path meanders
around a large pond, english
over stone bridges, Transport
and past mossy £ JR and Tobu-Nikko lines.
stone lanterns.
 Tosho-gu Shrine combines with the limpid
See pp102–3. The Sanbutsu-do hall at Rinno-ji waters of the Daiya River to
make these unusual scenic
P Tosho-gu Treasure Hall Property. More interesting is pools, a sacred spot to
and Museum of Art the tall bronze lantern, which followers of Buddhism.
Tel (0288) 54-2558 (Treasure Hall); was said to take the shape of About 70 stone statues
(0288) 54-0560 (Museum of Art). a monster at night. The gashes of Jizo, the bodhisattva of
Open daily. & in the lantern are from the children, line the path by
In the Treasure Hall are shrine sword of a samurai. the river. They are
treasures along with armor and known as phantom
swords used by the Tokugawa  Takinoo Shrine statues because their
shoguns. In the Museum of Art Tel (0288) 21-0765. numbers always
is an outstanding collec tion of Open daily. appear to change.
early 20th-century painted A quiet 30-minute
doors and panels by Taikan uphill walk through Y Nikko
Yokoyama and others. the woods via a Botanical Gardens
stone path to the left @ to Hanaishicho bus
Hokke-do and Jogyo-do of Futara-san Shrine, stop. Tel (0288) 54-0206.
These two halls belong to this peaceful, rustic Open Tue–Sun.
Rinno-ji and house Buddhist shrine, thought to Closed Dec 1–Apr 14. &
relics. Linked by a corridor, be dedicated to a Some 3,000 varieties
they are often referred to female deity, draws Shrine interior at of plants and flowers
as the twin halls. women and those Futara-san from Japan and
looking for love. Toss a around the world
 Futara-san Shrine stone through the hole in the can be seen at these gardens,
Open daily. & top of the torii (gate) and into a branch of the Koishikawa
Founded by Shodo Shonin in the shrine grounds and your Botanical Gardens of the
782, this shrine is dedicated to wish, they say, will come true. University of Tokyo. Flora
the gods of the mountains from Nikko National Park are
Nantai (male), Nyotai (female),  Taiyuin-byo Shrine showcased. April to July, when
and Taro, their child. It is actually See pp104–5. skunk cabbages and irises
the main shrine of three; the bloom, is a lovely time to visit.
other two are at Lake Chuzen ji } Kanman-ga-Fuchi Abyss
and on the summit of Mount @ to Nishisando bus stop. P Urushi Museum
Nantai. The bronze torii (gate) Lava flows from an old @ to Marumi bus stop. Tel (0288)
here is an Impor tant Cultural eruption of Mount Nantai, 53-6807. Open Mar 20–Nov 20: Mon,
Sat & Sun. &
This small museum, which
opened in 1998 next to
wooded Ogurayama Park,
showcases the lacquerware
arts of Nikko and Japan – urushi
is Japanese for lacquer. Used
in Japan for over 5,000 years,
lacquer has reached the height
of refine ment only in the
past 1,000 years. The museum
collection also includes
examples of lacquerware
Painted sliding doors at the Tosho-gu Museum of Art from China, India, and Egypt.

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