Travels in the Far East - Nikko 2013 (Days 9&10) & Some Helpful Hints for Japan

Our final stop on our family vacation was Nikko, just a short train ride from Tokyo. We went on a 5km hike around the town to explore all the temples and shrines around the city. The walk took us most of the afternoon but allowed us to explore all the secluded spots around Nikko. It is easy to understand after visiting why Nikko became such a destination for pilgrims and tourists. The giant trees which reminded this California girl of our giant redwoods were intimdating and set the scene for such a spectacular shrine like the Toshogu Shrine to call home.

The Toshogu Shrine

We explored waterfalls, streams, hundreds of stone buddahs along a shadded mossy grove, as well as countless other shrines that are part of the World Heritage Site which included Taiyuinbyo Shrine, the Nikko Futarasan Jinja Shrine and the Shinkyo bridge. The Toshogu Shrine is the one to hit though if you only have a short period of time.

The hundreds of Buddahs

Since we arrived so late from Tokyo, we were only able to expore the town and could not enter any of the paid temples because it was too late in the day. As a result we made the decision to pick one temple for the following morning. Also if you are tourist in Nikko, make sure you have plenty of cash with you ahead of time since there are next to zero ATMs in the town that take international debit cards. You can almost always find a 7-11 wherever you are (and that means an ATM accessible to international travelers) but unfortunately there were none to be found in Nikko.

Luckily we had enough cash to get us into the amazing Toshogu Shrine where there is a carving of the See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil monkeys, as well as the amazing Yomeimon (Main Gate) to the inner temple. There is also a hike along the stone wall of the temple to a wishing tree at the top of the hill. Even though the gate is under some major renovations, it was still stunning to see this amazing shrine filled with dozens of buildings to gaze upon.


The monkey carving

Fell in love with this bridge.

After our visit to the shrine, we were off to Narita to head back to the states. This was an amazing trip and a place I would love to return to visit again as I feel there is much left to explore, especially in the south of Japan. I would also love to go back and do some diving there, as the Japanese are avid Scuba Divers and I am now finished up rehabbing after surgery.

Japan is an amazing place and here are some helpful tips I wish I had known in advance.
1. Bring hand sanitizer. They are an amazing clean country but interestingly enough, the public restrooms don't have soap. It's still a conundrum to me.
2. Always get cash when you see a 7-11. Make sure you have enough cash to get you through the next few days since some smaller towns, like Nikko, don't have 7-11s and therefore getting cash can be difficult for foreigners.
3. Be prepared for stares. There is not a lot of racial diversity in Japan and therefore if you are not of Asian decent, you will garner some stares. Unlike Americans who may stare and then turn away when you catch them looking at you, the Japanese for the most part will continue to hold your gaze and they do not mean any offense by that. You are just different. We had a number of people approach us in the train stations to ask questions, etc. My mom even took a photo with this very nice man's granddaughters.
4. The Japanese love to travel within their own country. You will be amazed to see that most tourists are fellow countrymen.
5. Try the local food. Japanese food is amazing and it is so much more than just sushi and tempura. Go for Japanese breakfast, it may seriously surprise you!
6. Travel by train. The JR train system is amazing and can get you anywhere. It is also so comfortable and the views can't be beat. Just remember to buy a train pass before you leave, it will save you a ton of money!
7. Have fun! There is no right itinerary and no wrong place to visit. Every town was a new experience so I would say don't just see the big cities, venture out of your comfort zone.