TYPHOON IN NIKKO, JAPAN
The
autumn foliage is extraordinary for someone who hails from a tropical country, such as the
Philippines. To be able to experience
the season is one of the long line of bucket list for every Filipino, including
myself. With this, the early autumn trip
to one of the countries known for a picturesque landscape on said season was
planned. We were bound for Nikko, Japan.
And it was my first autumn experience.
I
had visions of gardens, temples, and lakes surrounded by deciduous trees and
shrubs in shades of red, yellow, purple, black, orange, pink, magenta, blue and
brown.
Months before the trip, we have
confirmed with friends based in Tokyo of where the best vantage of an autumn
foliage can be experienced. All of them
pointing to Nikko, Japan.
With
that, Nikko became the top most priority in the itinerary. The Nikko Travel Pass booked from Klook was
the answer to making our itinerary work with ease and convenience. The pass has an inclusive round trip from
Tobu Asakusa Station (just a few walks from our hotel, Wired Asakusa) to
Shimo-imaichi Station. From Asakusa
Station, we exchanged our Klook Vouchers at the Tobu Sightseeing Service Center
by presenting our passports as well.
The
Unlimited Access on Tokyo Subway via Klook really did wonders on saving
cost and time for this trip.
From
Shino-imaichi Station, shuttle rides are available to explore the best places
of Nikko, which is divided into three based on your preference including that
of famed lakes and onsens. We chose the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Nikko route. The Nikko Travel Pass provides unlimited
rides to all access transports in Nikko and Kinugawa. It is the most economical way to travel to
Nikko.
Though
everything may have been planned, the
weather did not cooperate. There was a
super typhoon during our visit. With
that, the wandering has to be shortened and mostly, we were confined for the indoors. But the drizzle at times and the incessant
rain never compromised the beautiful landscape of Nikko.
Nikko’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including two shrines and one temple, are
connected with a panoramic path of cedar trees.
Visitors can take a stroll to Nikko-zan Rin-noji Temple, which has over
1,200 years of history and 16 important cultural properties, and Nikko
Futarasan Jinja Shrine, believed to bring good luck in matchmaking.
NIKKO FUTARASAN
JINJA SHRINE
The wooden plaques with a heart shape is the highlight of the shrine. With incessant rains, we still strolled around the vicinity and ended up on a nearby parking lot with a landscape close to what I visualized an autumn scenery should be.
SHINKYU OR SACRED
BRIDGE
The
Shunkyu or Sacred Bridge is the icon of Nikko.
It is everything how Japan can be captured on an autumn season. The bridge stands at the entrance of Nikko’s
shrines and temples, and technically belongs to Futarasan Shrine. The bridge is ranked as one of Japan’s three
finest bridges.
NIKKO TOSHO-GU
Together
with Futarasan Shrine, the Nikko Tosho-gu forms the Shrines and Temples of
Nikko UNESCO World Heritage Site. The
five-story pagoda at the entrance is a necessary backdrop at Nikko
Tosho-gu.
The heavy downpour made us
stay on the side temples and a time to observe the high influx of
tourists. The transparent white
umbrellas was a necessary façade and the queue to the stone steps leading to
the temple was long.
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