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<p><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: larger;"><strong>World Heritage　Nikko&rsquo;s shrines and temples</strong></span></span></p>
<div style="text-align:left;border:1px solid #eedddd;background-color:#fffff4; padding:8px 8px 12px 12px;" id="innerall1">Tochigi Prefecture abounds with tourist resources &ndash; historic and  cultural attractions, beautiful natural environment and many hot  springs. Its historical and cultural significance is represented by  Nikko&rsquo;s shrines and temples that have been designated a World Heritage  Site. The scenic beauty of each season is particularly impressive in Oku  Nikko, Nasu Highland and Shiobara Valley. Hot spring resorts include  the Kinugawa and Kawaji area that is called the &ldquo;inner sanctum to the  Kanto Region.&rdquo; The great accessibility from Tokyo is another factor in  drawing many tourists here. Men and women of all ages can relax on their  own and amuse themselves here &ndash; by appreciating the natural splendor,  soaking stresses away in the hot bath, visiting leisure facilities and  enjoying delicious foods. Tochigi is truly a place of comfort. We look  forward to having you here soon!</div>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/pdf/dw/guide_en.pdf">「TOCHIGI Visitors Guide」</a>download&nbsp;[PDF 7,949KB]</p>
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<h4>a city with historic and cultural assets and natural richness.</h4>
<p>Nikko, an international tourist city representing Tochigi  Prefecture, has exquisite history and culture. The two shrines and one  temple here, including Toshogu Shrine, have been designated a World  Heritage Site. This area is also blessed with natural beauty; Lake  Chuzenji, Senjogahara and other scenic sites show different aspects by  season. Hot springs with an atmosphere unique to spas also lure many  tourists.</p>
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<div class="right3"><img src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/map_nikko.gif" alt="" /></div>
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<h4>Sightseeing spot navigation</h4>
<div class="left"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/senjyougahara.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Senjogahara</strong><br />
The high moor extending over a  plateau 1,400 meters above sea level is one of the most renowned  wetlands in Japan. A variety of plants and animals live here, and the  alpine plants are particularly beautiful in summer. In autumn, the  entire grassland is colored red and yellow.</p>
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<div class="right"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/otashirogahara.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Odashirogahara</strong><br />
This marsh, approximately  650,000 m2 in area, is located to the west of Senjogahara. There is a  well-kept promenade for hikers. Car traffic is banned here to protect  the national environment, and hybrid (low-emission) buses are in  operation from Akanuma along the national highway route to Senjugahama.</p>
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<div class="left"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/nantaisan_tyuzenjiko.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Mt. Nantai</strong><br />
Since Priest Shodo successfully  climbed this mountain in 782, Mt. Nantai has been the most important  religious site for believers in Nikko Shugendo (ancient Japanese  religion of mountain asceticism). The summit commands a panoramic view  of the entire Kanto region. As can be seen by the fact its eruptions  resulted in the formation of Lake Chuzenji, this mountain can be  considered to be the origin of many topographical features of the  present Oku Nikko.</p>
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<div class="right"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/tyuzenjiko.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Lake Chuzenji</strong><br />
This lake located high on a  plateau with an altitude of 1,250 meters is one of the most famous lakes  in Japan. Lava discharged from the crater of Mt. Nantai during its past  eruptions dammed the Daiyagawa River, forming Lake Chuzenji. It boasts  of being one of the most transparent lakes in Japan, with the seasonal  changes of the surrounding area beautifully reflected on its tranquil  surface. Kegon Falls is the outflow of this lake.</p>
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<div class="left"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/ryutounotaki.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Ryuzu Falls</strong><br />
This waterfall, located upstream  of the Yugawa River that flows from Lake Yunoko into Lake Chuzenji,  falls 210 meters over the lava spewed from the crater of Mt. Nantai. A  teahouse at its basin offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding  area, which is particularly beautiful in spring when azaleas are in full  bloom and in the autumnal foliage season.</p>
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<div class="right"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/kirifurinotaki.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Kirifuri Falls</strong><br />
Kegon Falls, Urami Falls and  this Kirifuri Falls have been included in the three most renowned  waterfalls in Nikko since long ago. The observation platform in front of  the waterfall offers a spectacular view. This waterfall also shows  different facets depending on the season, each of which blends in  perfectly with the surrounding scenery. The view is particularly  impressive in the foliage season from mid to late October.</p>
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<div class="left"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/kagennotaki.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Kegon Falls</strong><br />
Kegon Falls, one of the most  famous waterfalls in Nikko, has both dynamic and elegant aspects, with  its falls plummeting some 97 meters, while retaining exquisite beauty  created by nature. It is included in Japan&rsquo;s three most renowned  waterfalls together with Nachi Falls (Wakayama Prefecture) and Fukuroda  Falls (Ibaraki Prefecture). Visitors can go to the bottom of the gorge  by elevator. Although its view never fails to enchant visitors  throughout the year, Kegon Falls is particularly dazzling when it puts  on autumnal colors and when it forms huge icicles in winter.</p>
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<div class="right"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/nikko_kisuge.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Nikko Kisuge</strong><br />
Nikko Kisuge, the alpine flora  bearing orange flowers, grows in clusters in the Kisuge Plain of  Kirifuri Highland, where the entire slopes turn yellow from late June to  early July, with tens of thousands of Nikko Kisuge blossoming all at  once.</p>
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<div class="left"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/tosyogu.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Toshogu Shrine</strong><br />
Constructed as the mausoleum of  Ieyasu Tokugawa in 1617, this shrine was later rebuilt into the present  impressive shrine under the reign of the Third Shogun Iemitsu. All the  buildings here have been designated as National Treasures and Important  Cultural Assets. In December 1999, the Toshogu Shrine and other shrines  and temples in Nikko were officially designated as a World Heritage  Site.<br />
One of its gates Yomeimon is also called Higurashimon (twilight gate),  because viewers never get tired of admiring its beauty all day till  twilight. Visitors are also overwhelmed by as many as 5,000 ornate  woodcarvings, including Nemuri Neko (Sleeping Cat) and San Zaru (Three  Monkeys), which are the culmination of the supreme craftsmanship in the  Edo Period.</p>
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<div class="right"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/rinnouji.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Rinnoji Temple</strong><br />
Rinnoji originated from the  Shihonryuji Temple established by Priest Shodo, the founder of Nikko  mountain worship. This temple prospered as a mecca of mountain  worshippers coming in large numbers for religious training. Rinnoji  became an important religious center following the death of Ieyasu  Tokugawa and the construction of Toshogu Shrine. In December 1999,  Rinnoji and other temples and shrines in Nikko, including the Toshogu  and Futaarasan shrines, were registered as a World Heritage Site.<br />
This temple has many must-sees, including the main hall called the  Sambutsudo (Hall of Three Buddhas), the Shoyouen garden, the Houmotsuden  which stores 30,000 treasures and the Taiyuin Mausoleum dedicated to  the Third Tokugawa Shogun Iemitsu. It is almost impossible to see all of  them in one day.</p>
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<div class="left"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/nikou_jinjya.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Futaarasan Shrine</strong><br />
The origin of this shrine is  believed to date back to 790, when Priest Shodo established its main  shrine. Futaarasan Shrine was esteemed as the most important shrine in  Shimotsuke (now called Tochigi) in ancient times. In the Kamakura  Period, this shrine came to be considered to be the guardian god of the  Kanto Region by the Shogunate and baronial families. The Haiden  (oratory) and the Honden (sanctuary) are maintained as they were at the  time of their construction in 1619. This shrine and other temples and  shrines in Nikko, including the Toshogu Shrine and Rinnoji Temple, were  registered as a World Heritage Site in December 1999. There are many  must-sees, including the Bake-Doro (Goblin Lantern), the Futaara Reisen  (Miraculous Spring) and the Daikokuden (Main Temple).</p>
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<div class="right"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/bessou_park.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Memorial Park of the Italian Embassy Villa</strong><br />
The  former site of a villa used by Italian ambassadors to Japan until 1997  was purchased and converted into a park by the Tochigi Prefectural  Government. The attached International Summer Resort History Museum  displays furniture and furnishing goods used in the villa, reminding  visitors of days when this area prospered as a summer resort from the  middle of the Meiji Period to the early Showa Period.</p>
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<div class="left"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/tabozawa_goyoutei.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Memorial Park of the Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Residence</strong><br />
This  residence was originally part of the Akasaka Detached Palace in Tokyo,  and moved here in 1899 for Emperor Taisho (then prince) to stay there  for his health. The building was refurbished and is now opened to public  as a memorial park. This is one of the largest wooden imperial  residences constructed in the Meiji and Taisho periods. Built in  Japanese style, this residence uses carpets and chandeliers as part of  its interior, indicating the semi-Western lifestyle back then.</p>
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<div class="right"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/yayoi_festival.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Yayoi Festival</strong><br />
This traditional Futaarasan  Shrine festival is said to have originate around 770. It is now held  annually from April 13 to 17, heralding the arrival of spring in the  mountain city Nikko. Of a variety of religions events organized during  the festival, the greatest attraction is the parade of 12 flowered  festival floats from the different areas of Nikko assembling from the  east and the west.</p>
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<div class="left"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/yumoto_onsen.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Nikko Yumoto Hot Springs</strong><br />
This hot spring  resort is located deep in Senjogahara along the northern shore of Lake  Yunoko. Priest Shodo, the founder of Nikko, is said to have found this  place in 788 and named it Yakushinoyu (&ldquo;medicine man&rsquo;s hot bath&rdquo;). Hot  springs can be seen gushing out from the springhead located in the  nearby marsh.</p>
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<div class="right"><img style="float:left" src="http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/library/img/language/syunkirei_taisai.jpg" alt="" />
<p><strong>Great Spring Festivals of Toshogu Shrine</strong><br />
Of  many annual events at the Toshogu Shrine, this festival is the greatest  religious occasion. The 1,000 Samurais Parade (Hyakumonozoroe Sennin  Gyoretsu) on May 18 is particularly impressive, by reproducing the huge  procession formed when the remains of Ieyasu Tokugawa were moved to  Nikko. Locals dressed in Nikko&rsquo;s traditional warrior costume parade  through the city. On the day before (May 17), Yabusame (the art of  shooting arrows on horseback) is performed.</p>
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<p>Reference</p>
<ul style="font-size:80%; margin-top:0px;">
    <li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.nikko-jp.org/english/index.html">Nikko Tourist Association</a>　TEL:0288-54-2496</li>
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