After a weekend of halloween madness in Tokyo me and a few friends decided to escape to the quaint town of Nikko. As we sat the night before our intended departure frantically messaging each other on Facebook to attempt to create some sort of plan, I began to waver on my initial commitment, desperately wanting to stay home. I had lost my phone and wallet just two days before in Shibuya, and was so fixated on them that I almost allowed it to prevent me from going! Well thank god I didn't, because Nikko was an absolute treasure filled with so many interesting gems!
Travelling to Nikko is pretty straight forward, I mean unless you happen to be me and my friends, then it's really not...The trip from Tokyo is supposed to be just under two hours, with one transfer at a station only 10min away from Nikko. Somehow, we ended up transferring 3 different times and taking a grand total of 5, yes you read that right, FIVE hours to arrive..
But don't be mistaken, the incredibly chaotic and confusing travel was definitely not some sort of eerie foreshadowing of the two days to come. The train ride was filled with giggles, enlightening conversation, and of course utter stupidity. I wouldn't have had it any other way! When we finally arrived in Nikko we had no time to waste and headed straight for the UNESCO World Heritage Sight which consisted of countless shrines dotted through a forested walkway.
One of my favourite parts of the shrines and temples nestled within the trees is the way the colours pop! Especially reds against the mossy greens. There is something incredibly blissful about the way the colours melt in perfect harmony here!
To top it all off we were visiting Nikko during the most beautiful season! Autumn signals the change of leaves meaning the city is bursting with vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges. This is definitely not something you see so vividly in Tokyo (at least not yet!).
As we walked back into town we passed Nikko's famous Shinkyo (Sacred) Bridge. It is said that the bridge was originally constructed by gods during the Nara period, and is the official entrance for Futaarasan Shrine. Beneath the bridge rushed crystal clear water which lapped off of dark moss covered rocks. The entire scene was idilic, almost as if it were out of a movie.
We ended our first day in Nikko with a trip to the local Onsen (public bath house) where we got to unwind from our busy day! After our soak in the steaming baths we headed into town to find dinner. It was around 9pm and EVERYTHING was shut! We are pretty used to the sleepless city of Tokyo where ramen is accessible at all hours of the night, but Nikko's sleepy relaxed attitude was a definite surprise. Once we finally found some food and ate we headed back to our Hostel for good nights rest!
During the morning of day two we visiting Toshogu Shrine, which is one of Nikko's most famous spots. It is said to be one of Japan's most lavishly decorated shrines with over 50 separate buildings! The shrine marks the resting spot of the Tokugawa Shogunate founder and ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu. Many buildings are still under restoration, yet the immaculate details are evident in the use of colour and sculpture on each monument!
It's hard to believe that this shrine was constructed by hand in the 1600's. There are also many famous carvings at the Toshogu shrine, including my favourite the "see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil" monkeys. The monkeys resonated with me as I was with two other friends, and together it is no stretch to characterize us all as monkeys!
Once we had a chance to tour the shrine and sit in on a Shinto ceremony we headed to the bus station for Ryuzu Falls. However, the busy season meant that the bus to the falls were incredibly delayed and would be overrun with tourists. Instead we decided to visit Kirifuri Falls in the Kirifuri Highlands. Upon arriving at Kirifuri falls we made our way to the observation deck, which don't get me wrong was lovely, but slightly underwhelming.. The observation deck was bursting with tourists snapping pictures and was incredibly removed from the falls themselves.
At only 11am we had seen all there was to offer, or supposedly so. Until we noticed some offbeat paths leading to a hiking trail. These trails were marked only in Japanese and not incredibly easy to follow, but we ventured on anyways!
On our journey we met an elderly Japanese man who guided us to four different water falls in the area. These falls were secluded, blissful, and incredibly quaint. The hike through the highlands was absolutely stunning! I'm sure I expressed my contentment for the journey at least a dozen times.
There was something so surreal about the four of us winding through unmarked paths to literally "chase waterfalls". At each location I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the water and nature that surrounded it. At one falls my friends and I decided to get a bit closer to the action, weaving our way over rocks and streams only to notice our elderly Japanese friend sat back playing a traditional Japanese style flute. Just imagine! Being secluded in a forest, the gushing noise of a waterfall accompanied by the lovely tune of a flute! It really was cinematic, I almost thought I was dreaming.
Instead of taking the bus back down to Nikko we decided to walk along the road. Throughout the walk I kept reminiscing about our perfect two days, wishing I could stay in Nikko forever. The little getaway was absolutely charming! We went with basically no plan at all and were able to really immerse ourselves in all the town had to offer. Even when we hit bumps along the road, like an increased 3hours in travel time, or an inability to access the falls we originally intended to go to, nothing seemed unfinished. Tokyo is magnificent but Japan has a lot to offer and I'm so glad I got to spend two days exploring something new!
watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmtusZcseLg !
XX,
F.
