The first temple you will encounter if you following the World Heritage Site bus route, is the Rinnō-ji (輪王寺). The vividly red temple, surrounded by light green trees, makes a great photo shot.
The next temple you will encounter, is Toshugo Shrine(東照宮). The elaborated temple structures are really a sight to awed upon. Note also you will encounter 3 interesting animals at the Toshugo Shrine ground. The first is a sacred horse, a gift by the New Zealand government. The horse is housed in a hut where the "Three Monkeys" are found. Photo as shown below. And lastly, the figure of the Sleeping Cat, as show in the photo here. You will need to pay extra to enter the Sleeping Cat, but don't bother going in. You can see the cat at the entrance. You only pay to climb endless number of stairs that leads to a tomb. 
I got myself an omikuji (おみくじ) while at Nikko because the packaging was just too nice! An omikuji is a kind of fortune telling paper. You put Y$100 (S$1.50) into a box, and randomly pick a fortune paper. If you don't like your fortune, you can tie it up on the trees. If you like it, you keep it with you. I never read my omikuji. But I keep one with me all the time :) My first omikuji was from a Dog Spirit somewhere in a small shrine in Hokkaido. Now, I have one of Three Monkeys! Haha. Ref:
A good site on Nikko
Omikuji おみくじ
Yo! Piggy here.
ReplyDeleteI found this site offering 1 day trip to Nikko. S$200 for a meal plus bus service to Lake Chuzenji and waterfall as well.
http://www.japanican.com/tours/tourdetail.aspx?destcd=25&deptcd=TYO&cdt=1&tc=GMT01TYOOF300&searchfrom=09%2f01%2f2009&searchto=09%2f01%2f2009
Would you pay $200+ for it?
Yo piggy, I won't pay more then S$100 for a day trip. My day trip to Nikko cost me only S$54, and it's a two days pass, so much more worth it. Just budget in maybe S$20 for a meal, add that up, and it's still nowhere near S$200! Sorry, cheapo traveler here :) But the waterwall looks nice. You can visit on your own using the 2-day pass. Use the extra S$100 on a hotel stay instead! Much more worth it!
ReplyDeleteRef:
http://cordycord.blogspot.com/2009/05/nikko-tochigi-prefecture.html
Thank, I am even more cheapo than you :)
ReplyDeleteS$20 for a meal is too much. I will bring KhongGuan biskits with me.
piggy