Nikko [Tochigi]

Q. Which prefecture is Nikko in?

A. Tochigi

Q. I heard the place is surrounded by mountains. Are they good for hiking?

A. Yes. A lot of hikers of all levels come to the mountains, which is a national park.  

Q. I heard about World Heritage Shrines and Temples of Nikko. How big is it? Also, please tell me more about it.

A. Shrines and Temples of Nikko consists of 103 structures spread over three complexes.

One of the most impressive and rightfully most visited is the Toshogu Shrine complex. Toshogu is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the powerful Tokugawa Shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1867. 

Futarasan-jinja Shirine

Lake Chuzenji

Rinnoji Temple

Q. Would you recommend me a nice site for trekking or hiking? Also, what do I need to bring?

A. Nikko National Park/ Lake Chuzenji

Q. If I visit there in spring, what are specialities?

A. 16-kilometer corridor of cherry trees

Q.What are local food I shouldn't miss trying?

A. Yuba. Yuba is a soy product that has featured in Buddhist cuisine for centuries. Locals put it in almost everything, including ramen, sushi, rice cookies, and Nikko's famed yuba manju sweets.

Word Focus:

sacred 神聖なる

backdrop 背景

Shinto 神道

worship 崇拝する

mausoleum 壮大な墓

Shogunate 将軍の職

Lavish 豊富な

intricately carved 複雑に彫られた

five-story pagoda 五重塔

dazzling 目がくらむほどまばゆい

flamboyantly 色や光がまばゆい

stark 荒涼とした

stoic 平然とした

depicting 〜を描く

intertwined 結びつく

provision 準備、対策 provisions 食糧、蓄え

outlying 都市の中心地から遠くはなれた所

cascade 連続した小さな滝