Nikko Park Lodge

Nikko is famous for it’s World Heritage shrines and temples such as Rinnoji Temple and Toshogu Shrine, but it’s not all that is around this area. There are hidden treasures that many tourists don’t see simply because they don’t know to look for them.

Take the time to speak to Ken at Nikko Park Lodge about his recommended places around Nikko and you’ll discover some amazing waterfalls, shrines, statues and cemetaries that are not often visited by the usual tourists.

The Bakejizo (Ghost Jizo), a line of around 40 jizo statues lining the banks of a river. They’re known as the Ghost Jizo because if you count them on the way up and again on the back down there will be a different number. Spooky!  But really beautiful. Sadly there should be more around a hundred but a flood many, many years ago washed some of the statues away. However the ones that are left are beautifully cared for in their red hats and bibs. It’s quite special to see so many of these type of statues together.

Another spooky place to visit just near to the BakeJizo is the Graveyard of the monks of Rinnoji Temple. Covered in moss and lichen, this ages old cemetary is a beautiful place to visit… but perhaps only during daylight hours.

(These places are a short walk West from the Toshogu Shrine complex along the Kamangafuchi Abyss. Make sure you drop in at Nikko Park Lodge Tobu Station for more information).

Before Nikko was famous for Toshogu Shrine it still had many visitors who came to see Takino Shrine, further up in the mountains. It’s still worth a visit now with some amazingly large and ancient trees, Inari shrine (fox shrine) and waterfalls.

(Takino Shrine is North of Toshogu Shrine and can be reached by a short walk through the forest).

April is Sakura (cherry blossom) season, when the cherry blossoms trees are at their best and all of Japan turns a particular shade of pink.

Hanami, or ’flower viewing’, are very popular amoungst the Japanese and parks on the weekends are turned into a sea of blue as people mark out their picnic position with bright blue tarpaulins and mats. Festival food such as Takoyaki (dumpling balls made with octopus) and Okonomiyaki  (a kind of Japanese pancake cooked with noodles and vegetables) is provided by market wagons positioned conveniently around the outskirts of the park and people enjoy the warm springs day with a healthy dose of sake mixed in.

These photos were taken on Saturday 16th April, 2011 at Utsunomiya Park, just over 1 hours drive from Nikko. If you are travelling to Nikko by train you will pass through this city.

The world heritage shrines and temples of Nikko have been unharmed by the recent Earthquake/Tsunami destruction. Here are some photos taken on 15th April 2011 of Toshogu Shrine and a nearby waterfall we found hidden up in the hills, taken on a beautiful day of touring.