Navigating through Nikko 日光

Being in Japan has brought my travel guidebooks to life. I'm really blessed to see those pages come to life as I explore my surroundings. I remember picking up a copy of the Lonely Planet guidebook about Japan at my local Chapters bookstore back home. The telltale blue spine holds hundreds of pages that have inspired several of my travels around Japan. Most recently, I was drawn to Nikko. (My first-year students had their big school trip to Nikko in the fall. Their posters helped elicit my interest in going to Nikko in the fall/winter, as I knew the leaves would be changing colours. Just like back home!) Seeing Nikko was nice. I saw the trees brushed with different hues of oranges and reds, which reminded me of the autumn colours back home.

The Lonely Planet tempts visions of a small temple-ridden town, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo: "The path from Tōshōgu to Futarasan-Jinja may very well be the Japan you’ve dreamt of. On your left, years (decades? centuries?) of moss cling to a stone wall, while to the right are dozens of stone lanterns in precise alignment, framed with aching perfection by a vermillion wall and towering cedars."

My overnight trip to Nikko began on a crisp Monday morning - I had taken a day off school, since we also had a national holiday on Tuesday. I decided to make this a solo journey, since I was really itching to see the leaves changing colour in Nikko; and I didn't feel like asking others to take a day off work for this sort trip. So, I started my journey by hopping into a cab bound for my local train. One shink (bullet train) ride and one JR Nikko train ride later, I was busy shielding myself from the harsh rains in Nikko.

I was cold, wet and hungry. One of my friends, G., had mentioned a darling restaurant tucked away on the main street near the sacred bridge. I found Hippari Dako, known for its delicious set meals. But mostly, its walls are the big attraction. Over the years, travellers have enjoyed leaving their notes of appreciation tacked on the wall of this tiny dining establishment. Business cards, old receipts, postcards - people have used any scrap of paper to leave their mark. I folded a piece of A4 lined paper into an origami heart, and scrawled a quick message in English and simple Japanese. But now recall that I added an extra "k" in "Hippari Dako!" Oops. The ladies working in the kitchen were soft-spoken, but were very kind. The cook came out, and we quickly perused the newspaper together - she noted that my trip might be marred by the sustained downpour. Boo!

The three-table restaurant had only one other diner while I was there. I was trying not to stare, as he set up his tripod around the floor so he could take pictures of himself. Not once, not twice... but three times! Turns out he was visiting Nikko for the afternoon. Alex was a Malaysian dude, who now lives in Singapore. He tried to teach me some Malay, but I can't remember the words right now...

My next stop was the woodlands filled with shrines and temples, specifically: the Toshogu, Rinnoji and Futarasan. I was mostly excited to see the carving of the infamous monkeys. You know, the ones who "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil." But my friends warned me to lower my enthusiasm. As it turns out, the monkeys aren't very big and are simply carved into the sacred horse stable. But it was still pretty cool to see such a symbol! The Shinkyo Bridge, which is an oft-photographed sacred red bridge in Japan, arches over the Daiyagawa River. You can only walk across it after paying a small fee. I didn't. Like most tourists, I got my shot from the bridge parallel to it.

At night, I strolled past my hotel and went over to the Kanmangafuchi Abyss. This is where dozens and dozens of "jizo" protector statues line the side of a hill near the river. Wearing bright hats and bibs, these small stone statues represent the Buddhist protector of travellers and children. Then, I retreated back to my hotel where I feasted over beef sukiyaki. It was kindly prepared by the couple that runs the Turtle Inn. It was dericious. There was another hotel guest in the dining room, so I sat with her. She was a sixtysomething lady who really enjoyed talking about herself, haha. But she did notice that I am in the midst of reading "Eat, Pray and Love." Nancy mentioned she stayed at the same unnamed ashram the writer visited whilst in India.

The next day, I went up to the neighbouring Lake Chuzenji area. I travelled by bus, which had to go up Irohazaka. This is a major winding road, complete with tons of hairpin curves, to bring you up to the lake. I'm sure it would be amazing, but ridiculously dangerous, to drift your car on that road. I saw a motorcyclist overtake our bus, and swiftly weave down the road. When I got to my destination somewhere in the mountainous terrain, I headed over to see one of Japan's "three highest waterfalls." Kegon Waterfalls stands proudly at 97 metres. I took an elevator to its base, so that I could admire its full length. Apparently, the Kegon Waterfalls is notorious as a suicide spot. Eerie...

On my taxi cab ride back to the Nikko Stn., I struck up a conversation with my driver. (This is becoming a trend... making friends with my cabbies. ha). Anyways, he was excited to use his broken English with me. When he dropped me off, he handed me his business card and invited me to his family's home. He says his wife and three kids would be delighted to have me over. :/ Ummm... Thanks, but no thanks?!