For those of you who don't know, Nikko is a small town in northern Tochigi Prefecture known for being a historical heritage site. There are lots of Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines. Plus, there's lots of scenic natural settings. We woke up early and road a train to Nikko and to save money decided to walk from the station to the main temple complex. At the entrance to the temple complex, there is a beautiful sacred bridge.Again, these temples in Nikko are considered a World Heritage Site, so it's a major tourist destination for local Japanese people as well as foreigners.
We wandered around the temples and shrines and took lots of pictures of the historic landmarks.
After walking a lot and seeing a lot, we returned to Nikko Station and boarded a smaller local train for an onsen hotel. It was about an hour away and in the middle of no where, but it was a nice relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of Nikko and even Oyama (not that Oyama is hustling and bustling). We enjoyed a large buffet dinner and an indoor and outdoor hot spring bath.
The next day, we woke up, ate a buffet breakfast and headed back to Nikko. Once there, we rode a bus through the winding roads to Chuzenji Lake. We walked around a bit and then bought boat tour tickets. After the beautiful boat tour, we walked to Kegon Falls. After that adventure, we boarded the bus back for Nikko and returned via train to Oyama. It was a fun travelling experience and I hope to go back to Nikko to do more hiking!
