Absolute fabulous place, especially autumn time. nice hotels in mountains, many has a onsen too ( hot springs ).

Great one-day trip from Tokyo.

Beautiful, traditional city, anytime of the year. Autumn or Spring are the best times to go. If you think the temples are too touristy, head out to Nikko National Park where there are some great hot springs and hiking spots.

Let the water from the waterfalls make you happy!

Don't say けっこ (Kekko) until you've seen 日光 (Nikko).  Nikko is considered a place that all Japanese people should visit before they die.  The nature is pristine.  Kegon waterfall is a must for anyone coming to Nikko.  Lake Chuzenji is another must see.  In the winter, the lake is a little somber, but in the summer and autumn, the water is a shade of blue matched only in paintings.  
Nikko has plenty of shrines and temples to keep any history nut happy.  My personal favorite is the Toshogu shrine (東照宮).  While this shrine with its extensive complex, collection of stone lanterns, and 5 story pagoda are truly amazing, I would recommend choosing a ryoukan (traditional Japanese hotel) closer to the Shinkyo bridge.  This sacred red bridge is famous and, when seen in the morning light, it is easy to understand why.  It is a marvelous sight when framed with the mist coming down from the mountains at daybreak.
If you do choose to visit Nikko in the winter, each of these attractions has a completely different atmosphere about them that is enchanting in a whole new way.  One word of warning however.  The wind in Nikko could bring a even a Korean warlord to his knees (anyone who has lived in Korea, especially close to the North Korean border, knows what I mean).  Remember to bring a warm coat.

If you go in the Fall, with some good timing, all the trees in Nikko will turn red. In happens in a matter of days, but it's quite spectacular.

The city isnt great, nearby nikko however u'll find Lake Chuzenji famous for its hot springs, incredibly beautiful landscapes and waterfalls (smts u can even meet wild monkeys!)

30/06...日光...

轉乘車站...


前天晚上睡得不好...結果昨晚就睡過頭了...
一早起來剛6:30...但已經誤了第一班新幹線...不過幸好有JR Pass...可以免費再訂一張票...

若沒有的話...這一覺就睡掉了4600日元... 這個月日本處於梅雨季節...每天早上天都是昏黑昏黑的...
但坐上新干線後...天氣就開始好轉... 順便給斑竹的新干線一個寫真...特大的車頭...就像飛機頭一樣...

或許這就是新干線跑的快的秘密???時速300km...

坐到宇都宮...換上日光線的普通電車...

天氣變得更好...
藍天白雲...

電車駛入一片衫樹林中...

車上的人很少...可以一個人坐在窗邊享受一下農田風光...
經過兩個小時的火車旅行...到達日光...

這是一個在東京北面的小鎮...來的人多數是遊客...所以早上的日光靜悄悄的...

可愛的Ladies準備去上學...
從車站走十五分鐘就到達日光的風景區...

第一個景點叫神橋...所有和神有關的東西一定是油成紅色...
不過這點紅在這青山綠水中...反而相當襯... 神橋是凡人不可走的...想走就要給錢...
給錢就昇 level 成神人了???
神橋後面便是日光的神社群... 詳細我就不多講了...大家看相吧...


這裡還供奉著真正統一日本的將軍...得川家康的墓...
不過爬上去蠻費力...要過近200台台階...


上去的人全都累趴下了...
但在墓旁還有顆600歲高齡的大樹...
德川奧宮的名物...睡貓...
在日本有很多鳥居...大部分也是油成紅色...但也有些用石頭做的...

有些用合金做的...
這合金據說是用金...銀...銅混起來做的...感覺就是什麼貴就往裡混...

這三只猴子是???

非禮勿看...非禮勿聽...非禮勿說...
日本還有很多地方留下了中國的痕跡...畢竟"本是同根生"... 在神社群逛到十一點多...用種滿衫樹的參道連起來的神社群實在太大...


人也太多...人怕出名豬怕壯...名人死了也無法安息哪...
神社的屋簷都閃閃發光...

或許是包了層金的緣故... 接下來就坐巴士去華嚴瀑布看看...這個瀑布被稱為是日本的三大瀑布...
剛上巴士的時候會發一張指定票...票上有個號碼...每個號碼就代表不同的上車口...

在車出口處會有個顯示板...板上標著不同號碼的價錢...
斑竹剛上車時拿了個三號...150yen...
但車途過了一半...票價已經跳到600yen...
到最後下車時...要給950yen...就像股市般說漲就漲... 從巴士下來...只感覺像去了冰洞...

華嚴瀑布在山谷中...斑竹估計當時只有十五度以下...
馬上穿上大衣...感覺好些...望望四周...一片大霧...什麼也看不見...

不祥的感覺... Poster上的華嚴瀑布應該是這樣...

但斑竹去到時只聽得見水聲...一點瀑布的影子都看不見...一萬個無奈...

在山上吃個暖暖的咖哩飯...日本的飯菜份量都少得可憐...又少又貴啊...600yen...
吃完霧也沒退...只好選擇離開...
去巴士站途中的另一個鳥居...

只顧著照相...霧中就誤了一輛巴士...

只好等待...
日光的巴士一小時一輛...今天的運氣真是最差了!!!斑竹想...

等待使人發狂...再加上路上的車不多...所以斑竹就跑到路中間玩自拍...小朋友千萬不要學!!! 但沒想到等著等著...突然一陣風吹來...霧開始散去...

斑竹馬上跑回瀑布...

情況有所改善...雖然無法認清瀑布...

但起碼能看到觀景台前面是有些東西... 所以斑竹決定等下去...
如果我是Wyee...我一定會向天父祈禱...
但現在斑竹在日本...所以斑竹改為向天照大神許願... 在等的同時認識到來自美國的Valerie...兩個人一邊吹吹水...一邊等霧散...

Valerie從美國中部來...剛辭了工作...想去學校再進修一下...主打護理...
大約等了一個小時...我們決定到別的地方先走走...
在瀑布上游其實有個湖...叫中禪寺湖...十分平靜的湖水...

若下次有空一定要在上面划船玩玩...
在湖邊走的時候...太陽出來了...

斑竹估計瀑布那邊霧也散得差不多...就再回去看看... 不錯...

非常好!!!

看來天照神也蠻照顧斑竹的...
這就是斑竹干等三個小時的結果!!! 在現場看瀑布...氣勢就是不同...這好像是斑竹第一次見大瀑布呢...

觀景台下面有一條隧道...

可以在瀑布下面看...

一下去就好像進入黑色暴雨區域一般...全濕了... 今天不錯...心滿意足在陽光下離開...

但又要再等巴士...

下次真要好好算算時間... 晚餐...在上野車站買的上野限定便當...蠻貴的...1000yen...

味道也普通...

明早的早餐...飯團x2...

Kegon Falls, with Elevator

Look for the Wild Monkeys on the bus ride into Nikko