If you are planning a trip to Tokyo is essential to make a little visit to Nikko. Even if time is scarce, this is the only outlet on the outskirts of the city that you can not miss.
There is a Japanese saying which goes: «Do not say that is wonderful until you’ve seen Nikko», and the truth is that in Nikko is the most impressive monuments in Japan.

Nikko is located 128 kilometers north of Tokyo, easily reachable by train from the capital in a journey that takes about an hour and a half, depends on the airline and trains pack and go.

Once we arrived at Nikko, you can go to the temples by bus, by Tobu company or on the roadside of a beautiful forest that surrounds them.

Visiting Nikko without problems can arise as a departure from a day from Tokyo, although it should be early, but you can sleep in the village and enjoy its magnificent ryokan.

To visit the temples there is a combined ticket that allows access to all of them priced around 1,300 yen cheaper than if purchased separately. Also this post was given a very useful map not pass anything by.

It is also important to know that all churches have a visitation schedule stipulated, and that usually open at 8 am, closing between 3:30 and 6 pm, the schedule depends on each temple, but closed in winter before.

The most important of the temples that we see in Nikko is the Toshogu. This is the Shinto shrine in which Tokugawa Ieyasu is buried, born in 1543 and died in 1616, the first shogun of Japan, a historic military command.

Among the things we should not lose ourselves in our visit to this monument are the Torii gate to the Shinto shrine, the five-story pagoda, the ‘Sacred Stable’ which contains a white horse whose exterior decoration are the famous’ Monkeys of wisdom ‘, some curious carvings showing the life cycle of the monkey and three monkeys, including each of which’ can not hear the devil, the devil is not and will not talk to the devil ‘; near the monkeys are other interesting carvings of an elephant made by an artist who had never seen one, the Yakushi-do is a large room with a dragon painted on the ceiling, a Buddha and a block that makes a noise that is said to be identical to cry a dragon the size of the famous cat sleeping, and the three Buddhas Rinno-ji temple.

In the vicinity of the temple complex, are other important things to visit like the Shinkyo, a red bridge that connects the temple with the people Kanmangafuchi, a series of protective statues found in the mountain side and the botanic garden .

If you want a souvenir odd and different, one suggestion is take a notebook, not very large to minimize the room, with thick leaves, as drawing with watercolor, you can also buy in Japan, even in some churches and ask the master calligraphers of the temples that we draw the Kanji of the temple and put their seal. We charge 100 or 200 yen for it. Back with a notebook full of these calligraphy is the most original.

Moreover, the temples sell amulets, souvenirs and different ways to predict the future by choosing sticks or bags with our fortunes written on them.

The abundance of tourists and school groups, not at all overwhelming or unpleasant, and in a very Japanese way, is part of the show. Particularly interesting is watching the Japanese school, anything loud and very obedient, with their uniforms to the Manga style including yellow caps.

For the ways of the woods, among the temples, you can enjoy a snack at a booth run by a tiny old lady in Nikko is that everything is quiet, ancient and spiritual.