Meeting Point

Tokyo 23 wards.

Kegon Falls

This is the most famous of the 48 waterfalls scattered around Nikko. The water of Lake Chuzenji falls straight down from the 97-meter-high bank to form a magnificent waterfall. You can feel the majesty of nature and the gorgeous beauty of the shape at the same time. Take the elevator down to the viewing platform to see the waterfall pool from a close distance. The explosion sound and splashing water are very impressive. In May, you can see the fresh green, in June, white-bellied hairy-legged swallows fly around the waterfall, and in January and February, the frozen slender small waterfalls called the 12 waterfalls make the entire waterfall form a blue ice that emits a bluish-white light. The scenery displayed here is different in each season and it is very touching.

Lake Chuzenji

Lake Chuzenji is located in Nikko National Park, Tochigi Prefecture, Honshu, Japan, at an altitude of 1,237 meters (4,060 feet). It is a tourist attraction (shrine, yachting, fishing, skiing). On the north shore stands the 2,490-meter (8,169-foot) tall volcano. The lakeshore is 23 kilometers (14 miles) long and winding, surrounded by low mountains. The lake is fed by small rivers in the northwest. When the Dagu River flows eastward, it forms the Huayan Falls with a height of 96 meters (316 feet). Lake Chuzenji has an area of ​​11.62 square kilometers, a circumference of 25 kilometers, an altitude of 1,269 meters, and a depth of 163 meters. Yukawa is the main source of lake water, and it flows to the Otani River (a tributary of the Kinugawa River) through Kegon Falls (Kagetaki). Lake Chuzenji is Japan's representative alpine lake and the largest lake in Nikko National Park. It was created by a lava valley erupted by a volcano and has crystal clear water.

Chūzen-ji Temple

After reaching the summit of Mt. Nantai, the founder of Mount Nikko, Shodo Shonin, built Chuzenji Temple in 784 and used it as a place of training. At the time, the temple was located near the entrance to Mt. Nantai, but after the Oyama tsunami in 1902, it was moved to Lake Chuzenji's Utagahama. It is the 18th of the 33 Bando Kannon temples, and is home to distinctive Buddhist statues such as Tachiki Kannon and Hanori Daikokuten. You can also try your hand at copying sutras, copying Buddhas, and making rosary beads.

Irohazaka

Iroha-zaka is a slope between Mabe and Lake Chuzenji in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, on National Route 120. The Iroha-zaka Highway is considered one of the most difficult mountain roads in Japan because of its many difficult sharp turns. In autumn, the leaves around it are dyed beautifully red, making it a famous autumn leaf spot. In the past, it was a route for people to climb and visit Mount Nantai and Chuzenji Temple. It was named "Iroha-zaka" in the early Showa period (the first half of the 1900s). There are 48 bends, which just fits the 48 characters of "Iroha Uta", so the cable car guide announcement began to call this slope this way. In 1954, due to road reconstruction, the first Iroha-zaka was basically completed. In 1965, the second Iroha-zaka dedicated to the uphill was built, and the number of bends increased to 50, but the number of bends in the first Iroha-zaka was reduced by two, which was consistent with "Iroha..." again. The uphill curve of the second Iroha-zaka corresponds to "い" to "ね", and the downhill curve of the first Iroha-zaka corresponds to "な" to "ん".

Nikko Toshogu

Nikko Toshogu Shrine is a shrine located in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It is the head shrine of Toshogu Shrine, and the main deity is Tosho Daigonen (Tokugawa Ieyasu). Nikko Toshogu Shrine is known as one of the "Three Great Toshogu Shrines in Japan" along with Kunozan Toshogu Shrine and Senba Toshogu Shrine. Nikko Toshogu Shrine was built in 1617 to commemorate Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Edo Shogunate. There are a large number of animal wooden sculptures in the precincts, symbolizing peace, among which "Three Monkeys" and "Sleeping Cat" are the most famous. In December 1999, "Temple and Shrine of Nikko" including Nikko Toshogu Shrine was selected as a World Cultural Heritage.

Shinkyo Bridge

Nikko’s Shinkyo Bridge is a sacred river crossing which officially belongs to nearby Futarasan Jinja Shrine. One of Nikko’s best-known sightseeing spots, the elegant arc of this bridge crosses the Daiya-gawa River and its vermilion and black lacquer contrasts beautifully with the natural scenery about it.The name “Shinkyo” or 神橋 simply means “sacred bridge” and the bridge is considered to be one of Japan’s three most beautiful bridges along with the Kintaikyo Bridge in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the Saruhashi Bridge in Yamanashi Prefecture. The bridge, which is 28 meters long, 7.4 meters wide, and stands 10.6 meters above the river, is both a nationally designated Important Cultural Property and a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site.

Ending Point

Tokyo 23 wards.