Japan 2008 (12) - Nikko (日光)

Day 10
Today my brother took Dave and me to Nikko by car. It's ~120 miles from his house, but it took ~4 hours one way due to the heavy Tokyo traffic. An alternative is to take the train, but that requires several transfers and we would have no local transportation, making it almost impossible to see other places in Nikko except the famous Toshogu Shrine, which is located in walking distance of Nikko Train Station.

1. Approaching Toshogu Shrine. Unlike other temples and shrines we have seen, the buildings here are lavishly decorated.


2. The famous "Three Wise Monkeys".


3. Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil.


4. Lavish decoration.


5.


6.


7. The famous "Sleeping Cat". Not sure why it is designated as national treasure.


8. The road from Nikko to Lake Chuzenji has many hairpin turns like this.


9. Lake Chuzenji.


(To be continued)