Never say 'kekkō' until you've seen Nikkō - Shrines and Temples of Nikko 913; Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese, notably for the celebration of New Year 00869; Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan 01618
What and Why
The first temple in Nikkō (Japanese: 日光) was founded more than 1,200 years ago. In the early 17th century CE, the famous dying shōgun (将軍) Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川 家康) made it known that his final wish was for his successors to 'Build a small shrine in Nikkō.' (「日光山に小き堂をたて。勧請し候へ。」, 'Nikkōyama ni ko ki-dō o tate. Kanjō shi sōrō e.'). As a result, Nikkō became home of the mausoleums of the Tokugawa shōguns. Unlike most Japanese temples and shrines, the buildings here are extremely ornate and elaborate and show heavy Chinese influence. These buildings also demonstrate the extremely delicate wooden architecture in Japan (日本), which is a cultural heritage by itself.
As the above saying said, 'Never say "kekkō (magnificent)" until you've seen Nikkō' (「日光を見ずして結構と言うなかれ」, 'Nikkō wo mizu shite kekkō to i unakare'), the sceneries and architectures in Nikkō is genuinely magnificent that you may say you have seen enough until you have visited the city.
Toponymy
Nikkō means 'daylight' in Japanese.
See
The entire site is an excellent demonstration of the integration of faith and architecture. In particular all the shrines of Nikkō are constructed using very traditional form of Japanese wooden architecture, employing a special set of traditional skills, techniques and knowledge.
Shinkyō (神橋)
Shinkyō (神橋) is literally the entrance to all the monuments of Nikkō, which I have to say is a bit of a let-down. The red bridge, or kami's (神) bridge, is clearly much photographed as it is located at the entrance to the mountain where all the shrines are. Kami in Japanese means more spirit rather than God. You have to pay JPY 350¥ to cross it and you actually do not cross it, but rather walk to the end and back. In feudal times, only the shōguns were permitted to cross the bridge.
Rinnō-ji (輪王寺)
Rinnō-ji (輪王寺), meaning the king for re-incarnation, is considered an important base for ascetic training among monks, as it refers to chakravatin (Sanskrit: चक्रवर्तिन्), the ideal universal ruler. Amongst the most famous buildings in Rinnō-ji is the Sanbutsudō (三仏堂), meaning 'Three Buddha Hall' which features the prominent statues of Amitābha (Sanskrit: अमिताभ), thousand-arm Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर) and Hayagriva (Sanskrit: विष्णु), Vishnu's (Sanskrit: विष्णु, Viṣṇu) avatar with horse-head. These three deities are considered as the Buddhist manifestations of Nikkō's three mountain kami.
Next to the Sanbutsudo Hall is Homotsu-den (宝物殿), meaning 'Treasure House' which houses an important collection of Buddhist sculptures, paintings, calligraphy, scrolls and other crafts. In addition, the temple houses the commentaries on Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (大般涅槃経, Daihatsunehankyō).
Shinto shrine (中神庫) near Homotsu-den. All these shrines really exhibit the splendour of architectural craftsmanship during the era.
Tōshōgū (東照宮)
The imperial mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, Tōshōgū (東照宮), which means the palace shining in the east, was built in the early 17th century CE. The tomb complex is supremely ornate and elaborate in decoration as it was built by more than 10,000 artisans with many of the buildings are gilded with gold-leaves.
Inside the temple there are a few important or interesting sculptures, including the three monkeys (三猿, sanzaru) which is a traditional maxim in Chinese and Japanese culture: 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil (見ざる, 聞かざる, 言わざる, mizaru, kikazaru, iwazaru)'.
The other interesting sculpture is the Sleeping Cat (眠り猫, nemuri neko).
Taiyuin-byō (大猷院)
The is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Iemitsu (徳川 家光), the third shōgun of the Tokugawa dynasty and grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Futarasan Jinja (二荒山神社)
Futarasan Jinja (二荒山神社) is dedicated to the kami of Nikkō's three holy mountains. The shrine is actually the most ancient in the area.
One of the rituals to perform outside any Japanese shrine is ablution at the fountain provided. The correct procedure is to take one of the ladles provided, fill it with fresh water and rinse your left and right hands. Then transfer some water into your cupped hand, rinse your mouth and spit the water beside the fountain. The water is not supposed to be drunk and the ladle should not touch one's mouth, after all millions of people have used the ladles. Of course idiots like us just drank the water.
Kanmangafuchi (憾満ヶ淵)
Kanmangafuchi (憾満ヶ淵), meaning an abyss full of regret, is a monument that many had missed, but really should not have. A long series of protector statuettes on the side of a hill, many adorned with red bibs, decorate the riverbank with gorgeous waterfalls. Legend says that the statues change places from time to time, and a visitor will never see them in the same order twice. It is around 30-minute walk away from Futarasan Shrine. The name of it came from a monk who was reflecting his life along the river gorge and heard the echo of the bustling river which sounds like regrets, and hence the monk yelled '憾満 (kanman)', meaning 'full of regret'.
Buy and Do
Eat and Drink
Kaiseki-ryōri (懐石料理)
We had one of the best dinners ever in our lives, and there is no exaggeration in this statement, in Gyoshintei (堯心亭), which serves traditional kaiseki-ryōri (懐石料理), the traditional fine-dining of Japan. It was an 18-course dinner which I have documented in my other earlier blog, and at a price of 5,500¥ it is a genuine steal! Nikkō also offers another version of kaiseki, the shōjin-ryōri (精進料理) which is the vegetarian version of kaiseki, due to the city's monastic influence. Equally as good. No one should miss this fine-dining experience, if you can afford.
The typical order of kaiseki-ryōri is:
Sakizuke (先附): an appetiser;
Hassun (八寸): the second course, which sets the seasonal theme. Typically one kind of sushi (すし) and several smaller side dishes;
Takiawase (煮合): vegetables served with meat or fish;
Futamono (蓋物): a 'lidded dish'; typically a soup;
Yakimono (焼物): flame-grilled food, usually fish;
Suzakana (酢肴): a small dish used to cleanse the palate, such as vegetables in vinegar; vinegared appetiser;
Hiyashi-bachi (冷し鉢): chilled, lightly cooked vegetables;
Naka-choko (中猪口): another palate-cleanser; may be a light, acidic soup;
Shiizakana (強肴): a substantial dish, such as a hot pot;
Gohan (御飯): rice made with seasonal ingredients;
Kō no mono (香の物): seasonal pickled vegetables;
Tome-wan (止椀): a soup served with rice;
Mizumono (水物): a fruit dessert.
Japanese cuisine (和食, washoku) is now so important that Japan has overtaken France to become the country with the most 3-starred Michelin restaurants; as of 2018 CE, the capital Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō) is now the city with the most 3-starred restaurants in the world. Japanese cuisine is another ICH.
Yuba (ゆば)
Yuba (ゆば) is the solid skin that forms on top of soy milk when it is boiled. It is then lifted off and used in a number of local dishes in Nikkō, which has become the city's specialty. The skin is soft and the spongy texture adds bounce to many dishes, just like its counterpart in tofu. It is eaten as a complement or as a main dish.
Stay
We stayed in a simple sleepover called Nikko Park Lodge Tobu Station (日光パークロッジ, Nikkō Pāku Rojji), surprisingly good and equipped with electric blanket, although the toilet is really small. The hotel is right in front of the main train station.
Getting There and Around
We drove, but Nikkō is well served by the Japanese Railway (JR) with a main train station there right in front of our hotel. There are regular shuttle buses from the train station to the main monuments, which is only 10 minutes away. The entire hill area is fully walkable. It is recommended one spend at least two to three days in the city. There is a shuttle bus that loops around all the sites every 15 minutes for those who are lazy to walk.
UNESCO Inscriptions
The shrines and temples of Nikko, together with their natural surroundings, have for centuries been a sacred site known for its architectural and decorative masterpieces. They are closely associated with the history of the Tokugawa Shoguns.
Washoku is a social practice based on a set of skills, knowledge, practice and traditions related to the production, processing, preparation and consumption of food. It is associated with an essential spirit of respect for nature that is closely related to the sustainable use of natural resources. The basic knowledge and the social and cultural characteristics associated with Washoku are typically seen during New Year celebrations. The Japanese make various preparations to welcome the deities of the incoming year, pounding rice cakes and preparing special meals and beautifully decorated dishes using fresh ingredients, each of which has a symbolic meaning. These dishes are served on special tableware and shared by family members or collectively among communities. The practice favours the consumption of various natural, locally sourced ingredients such as rice, fish, vegetables and edible wild plants. The basic knowledge and skills related to Washoku, such as the proper seasoning of home cooking, are passed down in the home at shared mealtimes. Grassroots groups, schoolteachers and cooking instructors also play a role in transmitting the knowledge and skills by means of formal and non-formal education or through practice.
The conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan consists in a set of traditional skills, techniques and knowledge. Roughly seventy per cent of the country is forested. Therefore, wood has been used in houses since ancient times. In fact, the world’s oldest surviving wooden structure is the Horyu-ji temple that was built in the early seventh century. Some examples of the seventeen skills described in the nomination file, include sakan plastering, the harvesting of Japanese cypress bark, lacquer painting of traditional structures, the production of tatami mats (flooring material), and many more. Until the nineteenth century, master craftsmen trained apprentices as successors to transmit knowledge of the traditional skills. Due to modernization, however, this process became more difficult, so preservation associations were formed. Knowledge includes not only techniques for building new structures, but also restoring existing ones. Due to the country’s hot and humid climate, repair work must happen often. At restoration sites, craftspeople with different skills must complete the work together. Some maintenance work also requires the involvement of local residents. For example, reed or straw thatch on a roof needs to be completely renewed every twenty years, which is a labour-intensive job. The element thus serves a social function by fostering cooperation and social cohesion and strengthens Japanese people’s sense of cultural identity.
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