Nikko is one of the most recommended tours out of Tokyo. It is located about 145 km north-east of Tokyo. Many years ago pakdokter had stayed overnight at Nikko, and the family had gone there by train. We put up at a 'ryokan', a typical Japanese home-stay outfit for a complete Japanese 'experience'.
This time we took a day-trip on a 'Sunrise' tour bus which included a tour of the Keggon waterfalls as well. What attracted us to do this trip again was to witness the appearence of 'autumn colours'. The last time we were here it was in August, in the middle of summer. Being on a high altitude, the weather in Nikko can be quite cold, so we went prepared with adequate warm clothes.
The Japanese has certain 'peculiarities' that pakdokter has just started to appreciate and understand. They will welcome spring like a religious festival and go out in droves to picnic in the park. These 'sakura-picnic-in-the-park' is known as the 'hanamis'. Similarly they will drive out to the mountains when the first change of colour that came with autumn was announced on the TV. We found out on arrival at Nikko that the town was jam-packed with traffic from the city because the TV stations had announced the night before that the colours of autumn has been sighted.
The main attractions of Nikko are the Toshogu and Rinnoji Shrines. These temples were the hallmark of the Tokugawa Shogunate. In brief, old Japan was initially governed by an Emperor. The Emperor employed ' samurai warriors' as his bodyguards and the chief of the samurais was the Shogun. The reign of the Imperial Japan lasted 500 years after which it was ruled in succession by 3 lines of Shoguns. The most impressive of these Shoguns was the Tokugawa Shogunate
After the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Japan was under Imperial rule again for another 300 years until after the 2nd World War when democracy was introduced into Japan.
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