City of Nikko

- Daiya River, Nikko Station, Shinkyo Bridge, Nihon Romantic Highway, Lion d'or Supermarket

The Nikko is a small city and a national park, Nikko National Park, 140km North of Tokyo. The area is known for ancient shrines, hot springs, lakes, an ancient bridge, green surrounding mountains and water falls. Nikko is known as the most beautful place in Japan. There is a Japanese saying "never say 'beautiful' until you have seen Nikko". Despite the low population, Nikko is the 3rd largest city by area in Japan. Nikko is today a city that has merged from several towns.

But it was the central town, Nikko, with its many sights, that we visited. The town is very narrow. Tobu Nikko Station is where we arrived. In front of the station is a square. From the square goes a long road, Road 119 or Nihon Romantic Highway, filled with small 2-storey buildings in typical Japanese style, housing apartments, shops, restaurants, cafés etc. Souvenir shops, noodle restaurants and a Hello Kitty shop can be found along this road. This road goes towards the famous temples and mountains.

The main city of Nikko and its surroundings is just like a Japanese version of Twin Peaks, with waterfalls, special people, slowscale life, bikers, forests and surrounding mountains! We arrived by train to Tobu Nikko Station. The main building is white and almost like a mansion. Another station building, further to the East, is pink and was designed by the legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Unfortunately we mistaked the old City Hall for the station by Wright so we never saw the actual building. The Nikko City Hall is an imposing historic building, situated on a hill above the main road. A very rare sports car, a Mitsuoka, parked right next to this building when we passed by.

Shinkyo Bridge (the Sacred Bridge) is an ancient bridge, that is one of the most famous bridges in Japan and symbols of Nikko. It is a red wooden bridge crossing the Daiya River. The river passes along the town center with small waterfalls and modern bridges. Shinkyo Bridge is part of the Futarasan Shrine. According to the legend, Shodo Shonin crossed the river on the backs of two huge snakes on this spot. The bridge was originally built in 1636 for the shogun but it was destroyed by a flood. Today's bridge is from 1907. It is not allowed to walk on the bridge. Near the bridge is Nikko Shinko Church (True Light Church), a stone church, that is one of the few churches in Nikko. Kanaya Hotel is a hotel in Japanese style. This page also features shots from the Lion d'Or Supermarket with products that might look rare and interesting to non Asian people. This was the only large supermarket we visited during the trip to Japan.

 

Nikko mountains sourrounding the city Nikko Station Square Nikko Station Square Nikko Station Square Nikko Station Square Nikko Station Square Nikko Station Square Tobu Nikko Station Nikko Station Square Nikko Station Square Nikko City 183 Nikko City 184 Nikko City 018 Nikko City 019 Nihon Romantic Highway Nihon Romantic Highway Nihon Romantic Highway Nihon Romantic Highway Tobu Nikko Station Nikko Station Square Nihon Romantic Highway Nihon Romantic Highway Nihon Romantic Highway Nikko City 035 Nikko City 048 Nihon Romantic Highway Old City Hall Mitsuoka sports car Nikko City 074 Nikko City 075 Mitsuoka sports car Nihon Romantic Highway Nikko City 076 Nikko City 077 Tobu Nikko Station Nikko Station Square Nikko City 022 Nikko Station Square Nihon Romantic Highway Nihon Romantic Highway Nihon Romantic Highway Nikko City 051 Nihon Romantic Highway Nikko City 024 Nikko City 038 Nikko City 052 Old City Hall Old City Hall Nikko City 078 Nikko City 079 Old City Hall Nikko City 080 Nikko Station Square Station Square/Nihon Romantic Highway Nikko City 025 Nikko City 026 Nihon Romantic Highway Nikko fire station Nihon Romantic Highway Nikko City 054 Tobu Nikko Station Nikko Park Lodge Tobu Station Nikko City 027 Nikko City 028 Nikko City 041 Nikko City 042 Nikko City 055 Nihon Romantic Highway Old City Hall Mitsuoka sports car Kanaya Hotel Bakery Store Nikko City 082 Mitsuoka sports car Nikko City 069 Kanaya Hotel Bakery Store Nikko City 084 Nikko Park Lodge Tobu Station Nikko Station Square Nihon Romantic Highway Nihon Romantic Highway Nikko City 043 Nikko City 044 Nihon Romantic Highway Nikko City 058 Nihon Romantic Highway Hello Kitty Traditional restaurant Old City Hall Old City Hall Nikko City 072 Nikko City 085 Shinkyo Bridge Nikko City 073 Nikko National Park Shinkyo Bridge 01 Shinkyo Bridge 02 Shinkyo Bridge 03 Shinkyo Bridge 04 Shinkyo Bridge 05 Shinkyo Bridge 06 Nikko City 095 Shinkyo Bridge Shinkyo Bridge Nikko City 098 Nikko City 099 Nihon Romantic Highway Nihon Romantic Highway Nikko City 102 Nikko City 103 Nikko City 104 Nikko City 105 Nikko City 106 Nikko City 107 Nikko City 108 Shinkyo Bridge Nikko City 110 Nikko City 111 Nikko City 112 Nikko City 113 Nikko City 114 Nikko City 115 Nikko City 116 Nikko City 117 Nikko City 118 Nikko City 119 Daiya River Daiya River Daiya River Daiya River Daiya River Daiya River Daiya River Mt. Nantai Nikko City 128 Nikko City 129 Daiya River Daiya River Daiya River Daiya River Daiya River Nikko City 135 Daiya River Nikko City 137 Nikko City 138 Daiya River Daiya River Daiya River Nikko City 142 Nikko City 143 Nikko City 144 Nikko City 145 Nikko City 146 Nikko City 147 Nikko City 148 Nikko City 149 Nikko City 150 Nikko City 151 Nikko City 152 Nikko City 153 Nikko City 154 Nikko City 155 Nikko City 156 Nikko City 157 Nikko City 158 Nikko City 159 Nikko City 162 Nikko City 163 Lion D'Or Supermarket Lion D'Or Supermarket Lion D'Or Supermarket Lion D'Or Supermarket Lion D'Or Supermarket Lion D'Or Supermarket Lion D'Or Supermarket Lion D'Or SupermarketNikko City 161 Nikko by night Nikko Station by night Nikko by night Nikko by night