Nikko

Welcome to Nikko National Park

We have wanted to come here for a very long time but just couldn't find a time to go.  We jumped at the chance to go when we were invited by some very special people, the Whitings, and we we were able to go because we didn't have to work that day. The shrine we visited is called Toshogu and the guidebooks say that it is Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine.

Between the town of Nikko and the main shrines the the Shinkyo sacred bridge which is a red lacquered bridge that goes across the Daiya river. I read that legend has it that the hermit who settled Nikko was carried across the river here by two serpents.  In feudal times, the sacred bridge was only allowed to be used by the emperor. We didn't have a lot of time to get a great photo, so you might want to check it out on the link below.  You artists might consider this for one of your paintings, too.

Shinkyo Bridge images

This is a five story pagoda which is in front of the main entrance gate.  The main pillar of the pagoda hangs ten centimeters above ground.  This feature was installed to combat the lengthening and shrinkage of the wood over time.  The interior of the pagoda is rarely open and it wasn't open that day either.

The shrine is beautifully decorated and there are more than a dozen buildings that are set there in the beautiful forest.

As always, there is a wall where prayers or wishes are hung.

Toshogu contains both Buddhist and Shinto elements

Everywhere there were lots of these intricate Japanese lamps. 

These carvings are on a storehouse.  This is the Sozonozo Elephant (imagined elephant) that were carved by an artist who had never seen elephants. I think he did a pretty good job, don't you?  I love the elephant's ear. 

This shrine has elements common to Shinto and Buddhism which is not common and which made me curious.

So what is the difference between Shinto and Buddhism?  This is what Japan-guide.com says:

Shinto does not have a founder nor does it have sacred scriptures like the sutras or the bible. Propaganda and preaching are not common either, because Shinto is deeply rooted in the Japanese people and traditions.

"Shinto gods" are called kami. They are sacred spirits which take the form of things and concepts important to life, such as wind, rain, mountains, trees, rivers and fertility. Humans become kami after they die and are revered by their families as ancestral kami. The kami of extraordinary people are even enshrined at some shrines. The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is considered Shinto's most important kami. In contrast to many monotheist religions, there are no absolutes in Shinto. There is no absolute right and wrong, and nobody is perfect. Shinto is an optimistic faith, as humans are thought to be fundamentally good, and evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits. Consequently, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by purification, prayers and offerings to the kami."  It also said that even some prominent rocks are worshiped as kami.

I couldn't really find out much about what Buddhists believe.  What I read said that it is the world's fourth largest religion.  It has an elaborate theology of deities an exalted beings and the beliefs of Buddhists are quite diverse. Also, that Buddhism teaches that Nirvana is the highest state of being, a state of pure being, and it is achieved by means relative to the individual.

These are the most famous wood carvings "see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil" monkeys that we saw there.

At every shrine there is always a place to buy souvenirs.

We always see these purification places where visitors are supposed to wash.  It was a very cold day but people were still washing.

I believe that this is the main shrine building which has a praying hall connected to the main hall behind.  After taking off our shoes we could walk into the building which we did but we weren't allowed to take photos.

I read that there are over 300 carvings of mythical beasts there such as dragons, giraffes, lions, elephants, and also there are Chinese sages.

One of the halls that we entered but weren't allowed to take photos had a large painting of a dragon on the ceiling of the hall called the "Crying Dragon."  It is named this because a bright ringing sound can be heard when two pieces of wood are clapped directly under its head due to the acoustics of the hall.  There was a priest there who was clapping the wood together but we weren't impressed because we didn't know what he was saying or demonstrating.  Now that I know what he was doing, I'm more impressed.

On top of the Sakashitamon Gate is the famous Nemurineko (sleeping cat).  There is a long flight of stairs that you then follow to get to the mausoleum of Tokugawa leyasu.

This is the other side of the gate which features two sparrows.  If you read the caption below it indicates that this represents a peaceful world where cats and sparrows get along just fine with each other.

Here we are at the mausoleum of Tokugawa leyasu.  He was a shogun who brought the whole country of Japan under tight control.  He then redistributed the land he gained among the vassals who supported him.  He promoted foreign trade and established relations with the English and the Dutch. Unfortunately he enforced the suppression and persecution of Christianity from 1614 and on.  In 1615, this group captured Osaka Castle (you saw that in an earlier blog), and after that he and his successors then had very few rivals left so peace prevailed. In 1633, the shogun group forbade travel abroad and Japan was pretty isolated having only a limited trade with China and the Netherlands at that time.  It was Commodore Perry who eventually forced the Tokugawa government to open up more ports for international trade.

 

Here's a better picture of the mausoleum.

I couldn't find out what these are.  Are they shoguns or are they Chinese sages, or what do you think they are?

These are big portable shrines that we see carried in parades mostly in the summer.  Usually, the ones we see are much smaller, though.  I guess if the people can't go to the shrine, then maybe the shrine comes to them.

These are huge cedar trees that are everywhere in Nikko. Actually, there are 16,000 cedar trees.  I wonder who had the job of counting them.

Here we are at Lake Chuzenji which is there in Nikko, too.  It is so beautiful and many people come here in the summer. It is the highest lake in Japan at the level of 1,269 meters (4,163 feet). The lake was formed after the eruption of Mount Nantai. In the early 20th century, villas of European embassies were built around the lake as summer resorts.  Today, there are villas of the embassies of France, Belgium, and Great Britain.

Do you notice the snow?  Yea!  We got to see snow for Christmas!

In the summer, many people use these beautiful swan paddle boats.

It's not a clear day, but on a clear day, I read that Mount Natai (man's body mountain) can be see as far as the Pacific coast, 100 km away.  It is 2,480 m. high.  It was reclassified in 2008 as an "active" volcano and perhaps it still is but there hasn't been any activity.

It's cold but we really enjoyed our trip.

Isn't this a beautiful partially frozen waterfall?
This is the Kegon Falls.

At the bottom of the waterfall other little streams join it and that's what makes it so beautiful.

Time to get warmed up .  This was a cute little store where some of us had fresh made mochi which is rice pounded and formed into balls and then roasted.

I love this dragon with the waterfall coming out of his mouth, don't you?  This would be a giant souvenir. Actually, we should have taken a photo of the monkey sticks they sell there and that the shop owner showed to us. He uses monkey sticks to scare off the monkeys who open his sliding glass door, run in and then try to steal food.
(You don't believe me, do you?)

Elder Chandler bought these dried vegetables of squash, turnip, green beans, etc.  They have a very different taste but I think the green beans were the most popular.

Okay, now do you believe me?  Usually, there are more monkeys here they said, but we only saw a couple that day.

Back "home" on Christmas morning we were able to go have a great all-you-can-eat buffet at the American military New Sanno Hotel.  We especially liked the Santa scene that was set up there.  It was just like home.  We're hoping you had a wonderful Christmas and we want to wish you the very best and happiest New Year!

As we go into the new year, we might think about New Year's resolutions and there are many choices we can make with our lives and what we do.  I liked this thought about our choices.

                                                           A thought for the New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!