Through Waiting Gates: Glimpses of Familiar Japan

This was the evening of my birthday, and we would leave Nikko for Kyoto, traveling on my birthday itself tomorrow. My parents were exhausted. I have to say right now, they were troopers. I dragged them everywhere, and my Dad was not feeling well at all. It was likely stress, and I was stressed too. So when they went to bed that night, I didn’t argue. I, however, was feeling more adventurous.

I mentioned the Sento, the natural Japanese hot spring bath earlier. Well, this was my first Sento experience, and it was an interesting one. The hot spring was attached to the hotel by a covered walkway. You don’t just approach on the fly, oh no, you have to get dressed in a Yukata first. This symbol of Japanese relaxation is an informal kimono, and I took great care to make sure it was folded properly because if you don’t, it supposedly resembles how the dead are interned in their kimono.

Entering into the bath there are distinct areas for men and women. I entered the men’s area. Now, I’m not an exhibitionist. In fact, I am very self-conscious. When you go to a bath in Japan, you know one distinct thing, you’re going to be naked in there with other naked people. I suppose I was feeling adventurous, but it was still on my mind.

Japanese don’t bathe as we do. You get the cleaning done BEFORE the bath. The bath itself is to relax. I always admired this practice, it seems extremely cultured and sublime.

The water was just the perfect temperature and I had the place all to myself for the majority of my stay. There was one other Japanese man there, but he paid me no mind at all. I suppose I looked very awkward, sitting in my little corner, but frankly I was enjoying myself. I stayed a good thirty minutes though I could have stayed for hours upon hours. When I was done, I walked back and caught my Dad in the lobby. He asked where I’d been and when I told him he said I was a braver man than he. Maybe I was. It was a weird experience, but looking back, I’d do it again.

Upon the whole, my experiences in Nikko were once in a lifetime. There is a certain unearthly beauty to the place, a timelessness that lends itself to the solace of the soul. Why it is not on more tours I don't know, but it seems to be a blessing in disguise. Nikko is a uniquely Japanese place, one that dwells in the mist of the recent and even distant paths. Like much in Japan there is so much more to see and do there than I myself scratched the surface of.

It is a place that is a feast for all the senses, so with this in mind I will use this journal entry to share more of the pictures of Nikko.

I could not get enough of this gate in the rain.

Waterfalls from a different angle

Such beautiful colors of autumn against the grey of the clouds.

There is a feeling of primevil beauty here unmatched anywhere else we went.

Very unusual rock formations, almost like steps in reverse.

A small community garden in Chuzenji

A local school nestled up against a mountain. What a wonderful setting for kids to learn.

I don't know what the statue represents, but it's obviously a kid in deep contemplation of books. Perhaps a blessing or a reminder.

The carvings on this box for umbrellas were pretty beautiful. A reminder that Nikko is still a town of woodworkers.

This is a look back towards Nikko proper from up above Chuzenji.

We found our tickets for all the temples here at this information booth. Having a combined ticket helped us gain entry to every single one of the major temples of Nikko.

Like I would discover of Kyoto, Nikko is a city of ever present water. There are fountains, canals and rivers everywhere, and the sound of running water is a constant reminder.

Steps to Futarasan Shrine, the gate is flanked on either side by other temples and by tall strands of bamboo. It lends a mysterious and welcoming quality.

Beyond the carvings themselves are the colors chosen. There is a lot of jade, blue, gold and red.

These lanterns have to be at least a few centuries old.

One of the guardians of Rinnoji temple. Fearsome as he may seem, he's a benefactor meant only to ward away evil.

I can only imagine the hours of painstaking work to create some of these embellishments on Rinnoji's drum tower.

I believe this is the tomb of the third Tokugawa Shogun who built the two major tomb/temples here.

Walkway to Futarasan Shrine.

This is the courtyard of Futarasan.

A cleansing fountain.

Pagoda of Togoshu Shrine

Notice the colors and carvings. The whole of the structure was detailed with pictures of animals both real and fantastic. Some represent the Chinese zodiac.

The famous three monkeys. They are placed on a structure that was used for a stable.

Stairway to Toshogu Shrine.

Toshogu is far more ornate than Rinnoji for a reason. Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder of a dynasty, and his grandson who is entombed at Rinnoji did not want to outshine his grandfather.

Entrance to the temple proper.

Dragons of golden brown curled like vines around a post.

There had to be at least 2000 stairs to get up here. It was impossibly steep, not something to attempt lightly.

Ieyasu's Tomb.

This structure is what normally stands inside a pagoda. Indeed, this is the superstructure of a pagoda without the outside. Within this spire are thousand of Buddhist sutras on scrolls.