June 11, 2005

• June 11, 2005.

  
  

  Went to Nikko with the other exchange students and our tutors.  A nice trip indeed.  It was my second time there but this time was much better because I went with more people.  "More the merrier"?  Yes, it's true.

  
  

  So I bet most of you don't know what Nikko is.  Well, people in Nikko would like to tell you that Nikko IS Japan. (Japan is "Nihon" or "Nippon" in Japanese)

  
  

  
  Boy, so I guess it's only my second time to Japan.
  
  But anyways, Nikko is a city with one of the most famous shrine/temple in Japan.  This is where Tokugawa Ieyasu (the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate)'s tomb is.  And this is the guy who put an end to the more than 100 years of fighting between warlords in Japan, and united Japan.  Whether he was the one that instilled the idea of Japan as one country is debated, but nevertheless, he IS The Man in Japanese history. So it natrually follows that the shrine that holds his tomb will be one of the most famous, and most special shrines in Japan.
  

  
  

  
  Another album cover!?  Kevin named the album, I forgot what it was called... Sounds of Zen was it?  Well I guess this is Sounds of Zen II: Nikko.
  

  
  

  
  This is for those of you that don't remember.  This is Sounds of Zen: Hong Kong (Lantau Island)

  
  

  
  Back to Nikko:

  
  

  
  Leading up to Toshogu, the main shrine.
  
  
  
  You want some part of your body to get better?  Well, get that smoke on that part and it will get better!  Kevin, seems like you want to be smart?? Hahaha

  
  

  
  Sanbutsudo, the temple for protection of family

  
  

  
  Diving into the gutter... hmm, guess that smoke didn't work dude.

  
  

  
  
  Me @ the entrance of the main shrine. 

  
  

  
  You all know the "hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil" thing right?  Is the origin of it China?  I'm not sure.  But either way, it's here too.  See the monkeys?  No, not the girls, I'm talking about the monkeys in the background.

  
  

  
  The white "holy" horse.
  

  
  

  
  I'm assuming it's good luck if you go through that thing. 
  
  
  
  Waterfall!!

  
  

  
  
  Really, gotta love the nature here.  Nikko isn't just about temples and shrines. 
  
  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
   

  
  

  
  Trees, fog, light rain... perfect view
  
  

  
  

  Another Nikko specialty is the onsen, or the hot springs.

  
  

  
  An onsen tradition:  Coffee milk after bathing!!  Refreshing!!
  

  
  

  
  Group pic 1
  
  
  Group pic 2

  
  

   

  
  

  And then on the way back we stopped by Utsunomiya, the city famous for its gyozas (dumplings).  mmm-mmm good!

  
  

   

  
  

  And that concludes the Nikko trip news.

  • 11:07 pm
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