As I stared at the carved maxim of the three wise monkeys pinned on an overhead panel at Tōshō-gū, the proverbial mantra it personifies was made apparent to me almost immediately: “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” Recognizing where I stood at that very moment, surrounded by temples—concealed under a canopy of autumn leaves—I could not fathom how any of my senses could conjure a negative energy.
One Fine Autumn Day in Nikko
As the yellow glare of the sun seeped through the gaps of intertwining tree branches, I felt the cool wind of the autumn season penetrating my thin sweater. Proceeding forward, I gingerly guided my steps, taking my time and directing my eyes to the centuries-old structures around me. With each step, I could hear the faint crackling sound of fallen leaves—hued with a synthesis of dark red and gold—spread out on the ground like the tail end of a dotted brushstroke.
Arrival at Nikkō Town
After a couple of hours watching the fast-moving slideshow of the Japanese countryside from my train’s window seat, I alighted at the Tobu-Nikko Railway Station, instantly feeling the crisp breeze of the city. Following a few days of walking and trainspotting around Tokyo, I had grown accustomed to hearing the symphony of footsteps from the walking hordes of Japanese commuters. Here at this station, however, the sounds of footsteps were muted, and the movements of the crowd were more relaxed.
A quaint town vibe greeted me outside—and a highly walkable one at that. There was a tourist bus waiting outside for travelers heading to the temples, but I opted to proceed on foot for more sightseeing opportunities. Circling my first destination on my tattered, old-school map—the Shinkyo Bridge—I casually started my exploration.
Lining both sides of the immaculate road were small establishments; cafés and sushi joints exuded a scrumptious aroma, tempting my starving self. I stopped a couple of times to check the menu prices—each time retreating back to the road—after realizing they were not within reach of my tight food budget.
After fifteen minutes, I reached a curve where I turned left, and immediately, I caught sight of a red lacquered arch stretching stunningly across the Daiya River. There it was: the sacred bridge erected in 1636 at the entrance to Nikko's Futarasan Shrine. Renowned as one of Japan's three most beautiful bridges, the Shinkyo Bridge—which was then off-limits to pedestrians—offered a Zen-like sight, blending beautifully against the green forests behind and the clear waters streaming underneath.
Shrines and Temples of Nikkō – a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Buoyed by excitement, I advanced with hurried steps onto the grounds of the Futarasan Shrine, where the foliage-covered earth mirrored an unfinished Jackson Pollock canvas. Inside the complex, the crowd seemed to thicken as a mounted archery competition was underway. I stood among the spectators, watching several archers wearing colorful, traditional samurai armor and Kamakura-era clothing fire three arrows at a stationary target while riding their horses at a full gallop.
Following a footpath that passed through a small forest, I began marveling at the small temples and shrines that seemed to increase in size the further I went. The four-hundred-year-old Shinto shrine—flanked on both sides by ancient, giant trees—met my gaze and left me open-mouthed, as I could only whisper the word, “Wow.”
As the three wise monkeys—Mizaru, Kikazaru, and Iwazaru—attracted a crowd of onlookers marveling at their seventeenth-century carved forms by Hidari Jingoro, meant to depict man’s life cycle, I continued to other temples and shrines of all sizes.
I passed by the 1619 Honden—considered the most sacred building in every Shinto shrine. It is here where the three Futarasan deities are enshrined. Nearby stood the Haiden worship hall and a giant torii gate leading to more worship halls and hondens.
The Shrines and Temples of Nikkō encompass one hundred three structures built inside two Shinto complexes, Futarasan Shrine and Tōshō-gū, as well as a lone Buddhist temple, Rinno-ji. These three complexes are situated adjacent to each other and can be easily explored in a single day. Inscribed collectively as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999, these sacred buildings are also classified as National Treasures of Japan and Important Cultural Properties.
As my mind reeled from a morning filled with newfound knowledge about feudal Japanese history, I started feeling hunger pangs. Taking a break from my educational exploration, I walked toward a long line of people standing near a white tent. I saw them ordering food I initially thought was an ordinary Japanese dish; it turned out to be soba noodles (buckwheat), one of the local specialties Nikko is famous for.
As I sat down to enjoy my food, I let out a sigh of relief at finally resting my weary feet. Looking at the crimson tree leaves and the blue sky above me, I nodded to the invisible deities—for whom the many shrines and temples in Nikko were built—and delivered a short message: “Arigato for letting the universe bring me here.”
