japan 2013:03 nikko Up

Next stop: Nikko!
Not listed in most guide books
Constellations in the sidewalk: Orion
And Ursa Major -- but no others
At the shrine to Ernie (not really)
One of the oldest western-style hotels,
est. in 1883 for foreigners
The largest room during our entire trip
This place takes Sanka seriously
Steps from courtyard down to Daiya River
Albino trout in hotel's little pond
Daiya River separates the main town
from Nikko's temples and shrines
The sacred bridge was restricted to
court traffic only until 1973!
Crest of the Tokugawa clan
A torii made of ston.. than the usual wood
They are _really_ tall cedars
Thousands cover the grounds of the complex
Stone lanterns were "gifts" from daimyo
The gojunoto (five-s.. pagoda), originally
built in 1650, reconstructed in 1818,
has 4-story hanging counterweight
for protection from earthquakes
I can recognize the elephants ...
but are these lions?
Toothy, in any case
Visitors must re-con.. the turtle each day
Simple and ornate, side by side
A mother seeks the future for her child
"He is love sick" (?)
A newlywed couple sets out together
A simple little shelter for a well
Inside the shelter
Entrance to a hallway,
flanked by stone lanterns
Detail from base of one lantern
A gallery of birds in high relief
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Don't mess with the gutters
If you can't find a ferry ....
Entrance to the Shinyosha
Painting on its ceiling, c. 1620
Avenue to Futarasen and Iemitsu's shrine
More big trees
A relatively simple shinto shrine
In case of attack by giant eggs?
This grove of trees is its own shrine
God of fortune
Another simple, natural shine, to water
And one to spirits of the mountains
These refer to three nearby real mountaino
Entering Taiyuinbyo,..tsu's shrine complex
Outer gate has two guardians,
God of Thunder, and
God of Wind
Dragons? Lions? Muppets?
The middle gate, Nit..as this guardian ...
... and a second
Now we reach the third gate, Yashamon
To its right, Koro ("the drum") storehouse
Detail of Yashamon
Yasha, who guards the Yashamon
Another of four statues of Yasha
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Dragon above Karamon..trance to the temple
In the courtyard of Taiyuinbyo
Looking down at the Mizuya (water stand)
Goodbye to the Shinkyo Bridge and Nikko

japan 2013:03 nikko Up

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