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Nikkō, Tochigi

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This article is about Nikkō the city. For other uses of the names "Nikkō" and "Nikko", see Nikko (disambiguation).

Shrines and Temples of Nikko*
UNESCO World Heritage Site

State Party	Japan
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, iv, vi
Reference	913
Region†	Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription	1999 (23rd Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO.

Location of Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture

Nikkō (日光市, Nikkō-shi^?, literally sunlight) is a city located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Located approximately 140 km north of Tokyo and approximately 35 km west of Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi, it is a popular destination for Japanese and international tourists, housing the mausoleum of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (Nikkō Tōshō-gū) and that of his grandson Iemitsu (Iemitsu-byō Taiyū-in), as well as the Futarasan Shrine, which dates to the year 767. There are also many famous hot springs (onsen) in the area. The mountains west of the city are part of Nikkō National Park and contain some of the country's most spectacular waterfalls and scenic trails. As of May 1, 2006, the city has an estimated population of 93,568.

1 History
2 Historical Sites and Attractions
3 Geography
4 Sports
5 Photo gallery
6 References
7 External links

History

Shōdō Shōnin (勝道上人, Shōdō Shōnin^?) established the temple of Rinnō-ji in 782, followed by the temple of Chūzen-ji in 784. The village of Nikkō developed around these temples. The shrine of Nikkō Tōshō-gū was completed in 1617 and became a major draw of visitors to the area during the Edo period. A number of new roads were built during this time to provide easier access to Nikkō from surrounding regions. Nikkō Tōshō-gū, Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji now form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During the Meiji period Nikkō developed as a mountain resort, and became particularly popular among foreign visitors to Japan. The Japanese National Railways began service to Nikkō in 1890 with the Nikkō Line, followed by Tobu Railway in 1929 with its Nikkō Line. Nikkō was incorporated as a town in 1889, part of Kamitsuga District. It was upgraded to city status in 1954 after merging with the neighboring village of Okorogawa. On March 20, 2006, the city of Nikkō merged with the city of Imaichi and the municipalities of Ashio, Fujihara, and Kuriyama to create what is officially the new city of Nikkō. The new city hall is located at the former Imaichi City Hall: the former Nikkō City Hall is now known as Nikkō City Hall-Nikkō Satellite Office.

Historical Sites and Attractions

Central Nikkō

The three shrine and temples

Tōshō-gū
Rinnō-ji
Futarasan Shrine
- Taiyūin Mausoleum
Lake Chūzenji

Geography

The post-merger city of Nikkō covers a large area (1,449.87 km²) of rural northwestern Tochigi. It is the third-largest city (by area) in Japan, behind Takayama and Hamamatsu. Lake Chūzenji and the Kegon Falls lie in Nikkō, as does the Nikko Botanical Garden. The city's many mountains and waterfalls have made it an important source of hydroelectric power. The area has also been used for mining copper, aluminum and concrete. The weather in Nikkō is fairly similar to that of Hokkaidō even though it is much closer to Tokyo than Hokkaidō. The elevation of Nikkō plays an important role in this fact. It will usually get cooler as one ascends up the mountain. The average temperature of Nikkō is around 7°C (44°F) ^[1] with the warmest months reaching only about 22°C (72°F)^[2] and the coldest reaching down to about -8°C (17°F) ^[3].

Sports

Nikkō is the home city to the Nikkō Ice Bucks in the Asia League Ice Hockey. Nikkō Arena hosted the Women's Ice Hockey World Championships (Division I) 2007 in April.

Photo gallery

The lavishly decorated Yōmeimon Gate of Tōshō-gū	Carving of the god of thunder in the Nitenmon Gate of Taiyū-in mausoleum	The famous 17th century carving of the Three wise monkeys at the Nikkō Tōshō-gū	Jizō (Ksitigarbha)
Kegon Falls	Lake Chūzenji	Rinnō-ji	Futarasan Shrine
Waterfall	Bell tower at Taiyū-in	Shinkyō (God Bridge)	Torii

References

External links

Tochigi Prefecture

Cities

Districts

See also: Towns and villages by district

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World Heritage Sites in Japan

Buddhist Monuments, Hōryū-ji Area · Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu · Himeji Castle · Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) · Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) · Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara · Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama · Itsukushima Shinto Shrine · Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape ·
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range · Shirakami-Sanchi · Shiretoko · Shrines and Temples of Nikkō · Yakushima