As I stare 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 couldn’t fathom how any of
my senses can conjure a negative energy.
As the yellow glare of the
sun seeps through the gap of intertwining tree branches, I feel the cool wind
of the fall season penetrating through my thin sweater. Proceeding forward, I
gingerly slid my strides taking my sweet time and directing my eyes to the
centuries-old structures around me. With each step of my feet, I can hear a
feint crackling sound of fallen shrubberies—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 slide show of Japanese countryside from my train’s
window seat, I alighted at the Tobu Nikko Railway station instantly feeling the
airy wind of the city. Following a few days walking and trainspotting around Tokyo,
I’ve gotten used to hearing the symphony of clackety-clack from the walking
hordes of Japanese commuters. Here in this station though, the sounds of
footsteps were a little muffled and the movements of the crowd were more
relaxed.
A quaint town vibe greeted
me outside—and a walkable one. There was a tourist bus heading to the temples
outside waiting for travelers to board. I opted to proceed on foot for more
sightsee opportunities. Circling my first destination on my tattered old-school
map; the Shinkyo Bridge, I casually started my exploration.
Lining up both sides of the immaculate
road are small establishments; cafes and sushi joints secreting scrumptious
aroma tempting my starving self. I
stopped a couple of times to check on the menu prices—each time retreating to
the road—after realizing its not within reach of my food budget.
After fifteen minutes, I
reached a curve where I turned left, and immediately, I caught sight of a red
lacquered length arching stunningly across the Daiya River. There it was; the sacred
bridge erected in 1636 at the entrance of Nikko's Futarasan Shrine. Raved to be
as among Japan's three most beautiful bridges, Shinkyo Bridge—which is now off
limits to people—is such a Zen sighting 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 into the grounds of Futarasan Shrine where the
foliage-covered grounds mirror a Jackson Pollock unfinished canvas. Inside the
complex, the crowd seem to thicken as a Mounted Archery competition is being
held. I stood among the spectators as I watch a few archers wearing colorful traditional
Samurai armor and Kamakura-era clothing, fired three arrows at the stationary
target while riding their respective horses at full gallop.
Following a foot path that
passes through a small forest, I started marveling at the small temples and
shrines that seems to increase in size as I go further. The
400-year old Shintro Shrine—flanked on both sides by old giant trees—met
my gaze and dropped jaw as I could only mouth the word "Wow".
As the three wise monkeys; Mizaru, Mikazaru and Mazaru attract a
crowd of onlookers all marveling at its 17th century carved form by Hidari
Jingoro—to depict man’s life cycle—I continued to the other temples and shrines
of all sizes.
I passed by the 1619 Honden—considered
as the most sacred building in every Shinto Shrine—It is here where the three
Futarasan deities are enshrined. Nearby, are the Haiden worship hall, and a
giant Tori leading to more worship halls and hondens.
The Shrines and Temples of
Nikkō covers 103 structures built inside two Shinto complexes: Futarasan Shrine
and Tōshō-gū—as well as a lone Buddhist Temple; the Rinno-ji. These three
complexes are all located beside each other and can be explored in a 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 reels from a
morning filled with newfound learnings; about feudal Japanese history, I started feeling
hunger pangs. Taking a break from my educational exploration, I walked towards
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), which is one of the local dishes Nikko is known for.
As I sat to chow down my
food, I let out a sigh of relief at finally resting my weary feet. Looking at
the reddened tree leaves and the blue sky above me, I nodded at the invisible Gods—whom
the many shrines and temples in Nikko were built for—and delivered a short
message; “Arigato for letting the
universe bring me here”.
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