Nikkō, Tochigi

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.

Nikkō (日光市, Nikkō-shi^?, literally sunlight) is a city located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Located about 140 km to the north of Tokyo, 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.

History

Shodo Shonin established the temple of Rinnō-ji in 782, followed by the temple of Chuzen-ji in 784. The village of Nikko 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 Nikko from surrounding regions. Nikkō Tōshō-gū, Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji now form a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During the Meiji period Nikko developed as a mountain resort, and became particularly popular among foreign visitors to Japan. The Japanese National Railways began service to Nikko in 1890, followed by Tobu Railway in 1929.

Nikko 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 a 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.

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 Chuzenji 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 main home city for the Nikkō Kobe IceBucks 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 Yomeimon Gate of Tōshō-gū Shrine	Carving of the god of thunder in the Nitenmon Gate of Taiyū-in Shrine	The famous 17th century carving of the Three wise monkeys at the Nikkō Tōshō-gū shrine.	Statues of Jizo in Nikkō
Kegon Falls, in Nikkō	Lake Chūzenji, in Nikkō	Rinnō-ji, a temple in Nikkō	Futarasan Jinja, a Shinto shrine in Nikkō
Waterfall in Nikkō	Bell tower at Taiyū-in, in Nikkō	Shinkyo Bridge in Nikkō	Torii at a shrine

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Nikkō

• Nikko Tourist Information Center in Japanese
• Nikko Tourist Information Center in English
• Photos of Nikko - Terra Galleria
• Scenes From Nikko Video

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

Coordinates: 36°45′N, 139°37′E

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