Nikko: autumn leaves glow at Lake Chūzenji – the World Heritage shrines are next
Autumn colours are in full swing in Japan's mountain region of Nikko. At the lake and the 97-metre Kegon Falls they are nearing their peak; in the shrine district the peak is expected in early to mid-November.
Photo: lumoplank / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (cropped and resized)
Video: YouTube · UNESCO · youtube.com
In Nikko, in Japan's Tochigi Prefecture, the autumn colours are at their finest. According to an Oct. 22 report by travel portal japan-guide.com, the Senjogahara marshland with its golden larches, Ryuzu Falls and the spa town of Yumoto were already at peak, while colours at Lake Chūzenji and Kegon Falls were approaching peak. The Nikko tourism association's forecast gives mid-October to early November for the lake and the falls, and early to mid-November for the shrine and temple district.
Lake Chūzenji lies in Okunikko, at the heart of Nikko National Park, near Mount Nantai and the Senjogahara marshland. According to Visit Nikko, Kegon Falls drops 97 metres from the lake; a paid observation platform at the base offers a close-up view. The bus from Nikko Station takes about 40 minutes to the last stop, Chūzenji Onsen.
Down in the valley are the Shrines and Temples of Nikko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. According to Visit Nikko, the ensemble comprises 103 buildings and structures, including the Tōshō-gū and Futarasan shrines, Rinnō-ji temple and the Shinkyō Bridge. UNESCO highlights the architectural and decorative masterpieces closely linked to the history of the Tokugawa shoguns.
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