We woke up really early, around 6am and headed out to the Imaichi train station (a neighbourhood in Nikko). We got a hot coffee from the vending machine along the way (because it was -10C in late March).

The train took about 2 minutes to get to Nikko station from our accommodation. There was hardly anyone in Nikko. I guess most of the tourists come from Tokyo on days trips. We stopped at a bakery and got some sweet and savoury rolls for breakfast.

The walk from the station to the main sites took about 20 minutes, and it was really nice. Our first stop was at Shinkyo Bridge 神橋. The current bridge is from 1636, but a bridge has been here for much longer. You can cross the bridge for 300 yen, but it is prettier to see from the adjacent bridge.

We then walked into Nikko National Park, to explore the temples with in the temple complex.

TO BE CONTINUED…