Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Iroha Mountain Trail, Lake Chuzenji, and Kegon Falls Day Tour

Description

First Stop: Toshogu Shrine The pinnacle of Edo art, it is one of Japan's most representative historical and cultural heritage sites. From the "Three Monkeys" symbolizing wisdom (see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil) to the "Sleeping Cat" foreshadowing peace, and then to Chinese sages and mythical auspicious beasts, it can be called an encyclopedia of Japanese craftsmanship. The vermilion pavilions are intertwined with towering ancient cedars to create a solemn atmosphere, and the scene of autumn maple leaves dyeing gold leaf is even more breathtaking. Second Stop: Irohazaka Winding Road (View from the car, no getting off) Japan's legendary winding road. It is named after the 48 hairpin bends corresponding to the 48 letters in Japanese. In autumn, the entire road is transformed into a three-dimensional gallery of alternating red and gold, and is rated as one of the "most beautiful autumn roads in the world." Third Stop: Lake Chuzenji It is Japan's highest volcanic lake. Azaleas in spring, lush green trees in summer, autumn leaves in autumn, and snowy scenery in winter offer beautiful views in all four seasons. Legend has it that ancient shrines are submerged at the bottom of the lake, and when the mist is diffused, it is like a scene from "Princess Mononoke." Fourth Stop: Kegon Falls One of Japan's three famous waterfalls. Lake Chuzenji water pours down from a 100-meter cliff with a roar, and the splashing water mist refracts an eternal rainbow in the sunlight. In winter, there is another spectacle: the cold current freezes the waterfall into huge ice pillars, and the blue phantom light flows under the night lights, forming a surreal scene with the snow pines on the lakeside. The writer Tokutomi Roka once sighed that this scene was "the embodiment of the anger of heaven and earth.".