Guide to Nikko World Heritage Area and Tochigi Prefecture

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Be sure to take in the cultural and spiritual history of Japan at the Nikko World Heritage area about 2 hours by train north of Tokyo. Nikko is at the foot of Mt. Nyoho-san in western Tochigi and has developed as the temple town for Futara-san-jinja Shrine, Toshogu Shrine and Rin-no-ji Temple.

Get the most out of your visit to the Nikko World Heritage area is by engaging a local guide. While there are incredible visual treats to take in, there can be important elements missed, for no other reason than limited English language translations at the monuments, shrines and temples.

I was lucky enough to have Yoshiko Horie guide me around the key Nikko shrines and temples in her volunteer role with the Nikko SGG (Systematic Guide Group).

I can recommend Yoshiko's knowledge and interest, and her willingness to share the tremendous culture of Nikko with us foreigners!

Japan is not expensive

Contrary to many well known travel guides, Japan is not an expensive place to visit.

On average over 12 nights, accommodation was Y5,900 per night, about $A80. For Tokyo (Terminal Hotel, Ueno) and Matsumoto (New Station Hotel), both very very comfortable 3-Star hotels, and were booked via Hotels.Com and Expedia. These single rooms both included TV, tea making, decent shower/bath and comfortable beds. I take the view that the room is just a place to sleep and don't get hung up on the finery. Yes the rooms are small, but does it matter? The key for me is access, choose a place within a few hundred metres of the transport hubs. They aren't hard to find.

At Nikko, I chose to stay at the Nikko Park Lodge which is hostel type accommodation.Through a mix-up with my booking, I ended up having a 'suite' which is unusual for a hostel. It actually was bigger than the Ueno and Matsumoto hotels, and had a small kitchen as well! Great value, fantastic view.

All the other costs bundled up (food, beer, transport, entry fees etc) averaged Y8,000 per day - about $A100. If that daily cost (Y14,000 or $180) is too much - just delete the beer! A beer generally costs more that a decent meal! Then again, delete the food and keep the beer.