Glorious Autumn Colors in Nikko

Nikko in northeastern
Tochigi Prefecture has
been one of Japan’s main
religious

districtsforages, with many temples
and shrines located there,
including the well-known
Nikko Toshogu Shrine. Itis also famous for thenumerous scenic spots inthevicinityofLake

Chuzenji, reached by climbing the steep Iroha Slope. Widely known overseas as well,
Nikko has a strong cosmopolitan flavor. By Lake Chuzenji, among other attractions,
there are the sites of Italian and UK embassy villas. The rivers, waterfalls, ponds, lakes,
and other sites in Nikko all have their own distinctive charms. The autumn colors aresuperb, and the spectacle of the mountains dyed a bright red and reflected on thesurface of the water is wonderful. This time I took a trip northward along the Yugawa
River, which flows from the northeastern part of Nikko, known as Okunikko, to Lake
Chuzenji.

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1. Kegon Falls
Video:https://youtu.be/HbL8sMMVe5M

Kegon Falls is a 97-meter waterfall at the mouth of Daiya River, which is the only river
flowing from Lake Chuzenji. One of the three most beautiful waterfalls in Japan, Kegon
Falls can only be described as stirring. On this day I aimed for a time in the earlymorning when the waterfall would not be shady; luckily there was a rainbow archingover the water. Kegon Falls has several observatory platforms, but the one that lets you
go right up to the waterfall basin is most popular. The entrance, with two large
elevators, is in the car park by National Route 120. The revenue from admission to thisdeck is said to amount to 1.5 million yen a day and several hundred million yen a year.

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2. Lake Chuzenji
Video:https://youtu.be/IJeupw-sFpA

Lake Chuzenji is a dammedlake created by an eruption of
the volcanic Mt. Nantai about
20,000 years ago. The lakehas a circumference of about
27 km and a maximum water
depth of 163 m. It has been
popular since long ago as aplace to escape from thesummer heat. When you ascend the winding Iroha Slope, all of a sudden the view opens
up, and the surface of the lake appears. Sightseeing boats, rowing boats, and othervessels busily carry many tourists over the water, and on the shore there are many
restaurants and other facilities. When I went down to the lakeside, the mountains on
the other side of the lake were dyed a deep red.

3. Mt. Hangetsu
Video:https://youtu.be/MOWrq4mi7E8
Turning left just before the shore of Lake Chuzenji and climbing a hill, I came to a large
car park from where the view was magnificent. Here and there bright red trees glinted
through the yellow leaves. This spectacle continued far into the distance. Apparently
many sightseers visit here at this time of the year to see the autumn foliage. Midway up
the mountain there is an observatory platform from where Lake Chuzenji and Mt.
Nantai can be seen.

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4. Italian Embassy Villa Memorial ParkThe building that appears on the left on the way down Mt. Hangetsu is the ItalianEmbassy Villa Memorial Park. Although the building does seem old, the large window
looking toward the lake catches the eye. It creates a modern atmosphere, making it
hard to believe that the villa actually was built in 1928. The villa was used until 20 or soyears ago, and the furniture, cutlery, and so on used at that time are on display as theywere. Apart from the winter months, admission is possible, so you can get a taste of theatmosphere of those good old days.

5. Ryuzu Falls
Video:https://youtu.be/OqyUirWuA3o
Ryuzu Falls (literally Dragon Head Falls) is a waterfall that seems to be flowing down agentle slope, with a breadth of about 10 m and length of about 210 m. The name comesfrom the fact that the twin falls seem to resemble a dragon’s head. There is a restaurantat the entrance from where the waterfall can be seen. By the entrance there are stairs
that enable you to climb up alongside the waterfall, and you can go right to the top. TheIHCSA Café

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contrast between the bright red foliage
glittering around the falls and the purewhite cascade of water was so beautiful.

6. Senjogahara Marshland and Yugawa River
Video:https://youtu.be/nATXqzefXosSenjogahara Marshland, which spreads
outabove

theRyuzu

Falls,

isamarshland covering about 400 hectares.
This also was created by the volcanic
eruption of Mt. Nantai about 20,000years ago. The name comes from the factthat mythically in the ancient past thegods of Tochigi Prefecture and Gunma
Prefecture

disguisedthemselvesasanimals and had a battle here. There is alarge car park by the national highway
from where you can stroll along a trail
around the marshland. After walking forabout 10 minutes, you come to the small Shakunage Bridge, from where you can view
the beautiful Yugawa River. Whenever I visit Nikko, I always make sure to come here.

7. Yudaki Falls
Video:https://youtu.be/KevLznJttc0
Further northward, a large car park comes into view on the left. There is a restaurantby this car park, and by this restaurant is Nikko’s first convenience store. Going on, youcome to a large and well-kept observatory platform from where you can see the Yudaki
Falls, with a maximum breadth of 25 m and drop of 70 m. Along with Kegon Falls andRyuzu Falls, this is one of the three major waterfalls of Nikko. Water from upstream

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Lake Yunoko flows immediately intothe Yudaki Falls.

8. Lake Yunoko
Video:https://youtu.be/bBrVuG3hWm4
Situated in the upper reaches of Yugawa River, Lake Yunoko is also a dammed lake,
although in this case it was Mt. Mitsudake to the northeast that erupted. I visited in theearly morning when the temperature was still low. Dyed a bright red, the foliage wasmost beautiful. There was no wind, and the reflection of the mountains on the surface ofthe water was lovely too. Steam fog (a kind of mist occurring on the surface of a lake or
sea on bitterly cold mornings) swirled gently across the lake. I was able to take my best
video this autumn here.

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9. Marunuma Swamp
Video:https://youtu.be/dzU2qmaVwpA
Although Marunuma Swampis included in Nikko NationalPark,it

actuallyGunma,

notlies

inTochigi,

Prefecture. On the lakesidethereisone

oldJapanese-style hotel (ryokan),which looks a little high-class,and around it are souvenir
shops and the like. Going along the road leading down to the lake from National Route120, I could see dead trees protruding from the water, creating a rather mysterious
atmosphere. The pampas grass by the lakeside swayed, and across the lake I could see
the beautiful splash of fall colors on the peninsula.

Postscript
Nikko, which has been a popular summer retreat for ages, is only about three hours
away from Tokyo by car or train. Various scenic spots dot the landscape, and there aremany walking trails for those who like strolling around on foot. This time I enjoyed theautumn colors. The red foliage on the mountains was dazzling, and the unceasing flowof water was so refreshing. Without a doubt, Nikko is one of Japan’s mostrepresentative sightseeing places.
Photos and text: Arata Matsumoto, Sharata and Adwise, Inc. (http://sharata.info/)(Sharata supplies 4K videos of outstanding scenery in Japan so that as many people aspossible can enjoy it.)IHCSA Café

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