Nikkō, Tochigi

This article is about Nikkō the city. For other uses of the names "Nikkō" and "Nikko", see Nikko (disambiguation).

Nikkō 日光市
—  City  —
Flag
Location of Nikkō in Tochigi
Nikkō
Coordinates: 36°45′N 139°36′E / 36.75°N 139.6°E / 36.75; 139.6Coordinates: 36°45′N 139°36′E / 36.75°N 139.6°E / 36.75; 139.6
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Tochigi
Government
- Mayor	Fumio Saito
Area
- Total	1,449.87 km2 (559.8 sq mi)
Population (January 2008)
- Total	92,181
- Density	63.6/km2 (164.7/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Phone number	0288-22-1111
Address	1 Imaichi Honchō, Nikkō-shi, Tochigi-ken 321-1292
Website	City of Nikkō

Nikkō (日光市, Nikkō-shi^?, literally "sunlight" or "sunshine") is a city in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Approximately 140 km north of Tokyo and 35 km west of Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi Prefecture, it is a popular destination for Japanese and international tourists. Attractions include the mausoleum of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (Nikkō Tōshō-gū) and that of his grandson Iemitsu (Iemitsu-byō Taiyū-in), and the Futarasan Shrine, which dates to the year 767. There are also many famous hot springs (onsen) in the area. Elevations range from 200 to 2,000 m.^[1] The mountains west of the main city are part of Nikkō National Park and contain some of the country's most spectacular waterfalls and scenic trails.

As of January 1, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 92,181.

History

Shōdō Shōnin (勝道上人^?) established the temple of Rinnō-ji in 766, followed by the temple of Chūzen-ji in 784. The village of Nikkō developed around these temples. The shrine of Nikkō Tōshō-gū was completed in 1617 and became a major draw of visitors to the area during the Edo period. It is known as the burial place of the famous Japanese shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. A number of new roads were built during this time to provide easier access to Nikkō from surrounding regions. Nikkō Tōshō-gū, Futarasan Shrine, and Rinnō-ji now form the UNESCO World Heritage Site Shrines and Temples of Nikkō.

During the Meiji period Nikkō developed as a mountain resort, and became particularly popular among foreign visitors to Japan. The Japanese National Railways began service to Nikkō in 1890 with the Nikkō Line, followed by Tobu Railway in 1929 with its Nikkō Line.

Nikkō was incorporated as a town in 1889, part of Kamitsuga District. It was upgraded to city status in 1954 after merging with the neighboring village of Okorogawa. On March 20, 2006 Nikkō absorbed the old city of Imaichi, the town of Ashio, from Kamitsuga District, the town of Fujihara and the village of Kuriyama, both from Shioya District, to create what is officially the new city of Nikkō. The new city hall is located at the former Imaichi City Hall: the former Nikkō City Hall is now known as Nikkō City Hall-Nikkō Satellite Office.

Historical sites and attractions

Three wise monkeys.
(from left) Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil

Central Nikkō

• Cedar Avenue of Nikko
• Nikko Botanical Garden
• Shrines and Temples of Nikkō (Nikkō Tōshō-gū, Futarasan Shrine, and Rinnō-ji)
• Tōshō-gū
  • The Three wise monkeys ("See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil")
• Rinnō-ji
  • Taiyū-in Mausoleum
  • Shōyō-en Garden
• Futarasan Shrine
  • Sacred bridge
• Lake Chūzenji

Geography

Nikkō

The post-merger city of Nikkō covers a large area (1,449.87 km²) of rural northwestern Tochigi. It is the third-largest city (by area) in Japan, behind Takayama and Hamamatsu.

Lake Chūzenji and the Kegon Falls lie in Nikkō, as does the Nikko Botanical Garden. The city's many mountains and waterfalls have made it an important source of hydroelectric power. The area has also been used for mining copper, aluminum and concrete.

The weather in Nikkō is fairly similar to that of Hokkaidō even though it is much closer to Tokyo than Hokkaidō. The elevation of Nikkō plays an important role in this fact. It will usually get cooler as one ascends the mountain. The average temperature of Nikkō is around 7°C (44°F) ^[2] with the warmest months reaching only about 22°C (72°F)^[3] and the coldest reaching down to about -8°C (17°F).^[4]

Climate

Nikko experiences a humid continental and hemiboreal climate with cold, snowy winters and predominantly mild, very wet summers. Nikko is situated at an altitude of 1298m above sea level.

Climate data for Nikko
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	−0.6 (30.9)	−0.5 (31.1)	2.8 (37.0)	9.8 (49.6)	14.7 (58.5)	17.3 (63.1)	21.1 (70.0)	22.4 (72.3)	18.1 (64.6)	12.7 (54.9)	8.0 (46.4)	2.7 (36.9)	10.71
Average low °C (°F)	−8.4 (16.9)	−8.2 (17.2)	−5.7 (21.7)	−0.1 (31.8)	4.7 (40.5)	9.7 (49.5)	14.0 (57.2)	15.1 (59.2)	11.2 (52.2)	4.5 (40.1)	−0.4 (31.3)	−5.2 (22.6)	2.62
Precipitation mm (inches)	47.9 (1.886)	68.2 (2.685)	94.4 (3.717)	151.5 (5.965)	167.1 (6.579)	245.3 (9.657)	249.8 (9.835)	382.2 (15.047)	336.6 (13.252)	184.3 (7.256)	101.9 (4.012)	45.4 (1.787)	1,824.8 (71.843)
Source: [1]

Sports

Nikkō is the home city to the Nikkō Ice Bucks in the Asia League Ice Hockey. Nikkō Kirifuri Ice Arena hosted the Women's Ice Hockey World Championships (Division I) in April 2007.

Photo gallery

• 

  The lavishly decorated Yōmeimon Gate of Tōshō-gū

• 

  Yōmeimon Gate of Tōshō-gū (detail)

• 

  Carving of the god of thunder in the Nitenmon Gate of Taiyū-in mausoleum

• 

  Bell tower at Taiyū-in

• 

  Shinkyō (God Bridge)

• 

  Torii

• 

  1,000 Samurai Festival

• 

  1,000 Samurai Festival

• 

  1,000 Samurai Festival archery exhibition

See also

• Nikkor

References

1. ^ Nikko City/Location, Topography & History of Nikko City Retrieved April 23, 2008
2. ^ NIKKO, Weather History and Climate Data
3. ^ NIKKO, Weather History and Climate Data
4. ^ NIKKO, Weather History and Climate Data

External links

• Nikko Tourist Association in Japanese
• Nikko Tourist Association in English
• Nikko City website in English
• Shrines and Temples of Nikko in English
• Early foreign tourist Isabella Bird's report