- Nikkō, Tochigi
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This article is about Nikkō the city. For other uses of the names "Nikkō" and "Nikko", see Nikko (disambiguation).
Nikkō
日光市— City —
FlagLocation of Nikkō in Tochigi Coordinates: 36°45′N 139°36′E / 36.75°N 139.6°ECoordinates: 36°45′N 139°36′E / 36.75°N 139.6°E 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
321-1292Website 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.
Contents
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
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
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
See also
References
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
Tochigi Prefecture Cities Ashikaga | Kanuma | Mooka | Nasukarasuyama | Nasushiobara | Nikkō | Ōtawara | Oyama | Sakura | Sano | Shimotsuke | Tochigi | Utsunomiya (capital) | YaitaDistricts World Heritage Sites in Japan Hokkaidō Tōhoku Shirakami-Sanchi · Historic Monuments and Sites of Hiraizumi
Kantō Shrines and Temples of Nikkō · Ogasawara Islands
Chūbu Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama · Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range1
Kansai Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area · Himeji Castle · Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) · Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara · Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range1
Chūgoku Kyūshū Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu · Yakushima
1 Shared with other region/sCategories:- Cities in Tochigi Prefecture
- World Heritage Sites in Japan
- Nikkō, Tochigi
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