Japan (Part 4)

A day trip out of Tokyo
It was decided that one of the days spent in Tokyo should be spent in a more rural location. After working through a shortlist of potential location, a criteria was applied to the locations which included:
- Two to three hours away from Tokyo city
- In a "rural" location, away from the city
- Must have interesting sights to see (natural or man-made), preferably with a famous draw card
- Good transport options to the area which must be easy to navigate (less transfers, train preferred)
It was ultimately decided that Nikko and Kinugawa-onsen would be the location of a day trip away from Tokyo mainly due to the last criteria applying. The five lakes surrounding Mount Fuji was also considered however it would have taken far too long to get there via public transport and at the time of the year, Mount Fuji would most likely not have been visible. 
Most "rural" locations away from Tokyo had limited transport options making it difficult to get there in the first place. As accommodation in Tokyo had already been booked and paid for, it was ideal that we return at night. 
For gear used, please refer to the first part.
No images are to be reproduced without permission.
Nikko (日光)

On the express train to Nikko passing by the Tokyo Skytree

The cat van

It was amazing how much green there was. This was a radical departure from the concrete jungle of Tokyo.

Heading towards the Toshogu shrine

The entrance to the shrine after a long flight of stairs

Once again, the elderly of Japan impressing with their walking stamina

I took the opportunity to do some long exposure of people climbing up the stairs

Just on the other side of the shrine, before the paid entrance; was a smaller traditional area. I am not entirely sure of it's purpose.

The three monkeys hearing no evil, speaking no evil and seeing no evil

The shrine is set in a beautiful forest, with the shrine itself lavishly decorated with wood carvings and gold

The Toshogu Shrine is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that had a firm rule over Japan for around 250 years until 1868. It is also important to note that several areas around and within the shrine prohibit photography.

Visitors are able to write their wishes and hang them within the shrine

A close up of the detail that is present on the shrine. Very intricate.

Ascent to the Mausoleum at the top of the hill

Ascension

Unfortunately, due to a sudden downpour, I was unable to get any photographs of the mausoleum at the top of the hill. The rain was extremely heavy and I was hesitant to get my camera and other equipment too wet.

After walking around for a few hours and admiring some of the traditional shrines that are present in Nikko, it was time for a hearty meal!

The Shinkyo bridge. A beautiful bridge that looks even better when the river below kicks up a light mist. However in order to cross the bridge, an entrance fee has to be paid. 

Stranger on the streets of Nikko

The only time in Japan I spent on road based transport (all the other times I was on a train)

The heavy downpour before meant that this river was moving quite rapidly.

On the train to Kinugawaonsen

Peekaboo, I see you

Kinugawa-onsen (鬼怒川温泉)

The railway station at Kinugawa-onsen. Although the town is famous for its' hot springs, I did not get the opportunity to visit any...

The mountains surrounding the town are quite dramatic, with many of them piercing the cloud layer. 

The Kurogane bridge, which rises high over a river underneath. Both sides of the river are surrounded by high rise hotels

It is very peaceful in this area, away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo

Flow

Stair art

Tried to get some dramatic clouds with a long exposure here however the clouds were not moving much and so this long exposure did not look that dramatic...

Spider colony surrounding the lamps

I thought those were birds roosting on the power-lines at first

It was slightly unsettling how empty the town felt at night, especially compared to the liveliness of Tokyo at night

The train to Asakusa

The last train back to Asakusa was quite empty making it easy to lounge around and take advantage of the empty seats

If you have made it this far, congratulations. I hope that this photographic journey through my trip to Japan has been somewhat enjoyable. I will be uploading two more parts involving more city street photography (and Yokohama Fireworks!) to conclude the series.