Nikko

Nikkō City Hall
Nikkō-shi ; 日光市
Geographical location in Japan
Region :	Kanto
Prefecture :	Tochigi
Coordinates :	36 ° 43 ' N , 139 ° 42' E Coordinates: 36 ° 43 '12 " N , 139 ° 41' 54" E
Basic data
Surface:	1,449.87 km²
Residents :	78,768 ; (October 1, 2019)
Population density :	54 inhabitants per km²
Community key :	09206-1
Symbols
Flag / coat of arms:
town hall
Address :	Nikkō City Hall ; 1 Imaichi-Honchō; Nikkō -shi ; Tochigi 321-1272
Website URL:	http://www.city.nikko.lg.jp/
Location Nikkōs in Tochigi Prefecture

Nikkō ( Japanese 日光市 , -shi , dt Sunshine City ) is a city in Japan .

geography

Nikkō is located about 140 kilometers north of Tokyo in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture . In 2006 the city of Nikko had an estimated 93,568 inhabitants. The area of Nikkō is now 1,449.87 km² due to incorporations.

history

The story of Nikko begins as early as 766 with the construction of the Rinnō-ji Temple. In the Edo period, the Nikkō Tōshō-gū (the Tokugawa mausoleum) and the Nikkō highway ( Nikkō Kaidō ) were opened to the capital Edo, Nikkō was under the direct control of the shogunate and attracted many visitors. Even in the modern age, tourists from the capital region remain important for the city (see # Sights ). In 1890 Nikkō received a first railway connection through the private Nippon Tetsudō , the line later named Nikkō line connected Nikkō with Tochigi's capital Utsunomiya. In 1929 the Tōbu - Nikkō line was added, which leads to the city of Miyashiro in Saitama on a more direct route and connects to the Tōbu main line ( Isesaki line or, more recently, Tobu Skytree Line) to Tokyo.

The flag of the old city of Nikko 1893-2006

After the Meiji Restoration of Shōgunatsverwaltung of Nikko emerged as the successor to 1869, the Prefecture Nikko ( 日光県 ), which in 1871 came to Tochigi. From 1878, when the circles were reactivated and rearranged, Nikkō belonged to the "Upper Tsuga County" ( Kami-Tsuga-gun ) of Tochigi, which emerged from the division of the ancient Tsuga County of Shimotsuke . When today's community forms were introduced in 1889, the premodern Nikkō and surrounding villages became the [district] town of Nikkō ( 日光町 ). From this, by merging with the village of Okorogawa on February 1, 1954, the [district] city of Nikkō ( 日光市 ). On March 20, 2006, the old city of Nikkō merged with the city of Imaichi and the districts of Ashio , Fujiwara and Kuriyama - technically a new city of Nikkō was created.

Attractions

The famous three monkeys of Nikkō in Tōshō-gū: see nothing (evil), hear nothing (evil), speak nothing (evil)

Holy bridge

Nikkō is a popular destination for Japanese and foreign tourists, as there are many historical buildings and monuments, for example the mausoleum of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu ( Nikkō Tōshō-gū ) or the Nikkō Futarasan Shrine , a Shintō shrine from 767 . Both buildings and the Rinnō-ji have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO .

On a small, rather inconspicuous building - the stable of the holy horses of Nikkō Tōshōgū - there is also a facade carving of Nikkō's landmark, the three monkeys that see, hear and say nothing (evil). In the meantime, real Japanese macaques , which are venerated as sacred in Nikko, have become a problem. While the animals used to reside in the snow-covered Japanese mountain forests, they have now reproduced so much that they also look for food in human surroundings and bother business people and tourists.

The mountains west of the city are part of the Nikkō National Park , which includes the Kegon Falls , Onsen , Lake Chūzenji, and hiking trails.

Sports

The ice hockey team Nikkō Kobe Ice Bucks ( ALIH ) has its main venue in the Nikkō Kirifuri ice arena , in which the Division I tournament of the 2007 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships was held.

traffic

Street:
- Nikko-Utsunomiya Highway
- National Road 119,120,121,122,352,400,461
Train:
- JR Nikko Line , to Utsunomiya
- Tōbu Nikkō Line, to Asakusa
- Tōbu Kinugawa Line