Shurijo Castle Park | Review by Gina C

While visiting Nikko, I took a bus to Lake Chuzenji. Along the way, it passed through the very famous Irohazaka Winding Road (いろは坂). Its most distinctive feature is the seemingly endless series of hairpin turns as the road keeps climbing up the mountain, with views of the forested mountains from different angles along the way. I was originally looking forward to enjoying the scenery outside the window, but once I actually rode the bus, I realized that this mountain road was much more thrilling than I had imagined!

The bus kept turning left and right, with a sharp curve every short distance. As it twisted and turned, I started to feel dizzy and even a little nauseous. Motion sickness was really unpleasant. Although the scenery along the way was beautiful, I wasn't in the mood to enjoy it at all and just hoped the bus would reach the destination soon.

When visiting Nikko, you definitely shouldn't miss the historic Shinkyo Bridge. Before I even got close, I could see the vivid vermilion wooden bridge spanning the Daiya River from a distance. It stood out beautifully against the lush green mountains and forest around it. At the bridge, I could hear the gentle sound of flowing water. Above were the blue sky and mountain views, and the scenery in front of me was as beautiful as a postcard.

The moment I saw Shinkyo Bridge in person, I was truly amazed! The red bridge with its traditional Japanese railings looked historic and had a slightly mysterious feel. The stream below was clear and fast-flowing, and the sound of the water hitting the rocks created a beautiful scene together with the quiet forest around it.

You definitely shouldn't miss the famous Nikko Toshogu when visiting Nikko! What attracted me most were the famous Three Wise Monkeys and Sleeping Cat. I finally had the chance to see these classic carvings that often appear in textbooks and travel guides. The three monkeys cover their eyes, ears, and mouth, representing seeing no evil, hearing no evil, and speaking no evil. The carvings are very vivid and interesting. Seeing them in person, I thought they were truly distinctive and couldn't help stopping to take a closer look.

Another must-see is the Sleeping Cat, a small cat carved into the building. It looks very cute, and it's hard to believe it's such a historic work of art. There are also many intricate and elaborate carvings to see, especially the magnificent gold decorations on the buildings. Every detail is impressive.

The entire Toshogu complex was even more fascinating than I had imagined, with many places along the way worth photographing and admiring. Although there were quite a few visitors, seeing these famous historic sites in person was still very worthwhile!