From 80f8c32b75b4ef108fb26a60df8fedc8ff671704 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Robert Günzler Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2025 01:03:44 +0100 Subject: update nikko page MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Signed-off-by: Robert Günzler --- src/inc/nikko.htm | 102 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------------------ src/inc/nikko.md | 77 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--------- 2 files changed, 117 insertions(+), 62 deletions(-) (limited to 'src') diff --git a/src/inc/nikko.htm b/src/inc/nikko.htm index 12fb456..28d7ca3 100644 --- a/src/inc/nikko.htm +++ b/src/inc/nikko.htm @@ -3,17 +3,23 @@
    back to top
  1. +getting there +
    2. +
  2. exploring nikkō
  3. hotel
    4. +
  4. +trails +
2023-04-30 (2 days) - +

getting there

Before leaving home I had gotten myself an international Drivers License, that gives you a permit to drive in many countries (outside the EU) for up to 3 years. It only costs 15 EUR in Berlin and I had set the @@ -27,8 +33,8 @@ href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikk%C5%8D">Nikkō, another common day trip destination from Tokyo that I had not done and conveniently located along the Tōhoku Shinkansen line. My plan was to take the train to Utsunomiya, rent a car from there and continue towards -Nikkō, with the eventual goal being a hotel at the shores of -Chuzenji-ko.

+Nikkō, with the eventual goal being a hotel at the shores of Chuzenji-ko.

So I start the day nice and early on one of the first trains out of Ueno terminal. It’s another grey morning in Tokyo with the weather forecast promising sunshine for the next day at least. When I arrive in @@ -70,12 +76,17 @@ class="footnote-ref" id="fnref3" role="doc-noteref">3. This costs ¥4000 and takes up to 2 weeks (according to their website). So there is no way I can work this out today.

Now that I am dependend on public transport my schedule is a lot more constricting. The hotel I booked is served by a bus that runs every @@ -84,7 +95,6 @@ spend time around today’s destination: Tōshō-gū et al

exploring nikkō

-

hotel

The bus ride to the hotel is a little event in itself. From the main tourist area around the temple grounds there is quite the elevation @@ -112,49 +122,46 @@ work or going out, but here it really makes a difference. I have the place for myself (at least for a bit).

The indoor bath has a huge window out to the forrest but since it’s dark and the room is lit up, that is not really useful.

-

There isn’t really much to do and I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow, so I decide to just go to bed early.

After getting up, there is obviously breakfast first. The room fee includes a full course Japanese breakfast, so rice and various side -dishes

+dishes

At this point I still don’t know how to get to my planned destination -for today, the Senjogahara wet lands, 10km from the hotel. -

+for today, the Senjogahara wet lands, 10km from the hotel.

The other problem I am faced with is how to make it back to the station in time for the train back to Utsunomiya and eventually Tokyo. At the front desk I get told that the hotel provides a free bus back to Nikko at 11:00, but that is not helpful, since I have already seen the sights around there and want to explore the area in the exact opposite -direction.

- +direction. After some research online I find that the same bus I came +with yesterday goes aroud in a loop. So I decide to take off on foot for +now and catch it on the trip back to the station later that day.

+

trails

+

So I begin walking at the lake shore alongside the road, follwing the +sign for the Lake Chuzenji Nature Trail. There are some larger +information boards that tell the histories of a small memorial garden +and the lake house. It doesn’t take very long before I reach +Shobugahama, where I start following the path towards Ryuzu Falls. +The waterfall is on the way to where I want to make it today, so I put +off my plan to find a bus stop that could take me to Senjōgahara +Marshland, and check them out first. I just follow the marked trail +which takes me up the hill next to the falls and into a web of paths +through a wooded area tracing the Yu river.

+

At this point my plan has shifted to walking all the way up to the +entrance of the wetlands walking trail, exploring there and then finding +a bus stop to take me back to Nikkō. The weather is great and it +surprises me how accessible the trails around here are. Although after +some kilometers I encounter a gate into the Senjōgahara park area, which +is apparently fenced off to keep deer in. I wouldn’t mind deer, +but the entrance is also plastered with signs warning the inclined hiker +of bears!

+

Once I arrive at the Senjōgahara Plateau Nature Trail, a raised +wooden walkway straddling the open grassland, I start my GoPro and put +in my OKM II microphones. 5

@@ -163,10 +170,15 @@ role="doc-endnotes"> role="doc-backlink">↩︎

  • unless you are lucky, which I will be today↩︎

    • -

  • https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/about-dltas

    https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/about-dltas↩︎

  • a rice bowl topped with braised beef↩︎

    • +

  • prior to leaving for Japan, I started experimenting with +binaural audio recording as a way to capture memories. I have a page +with some notes around the setup and some recordings here: {rec}↩︎

    • diff --git a/src/inc/nikko.md b/src/inc/nikko.md index f0cf98d..4b3b957 100644 --- a/src/inc/nikko.md +++ b/src/inc/nikko.md @@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ toc: true +## getting there + Before leaving home I had gotten myself an international Drivers License, that gives you a permit to drive in many countries (outside the EU) for up to 3 years. It only costs 15 EUR in Berlin and I had set the soft goal of driving in @@ -19,9 +21,10 @@ For my first destination I chose [Nikkō], another common day trip destination from Tokyo that I had not done and conveniently located along the Tōhoku Shinkansen line. My plan was to take the train to Utsunomiya, rent a car from there and continue towards Nikkō, with the eventual goal being a hotel at the -shores of Chuzenji-ko. +shores of [Chuzenji-ko]. [Nikkō]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikk%C5%8D +[Chuzenji-ko]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Ch%C5%ABzenji So I start the day nice and early on one of the first trains out of Ueno terminal. It's another grey morning in Tokyo with the weather forecast @@ -63,15 +66,20 @@ need anything more than a translation of the local drivers license into Japanese issued by the JAF[^jaf]. This costs ¥4000 and takes up to 2 weeks (according to their website). So there is no way I can work this out today. -[^jaf]: https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/about-dltas +[^jaf]: + [[https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/about-dltas]] Now that I am dependend on public transport my schedule is a lot more @@ -127,15 +135,50 @@ full course Japanese breakfast, so rice and various side dishes At this point I still don't know how to get to my planned destination for today, the Senjogahara wet lands, 10km from the hotel. - + The other problem I am faced with is how to make it back to the station in time for the train back to Utsunomiya and eventually Tokyo. At the front desk I get told that the hotel provides a free bus back to Nikko at 11:00, but that is not helpful, since I have already seen the sights around there and want to explore -the area in the exact opposite direction. - - +the area in the exact opposite direction. After some research online I find +that the same bus I came with yesterday goes aroud in a loop. So I decide to +take off on foot for now and catch it on the trip back to the station later +that day. + +## trails + +So I begin walking at the lake shore alongside the road, follwing the sign for +the Lake Chuzenji Nature Trail. There are some larger information boards that +tell the histories of a small memorial garden and the lake house. It doesn't +take very long before I reach Shobugahama, where I start following the path +towards [Ryuzu Falls]. The waterfall is on the way to where I want to make it +today, so I put off my plan to find a bus stop that could take me to [Senjōgahara Marshland], +and check them out first. I just follow the marked trail which takes me up the +hill next to the falls and into a web of paths through a wooded area tracing +the Yu river. + +[Ryuzu Falls]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%ABzu_Falls +[Senjōgahara Marshland]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senj%C5%8Dgahara + + +At this point my plan has shifted to walking all the way up to the entrance of +the wetlands walking trail, exploring there and then finding a bus stop to take +me back to Nikkō. The weather is great and it surprises me how accessible the +trails around here are. Although after some kilometers I encounter a gate into +the Senjōgahara park area, which is apparently fenced off to keep deer *in*. +I wouldn't mind deer, but the entrance is also plastered with signs warning the +inclined hiker of bears! + + + +Once I arrive at the Senjōgahara Plateau Nature Trail, a raised wooden walkway +straddling the open grassland, I start my GoPro and put in my OKM II microphones. +[^rec] + +[^rec]: prior to leaving for Japan, I started experimenting with binaural + audio recording as a way to capture memories. I have a page with some notes + around the setup and some recordings here: {rec}