Nikko Futarasan-jinja Haiden — Attraction in Nikko

NIKKO FUTARASAN-JINJA

Futarasan-jinja Shrine

Futarasan-jinja Shrine was originally established on the summit of Mt. Nantai by the monk and mountain ascetic Shodo Shonin (735–817) in 782. Originally, Mt. Nantai was called Mt. Futara, and the characters for “futara" can be read as "niko." Eventually “niko" became “nikko” giving this region its name. Futarasan-jinja's grounds cover over 3,400 hectares in Nikko-including Chugushi Shrine, located on the shore of Lake Chuzenji; a small shrine on top of Mt. Nantai; Kegon Falls; Iroha road; and the mountains of Nikko National Park. The main buildings of Futarasan-jinja are located to the west of Toshogu Shrine and are surrounded by many sacred trees. One auspicious tree is said to bring luck in finding a marriage partner; a pair that are joined at the base are thought to bestow marital happiness; and another set of three trees bound at the roots is thought to grant a happy home life. The Shrine Garden contains several historically important shrine buildings as well as allowing for a closer inspection of the worship hall (haiden) and the main hall (honden), which were both built in 1619. Within the Shrine Garden is a spring, believed to be a fountain of youth, and

a small tea shop.

In 1999 Futarasan-jinja, Toshogu Shrine, and Rinnoji Temple were designated the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Shrines and Temples of Nikko. Futarasan-jinja alone contains 23 Important...

You absolutely must! This shrine and the others within walking distance . . . not to be missed. A great idea for a day trip is Tokyo to Nikko. We left on the bullet train at 8 am, transferred to a local that took roughly 40 minutes to get to Nikko. Along the way, you roll through forest and farming country. You get a real sense of the pace and style of life in non urban Japan. Nikko itself is welcoming, with very good restaurants, some ok shopping. But the main attraction is the Nikko National Park and the shrines. I recommend you walk. It's uphill from Nikko Station, but not too steep. At the top of the hill there's an ancient arched bridge over a rushing stream, then it's up the hill just a bit farther to the shrine area. We saw everything we wanted to see in a day and arrived back in Tokyo in time for a late-ish dinner. Oh - by all means . . . if you have time, hike the gorge. It's the most breathtaking experience we had in Japan. Easy walk, not...

Futarasan Shrine has a distinctly mystical atmosphere centered around luck and fortune, with various elements that let you test your luck and numerous symbolic features throughout the grounds. There are multiple prayer areas and the shrine extends quite deep into the complex, creating an intriguing sense of mystery and spiritual energy that sets it apart from other shrines.

Requires a separate admission ticket, but it’s reasonably priced and worth exploring for the unique atmosphere. The focus on fortune-testing and luck-related rituals makes it an interesting cultural experience, especially if you’re curious about different aspects of Shinto beliefs beyond the typical tourist...