Admission
Free
Also called Nikko Futarasan
Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture
At a Glance
The name 'Nikkō' (日光) literally means 'sunlight,' but it originally came from 'Futara' (二荒). The kanji were changed to more auspicious characters: 二 (ni) + 荒 (kō) became 日 (sun) + 光 (light).
At 3,400 hectares, this shrine's sacred grounds are Japan's second-largest after Ise Grand Shrine, encompassing entire mountains, Lake Chūzenji, and stretching from the peaks to downtown Nikkō.
The shrine worships a divine family across three mountains: father deity Ōnamuchi on Mt. Nantai, mother deity Tagorihime on Mt. Nyohō, and their son Ajisukitakahikone on Mt. Tarō.
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Free
Bring plenty of 100-yen coins if you plan to visit the paid garden area (Shin'en), as there are multiple small shrines, omikuji (fortune slips), and offering boxes throughout that each require separate donations.
Pay the 300-yen fee to enter Shin’en, the inner sanctuary. It has the shrine’s strongest power spot, Takamagahara, sacred spring water, and several sub-shrines not seen from the free main worship area.
Visit early on weekdays for a quieter experience. The shrine is less crowded than nearby Toshogu and offers a calm, meditative atmosphere that many visitors say feels emotionally moving and spiritually cleansing.
Fascinating facts about this place
The name 'Nikkō' (日光) literally means 'sunlight,' but it originally came from 'Futara' (二荒). The kanji were changed to more auspicious characters: 二 (ni) + 荒 (kō) became 日 (sun) + 光 (light).
At 3,400 hectares, this shrine's sacred grounds are Japan's second-largest after Ise Grand Shrine, encompassing entire mountains, Lake Chūzenji, and stretching from the peaks to downtown Nikkō.
The shrine worships a divine family across three mountains: father deity Ōnamuchi on Mt. Nantai, mother deity Tagorihime on Mt. Nyohō, and their son Ajisukitakahikone on Mt. Tarō.
The 'Meoto-sugi' (wedded cedars) share one root system but grow as two trees. Actor Hosokawa Shigeki proposed to his wife in front of this tree, saying he knew he couldn't let her go.
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