<p>Having some fun in the snow</p>

Having some fun in the snow (Photo: Todd Wojnowski)

Nikko's Snowy Shrines and Temples

UNESCO World Heritage sites look beautiful in white

Todd Wojnowski Feb 02, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>Having some fun in the snow</p>

<p>Snow-melt dripping from the rooftop</p>

<p>Frozen-over pond in Shoyoen Garden, Rinno-ji  </p>

<p>Anyone have a shovel?</p>

<p>Contrasting whites  </p>

<p>Stone lanterns looking majestic in the snow  </p>

<p>Shoyoen Garden, part of the Rinno-ji complex</p>

<p>Frosty air makes everything clear</p>

<p>Snow-lined walk-up</p>

<p>Not a place for a snowball fight</p>

<p>Gorgeous color contrast</p>

<p>Winter wonderland</p>

<p>Snow-covered grounds</p>

<p>A wintry perspective</p>

Nikko, in Tochigi Prefecture, is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Shrines and Temples of Nikko." Under a dusting of fresh snow, these iconic locales take on a new sort of beauty. During the summer and autumn months, tourists override these historic sites. In winter, however, the crowds are thin and you can feel the peace and power of these places that the ancient Japanese elites once felt.

Todd Wojnowski

Todd Wojnowski @todd.wojnowski

I am an avid backpacker, writer, marathon runner, hiker, eater of spicy foods, watcher of B-movies, and user of the Harvard comma. I'm originally from Buffalo, New York, and arrived in Japan in 2008.