Japan: Sawara to Nikko scenic drive 4k

A scenic drive from Sawara to Nikko.
March 31, 2023
"Sawara (佐原) is a small town northeast of Narita City that prospered during the Edo Period (1603-1868) as a transport hub for rice shipments into Edo. Sawara's historic center lies along a canal, and is known as "Little Edo" for its small district of preserved and restored traditional residences, merchant shops and warehouses from the Edo Period.
The canal is crossed by a number of bridges, the most interesting of which is the Ja Ja Bridge that spouts a twice hourly waterfall from its span into the canal below. Flat-bottomed boat tours of the canal depart from here.
Also found near the Ja Ja Bridge are the Ino Tadataka Museum and his former residence. Born in Sawara, Ino Tadataka was an Edo Period surveyor who made highly accurate maps of the entire Japanese archipelago for the Tokugawa Shogunate. The museum is dedicated to displaying his work and his techniques with excellent displays and description in English.
The town is also known for its festival, the Sawara Matsuri, where floats topped by giant dolls, representing mythological Japanese warriors and heroes, are wheeled through the streets. The festival is held twice yearly in July and October. A few of the floats and other festival items can be seen year round at the Dashi Kaikan museum a short walk from the canal."
--www.japan-guid...
"Nikko (日光, Nikkō) is a town at the entrance to Nikko National Park, most famous for Toshogu, Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine and the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.
Nikko had been a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship for many centuries before Toshogu was built in the 1600s, and Nikko National Park continues to offer scenic, mountainous landscapes, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, wild monkeys and hiking trails.
Nikko and the Okunikko area around Lake Chuzenji, in particular, are well known for their beautiful autumn colors (koyo). In the average year the colors start descending from the higher elevations of Yumoto Onsen in early October, are best around Lake Chuzenji and the Irohazaka road in mid to late October and reach the town of Nikko in the first half of November.
Nikko is located along Japan's Romantic Road."
--www.japan-guid...