Kanmangafuchi Abyss

Anybody been to Kanmangafuchi Abyss to see the statues and water-falls in central Nikko?
Please share your walking trail from JR Nikko station.
Thanks.

If you're walking the whole way, just start up the main street toward the shrines, cross the river by the Sacred Brige and turn left. Just downhill from the shrines, you can follow the river as closely as possible by dropping down to the left when the main road goes up and right. This is mainly a residential area but has a small shrine and the Turtle Inn mixed in. Keeping the river to the left you'll eventually come to another bridge to go back across the Daiyagawa. You cross the bridge and turn right, following the river still but now it's on your right. This will bring you to the small park, the jizo statues, and the narrow gorge trail. The trail continues up the river past the "abyss" (think "small abyss") if you want to keep going. Not many people come here so it's a good escape from the Toshogu Kanko tours.

The Turtle Inn's map shows the way the best.
http://www.turtle-nikko.com/turtle/map_en.html

Hi anaguma,
Thanks for sharing.
Not much info was mentioned on this abyss in Guide Books. Have you been there and is it worth visiting?
Thanks.

Hi anaguma,
Is there a walking path from JR Nikko station to walk to Turtle Inn then to the abyss without crossing the Sacred Bridge which needs a fee of 300 yen?
Thanks again.

starlight,
- I have been to the Kanmangafuchi - it's not a "must-see" if you don't have much time in Nikko and have to rush through, but I found it to be a nice trail to walk, and relatively quiet and not crowded compared to the rest of Nikko. So if you go for nature trails, I'd say it's worth it.
- You don't have to pay to cross that river :)

Hi AK,
I have been to the shrines during my last trip to Nikko.
I have some time to spare for the day and think of taking the double decker train to Nikko!
I read about Kanmangafuchi Absyy in internet. Not much was mentioned in Guide Books. Are the statues eerie?
Would the weather be snowy in mid Dec?
Thanks.

The statues aren't really eerie--I was there in spring and they were mossy and rather jovial (the legend goes they are there to ridicule your attempt to count them as there are too many to count (not quite that many actually)). I recall there were mossy, some without heads, some with weird expression, and wrapped in faded red cloth.

The river was nice and light blue and the smooth boulders were rather different than I was expecting. If you don't expect to be totally wowed, it's a great little walk away from the heavy tourist areas. I remember being overwhelmed by the crowds by noon and spent a good hour walking the trail and sitting on the boulders to listen to the rushing water. Plus, very few people were around, even on a clear, warm day.

Not sure how the weather will be in December, but if you've got the time and want some serenity, it's a good stroll.

-mike

Hi AK,
I have been to the shrines during my last trip to Nikko.
I have some time to spare for the day and think of taking the double decker train to Nikko!
I read about Kanmangafuchi Absyy in internet. Not much was mentioned in Guide Books. Are the statues eerie?
Would the weather be snowy in mid Dec?
Thanks.

mike,

About snow in Nikko:
http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+67790

I've been to the "abyss" several times, not because it's a spectacular place to visit, but because it's a way to escape the crowds. The last couple of times I've stopped at one of the convenience stores on the opposite side and picked up some lunch to carry down the hill to the river just to have a quiet place for a picnic.

I've been unlucky for snow in December and January, as there hasn't been any for me during either month - not even a dusting. It has been cold though, and makes an onsen or ofuro even better (as well as some hot sake). If cold enough up high by Chuzenji-ko, the falls may have ice around them.

Next to the sacred bridge is the highway bridge that cars and pedestrians can cross. The sacred bridge Y300 crossing is an extra if you want to cross and go under it to look at the underside.