There are a lot of temples in Japan, but the ones at Nikko I liked most. Nikko on its own disproves the common remark that Japan does not have world-class sights.

The Toshogu-shrine is the best example of this. The main gate inside the complex is 11 meters high and painted with animals, flowers, and human figures. Especially the smallest details (which you can only see with binoculars or the zoom lens of your camera) are magnificent. What at first just looks like a coloured border later turns out to be a whole scene.