The Joy of Sects: Tosho-gu

Nikko means "sunny splendour," and its beauties are celebrated in poetry and art all over Japan. Mountains for a great part of the year clothed or patched with snow, piled in great ranges round Nantaizan, their monarch, worshipped as a god; forests of magnificent timber; ravines and passes scarcely explored; dark green lakes sleeping in endless serenity; the deep abyss of Kegon, into which the waters of Chiuzenjii plunge from a height of 250 feet; the bright beauty of the falls of Kiri Furi, the loveliness of the gardens of Dainichido; the sombre grandeur of the passes through which the Daiyagawa forces its way from the upper regions; a gorgeousness of azaleas and magnolias; and a luxuriousness of vegetation perhaps unequalled in Japan, are only a few of the attractions which surround the shrines of the two greatest Shoguns.
Isabella Bird, Unbeaten Tracks in Japan, 1878.

The morning was bright and sunny, but I could see from my hotel window that the peaks of the surrounding mountains were still covered in mist—very atmospheric.

This being one of Japan's most popular tourist attractions, the guidebook recommended being at the Tosho-gu, as the shrine complex is called, early, and though I was there at opening time, the buses were already arriving. Fortunately, being mid-week, the crowds were not too bad, mainly schoolkids and older people (like myself!). At the back of my mind was the hope that a visit to the shrines might help Ireland's chances this evening against Germany!

There's an entrance fee for every shrine and garden in the complex, but most are covered by a "combination" ticket, which now costs 1300 yen, though due to time limitations I didn't visit every single building in the complex.

The Nikko National Park, which contains the shrine complex, is about half an hour's walk uphill from the station. Just before the park, over a narrow river, is the famous red Shin-kyo bridge, now closed for reconstruction, where the Buddhist monk who founded the original monastery was carried across the river by two huge serpents in 782.

Across the road, you enter the park through an entrance in the walls (which reminded me of those surrounding the Phoenix Park in Dublin, and entering the park with the Liffey behind you) and start climbing steps towards the first of the shrines, the Buddhist shrine of Rinno-ji, which contains a number of huge gold-lacquered images.

Walking around this shrine you pass through a huge stone torii (Shinto gate of columns, usually a dark-red colour, but here they were not painted), almost ten meters high, next to which stands a five-story pagoda. The pagoda has no foundations, but is suspended from a metal pole, to protect it from earthquakes. The signs of the zodiac run round the lower story. Then you pass upwards through a decorative gate, Omote-mon, surrounded by various statues and buildings decorated with mythical beasts.

This leads to a pebbled court containing buildings related to shrine (at one time hundreds of Buddhist priests were active here, now only some Shinto priests and maidens remain). overwhelms one by One of the buildings was a stable for the three sacred Albino horses, which were kept for the use of the god, another contains a collection of Buddhist Scriptures.

Then through another torii and up another flight of steps, which leads into a smaller courtyard containing a bell-tower and other shrines and bronze lanterns. The next gate is the sumptuously-decorated Yomei-mon, decorated with real and mythical beasts, dancing girls, gods (Shinto has 8,000—or is it 80,000?—deities). Further courtyards and shrines lead to the haidan, the hall of worship. Behind the complex, way up among the cedars, are the mausoleums of Ieyasu and his son Iemitsu.

From Nikko to Mito

Shortly before mid-day I started the train trips towards Ibaraki Stadium in Kashima: from Nikko to Utsonomiya to Oyama (where I stopped for lunch and an ice-cream) to Mito. The area around Oyama is almost all just one urban sprawl, residential and business, alleviated by the occasional paddie-field. Once outside this, though, there's a hilly forested green belt between Oyama and Mito. Gardens to houses are practically non-existent or very small. Single houses are often surrounded by a low wall very close to the house.

The Beautiful Game: Ireland v Germany

Upon arrival in Mito I needed to get my bearings. The Ibaraki stadium is situated in a place called Kashima—Ibaraki is the name of the prefecture. Mito is the capital city of Ibaraki-ken, the former seat of one of the branches of the Tokugawa clan. The extremely pleasant ladies at the hotel reservation service in the station found me a room in the Holiday Inn, right next to the station. At about 10,000 yen it's outside my budget, but it'll do for one night.

Stashed my gear in the hotel room and headed back to the station to take the train to Kashima—this cost an extra 2700 yen, as it's not a JR rail line. The train was absolutely packed, mainly Japanese but with Irish all over the place and a sprinkling of Germans. Bumped into Michael O'Brien, whom I'd met in Niigata, and he told me of an Irish pub he'd found in Mito (one of two there, I believe).

The scene outside Ibaraki Stadium was not quite as exuberant as in Niigata, but was if anything more colourful—many Irish fans had obviously picked up costumes, kimonos, robes and masks, so at times it resembled a fancy-dress party. Saw some familiar faces, among them Frank from Clare and Mary from Dublin. There was so much green on display that one Dublin girl said it was almost like being at Lansdowne Road!

The organisation was not quite as good as Niigata—we had to hike on a dirt track right around the stadium to get to our block, and fans were rushing to and fro in an effort to get to the correct entrances.

Inside the stadium it was as expected. A huge Irish crowd with dozens of flags dominated one end of the stadium, while all around were scattered groups waving flags and singing, well outnumbering the German supporters. I had a great seat, just six rows from the barrier, in line with the German goal line.

But there was also tension in the air. Coming off the back of an 8-0 win against the Saudis, the Germans were going to be confident. And they looked big, well-organized and very threatening. Although Germany scored first, after the first twenty minutes they did not look very threatening, continually falling back and allowing our boys to get forward. During the second half the Irish continued to press forward. McCarthy brought Quinn on for Gary Kelly in the 73rd minute and the move paid off. I thought we would get a goal, but it was a long time coming! I couldn't see the clock, so when Robbie scored I didn't know that we were even in extra time...

Words cannot describe the euphoria that went through the Irish fans at that goal! Everybody was hugging each other, leaping in the air, frenetically waving flags and banners. The feeling was fantastic! Especially not knowing at the beginning how things were going to pan out without Keane (Roy, that is!). Brilliant!

Another minute and the whistle went. Wild celebrations, more emotional perhaps because the goal came so late, and most had given up hope (good job Robbie Keane didn't!). As someone said, the only reason that the Irish left that stadium that night was that the Japanese turned off the lights.

It was also a big day for Staunton, who won his 100th cap, and got man of the match.

After the game I moved up towards the main block of Irish fans to record the antics on the camcorder, and on emerging got somewhat disoriented. I asked some stewards for directions to the station and showed them my ticket, and each of them pointed to a station about half an hour's walk away, but when I arrived there I found it was the wrong station—there are two stations in Kashima, for two different train companies.

After trudging back to the stadium and enquiring at the information stand I was told the last train to Mito had already left. Fortunately two young volunteers took up my case, after I showed them my reservation for the hotel, and found a worker who was driving towards Mito, and who would give me a lift.

Arrived back at the hotel around 2:00 AM, tired but happy with the result.

Other results of the day: In Group H, Russia beat Tunisia.

In Group D, another surprise, USA beat Portugal 3-2, in what must have been a thrilling encounter. With players named O'Brien, Donovan and McBride, I wonder whether they could play for Ireland too?