This treasure house is a great first stop on your Nikko temple tour - you can either buy tickets or leave a donation at the entrance. Inside, you'll find an impressive collection of Buddhas (heads up: no photos allowed), but the real treasure might be the peaceful pond garden out back.

We got incredibly lucky during our visit - happened to catch the Gomagi ritual where the monk burns prayer sticks. It's one of those authentic spiritual moments you hope to see in Japan but rarely do. When you watch these wooden prayer sticks being ritually burned while the monk chants, it really drives home that these temples aren't just tourist attractions - they're living, breathing spiritual places.

The place gets pretty busy (it's definitely on the main tourist circuit), but there's a reason for that. Between the Buddhist artifacts, the serene garden, and the chance to witness actual temple rituals like the Gomagi, it gives you a perfect taste of what makes Nikko's temples so special. Plus, it sets you up perfectly to explore the other nearby shrines - kind of like a spiritual appetizer for what's to come.