Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine

Introduction

Nikkō Tōshō-gū, in Sannai, Nikkō, Tochigi, Japan, enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Edo shogunate, deified as Tōshō-Daigongen. Founded in 1617, it was rebuilt on today's lavish scale in the 1636 Kan'ei reconstruction ordered by the third shogun, Iemitsu. Set among towering cedars, the Yōmeimon gate carries more than five hundred carvings and is nicknamed the 'gate of sunset' because visitors lose track of time admiring it; the Karamon, main hall, stone room and worship hall are among eight National Treasures here. The sacred stable bears the 'three wise monkeys' who see, hear and speak no evil; the corridor's 'sleeping cat' symbolizes peace; the Honji-dō hall is famous for its 'crying dragon' echo; and the Okumiya holds Ieyasu's tomb. Inscribed in 1999 as part of the World Heritage 'Shrines and Temples of Nikkō' together with Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji, it is the pinnacle of early-modern Japanese decorative architecture and a physical statement of shogunal authority, at its best in fresh green and autumn colour.

✨ Highlights

🛈 Practical Info