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Tosho-gu Shrine, Nikko
196 ASIA
Nikko was a renowned Buddhist-Shinto religious center, and the warlord
Tokugawa leyasu (1542-1616) chose this area as the site for his mausoleum.
Karamon Founded in 1617, Tosho-gu was later enlarged by leyasu's grandson, lemitsu,
Gate
Haiden This is the into the spectacular complex seen today. To create a shrine worthy of a
(sane tuary)
smallest gate shogun, 15,000 artisans spent two years carving, gilding, painting, and
atTosho-gu.
lacquering the 2 2 buildings. Although a Shinto shrine, Tosho-gu retains many
Honden
(inner sane tuary) Buddhist elements. The sugi-namiki (Japanese cedar avenue) leading to the
shrine was planted by a 17th-century lord, in lieu of a more opulent offering.
~ Sleeping Cat <arving CELEBRA Tl ONS
Tosho-gu' s fall and spring festivals
are held in May and October. More
than 1,200 people, dressed in
clothes from the Edo period, take
part in processions in which the
Bell
tower shrine's relics are displayed.
\ To leyasu's tomb Three Sa<red Storehouses
and Treasure tower The costumes for the Tosh o-gu
festivals are stored here.
Niomon
This gate is guarded by two
fearsome Nio figures, one
with an open mouth to
pronounce the first letter
of the Sanskrit alpha-
bet (a h), the other
with a closed
mouth for the Ia st
letter (un)
Honji-do
The ceiling in this hall
has a huge painting of a
mythical creaOJre known
as the Roaring Dragon.lf
you stand beneath the
dragon's head and clap ~ Yomeimon gate
your hands, the resulting
echo sounds like a roar. Rinzo
This sutra library holds some
7,000 Buddhist scriptures in
a revolving bookcase.
KEY DATES
~ Sa<red
1603-1867 1616 1617 1636 1999 stable
lhe Tokugawa Death of the The main hall of The mausoleum lhe 9-lrines and ~ Pagoda
Shogunate brings shogun Toku gawa Tosho-gu Shrine and shrine are temple are made a Donated by a daimio (feudal I or d) in 165 0, this
about a prolonged leyasu; he is later is constructed. completed. World Heritage Site five-story pagoda was rebuilt in 1818 after a fire.
perbd of peace. deified. by UNESCO Each story represents an element-earth, water,
fire, wind, and heaven-in ascending order. ------~
