Toushougu

Luxurious Buildings
Guardian of the Eight Provinces
Nikko Toshogu Shrine enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu as the guardian of the eight provinces.
Known for its beautiful carvings, colors, and luxurious buildings, it attracts many tourists from abroad.
It serves as the head shrine of all Toshogu shrines in Japan, and its origins are said to be established by Minamoto no Yoritomo.

It is believed to have held religious authority in the eastern region, with connections to the Kamakura shogunate and the Hojo clan during the Sengoku period.
The Tokugawa shogunate used Toshogu Shrine to enshrine Ieyasu and demonstrate the shogunate's authority.
Originally called Nikkosan or Nikko Sanshogo, it was worshipped in a syncretic manner combining Shinto and Buddhism.
Similar luxurious buildings can be seen at Taiyuin, part of Rinnoji Temple.
Past the stone torii gate on the approach, a five-story pagoda stands on the left.
It is entirely painted in red with additional colors like gold and green on the components.
Built in 1650 as a donation from Sakai Tadakatsu of Obama Domain, it burned down in 1815 and was subsequently rebuilt.
Like other pagodas, it has a central pillar that is suspended to provide earthquake resistance.

Passing through the red-painted front gate, a luxurious shrine surrounded by sacred trees unfolds.
Particularly noticeable are the carvings engraved in the colorful buildings.
There are a total of 5,173 carvings on the structures at Toshogu Shrine.
A notable feature of Toshogu Shrine is the frequent depiction of animals in these carvings.
These animal carvings are mostly symbols of peace.
Famous examples include the monkeys carved in the transom of the sacred stable, which protect the horses.
Especially known are the "Three Wise Monkeys" that signify "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil," which have connections to ancient Egypt and Confucianism, though their origins remain unclear.

Yomeimon Gate, the most famous building at Toshogu Shrine, is also known as the "Gate of Sunlight". It is said that one could look at it all day and never get bored.
It faces due south, and the North Star shines directly overhead.
The name "Yomeimon" is believed to be derived from one of the twelve gates of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, specifically the east gate.
This early Edo period structure showcases the technology of the time, with carvings, metal fittings, and vibrant colors.
The gate is said to feature over 500 carvings.
It stands over 11 meters tall, with a width of 7 meters and a depth of 4.4 meters.
The famous "inverted pillar for warding off evil" is the left pillar when passing through the gate.
The pattern on this pillar is oriented differently from the others, and there are similar inverted pillars in the main hall and main shrine of the head shrine.
The inversion of the pattern is believed to have a protective effect, symbolizing that the structure is deliberately left incomplete to prevent it from beginning to decay and collapse, thereby ensuring its longevity.

The torii gate at the top of the stone steps was made of bronze in 1683.
Originally made of stone, it was rebuilt with bronze, and the inscription was written by Emperor Go-Mizunoo.

Next to the torii gate, there is a treasure house entirely covered in bronze.
Built in 1654, it stores documents and gifts from the imperial court.
The buildings of the inner shrine, including the treasure house, the worship hall, and the gate, are all covered in metal.
The worship hall is entirely covered in copper plates and painted with black lacquer, and only shoguns were allowed to ascend the steps for worship.
Nestled in a deep forest, it is a very serene building.

The Cast Gate, built in 1650, stands in front of the treasure pagoda located behind the worship hall.
The roof, pillars, walls, and other components are cast, and then assembled, giving it a similar color tone to other buildings, evoking both tranquility and grandeur.

The treasure pagoda of Okumiya is about 5 meters tall, standing on an octagonal nine-step base.
It was created by the same Shiinai Iyo who made the Cast Gate. Originally wooden, it was later made of stone, and during the time of the fifth shogun Tsunayoshi, it was transformed into its current copper form.

Toshogu Shrine, exemplified by Yomeimon Gate, features highly vivid shrine buildings and numerous carvings, offering many points of interest.
The imposing yet dazzling shrine buildings are breathtaking at first sight, and it’s worth spending a long time to appreciate them thoroughly.

National Treasure Kara-mon, entirely coated with gofun (shell white)

Shimojinko on the right after passing through the front gate

Chozuya
The roof pillars with karahafu use granite
to prevent corrosion.

Rinzo
The sutra repository housing Tenkai’s Issaikyo. Inside is a large rotating bookshelf
of octagonal design.

Belfry
Tower structure with a gabled roof, the masu-gumi part is shaped like a dragon.

Kagura Hall
Gabled structure with three divided rooms inside.

Mikoshi Hall
Houses three mikoshi (portable shrines) for Ieyasu, Hideyoshi, and Yoritomo.
Each weighs 110 kg and features celestial maiden dance paintings by Kano Ryotaku.