Changes

The site was chosen by Tokugawa Ieyasu himself for this purpose, i.e., namely, the location of a mausoleum and shrine to him as a deified protector of the country. As Nikkô is located directly north of the Tokugawa capital of [[Edo]], some have suggested that the site was chosen as part of a discourse connecting Tôshô-daigongen (the deified Ieyasu) with the North Star, as a protective deity.<ref>Maehira Fusaaki, "''Edo bakufu to Ryûkyû shisetsu - Tôshôgû sankei wo chûshin ni''" 江戸幕府と琉球使節～東照宮参詣を中心に, in ''Ryûkyû shisetsu, Edo he iku!'', Okinawa Prefectural Museum (2009), 67.</ref>

The site was chosen by Tokugawa Ieyasu himself for this purpose, i.e., namely, the location of a mausoleum and shrine to him as a deified protector of the country. As Nikkô is located directly north of the Tokugawa capital of [[Edo]], some have suggested that the site was chosen as part of a discourse connecting Tôshô-daigongen (the deified Ieyasu) with the North Star, as a protective deity.<ref>Maehira Fusaaki, "''Edo bakufu to Ryûkyû shisetsu - Tôshôgû sankei wo chûshin ni''" 江戸幕府と琉球使節～東照宮参詣を中心に, in ''Ryûkyû shisetsu, Edo he iku!'', Okinawa Prefectural Museum (2009), 67.</ref>

Prior to his death, Ieyasu instructed the Buddhist priest [[Tenkai]], one of his close advisors, that he wished for his body to be interred at [[Kunozan Toshogu Shrine|Kunôzan]] near [[Sunpu castle|Sunpu]], his funeral to be held at [[Zojo-ji|Zôjô-ji]] temple in Edo, and his memorial tablets (''ihai'') to go to [[Daiju-ji]] temple in [[Okazaki]], and after the one-year anniversary of his death, for a small shrine or hall to be erected at Nikkô.<ref>Plaques on-site at Rinnô-ji, Nikkô.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/54287904476/sizes/4k/]</ref> Ieyasu died on [[1616]]/4/17, and though some of these wishes were honored, in the end Tenkai managed to effect his own agendas.

Prior to his death, Ieyasu instructed the Buddhist priest [[Tenkai]], one of his close advisors, that he wished for his body to be interred at [[Kunozan Toshogu Shrine|Kunôzan]] near [[Sunpu castle|Sunpu]], his funeral to be held at [[Zojo-ji|Zôjô-ji]] temple in Edo, and his memorial tablets (''ihai'') to go to [[Daiju-ji]] temple in [[Okazaki]], and after the one-year anniversary of his death, for a small shrine or hall to be erected at Nikkô.<ref name=rinno>Plaques on-site at Rinnô-ji, Nikkô.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/54287904476/sizes/4k/]</ref> Ieyasu died on [[1616]]/4/17, and though some of these wishes were honored, in the end Tenkai managed to effect his own agendas.

Ieyasu was first enshrined at Kunôzan Tôshôgû, but less than a year later his body and spirit were relocated to a shrine at Nikkô, as a result of Tenkai's efforts. Tenkai also established another Tôshôgû within his [[Tendai]] school that same year ([[1617]]), and the shogunate established yet another, within the grounds of [[Edo castle]], the following year. Further Tôshôgû shrines were established at [[Owari han|Nagoya]] in [[1619]] and [[Mito han|Mito]] and [[Wakayama han|Kishû]] in [[1621]]. Many other ''daimyô'' and major Buddhist temples followed suit.<ref>Morgan Pitelka, ''Spectacular Accumulation'', University of Hawaii Press (2016), 147.</ref>

Ieyasu was first enshrined at Kunôzan Tôshôgû, but less than a year later his body and spirit were relocated to a shrine at Nikkô, as a result of Tenkai's efforts. Tenkai also established another Tôshôgû within his [[Tendai]] school that same year ([[1617]]), and the shogunate established yet another, within the grounds of [[Edo castle]], the following year. Further Tôshôgû shrines were established at [[Owari han|Nagoya]] in [[1619]] and [[Mito han|Mito]] and [[Wakayama han|Kishû]] in [[1621]]. Many other ''daimyô'' and major Buddhist temples followed suit.<ref>Morgan Pitelka, ''Spectacular Accumulation'', University of Hawaii Press (2016), 147.</ref>

In connection with the 300th anniversary of the shrine, a new structure called the Butokuden 武徳殿 was constructed in 1915. It was designed by master shrine carpenter [[Oe Shintaro|Ôe Shintarô]] ([[1879]]-1935) to match and fit in with the historical buildings. Though originally intended to be a rest area for visitors to the shrine, in 1917 it was modified to become a hall for martial arts including ''[[kendo|kendô]]'', ''[[judo|jûdô]]'', and ''[[kyudo|kyûdô]]'' (archery). After World War II, the Allied Occupation authorities banned ''kendô'' and various other martial arts as part of their efforts to suppress the martial and militarist culture of Imperial Japan. When national-level ''kendô'' tournaments first began to be held again, the Butokuden was one of the venues where this took place; today, a stone outside the building marks it as the "site of the revival of kendô."

In connection with the 300th anniversary of the shrine, a new structure called the Butokuden 武徳殿 was constructed in 1915. It was designed by master shrine carpenter [[Oe Shintaro|Ôe Shintarô]] ([[1879]]-1935) to match and fit in with the historical buildings. Though originally intended to be a rest area for visitors to the shrine, in 1917 it was modified to become a hall for martial arts including ''[[kendo|kendô]]'', ''[[judo|jûdô]]'', and ''[[kyudo|kyûdô]]'' (archery). After World War II, the Allied Occupation authorities banned ''kendô'' and various other martial arts as part of their efforts to suppress the martial and militarist culture of Imperial Japan. When national-level ''kendô'' tournaments first began to be held again, the Butokuden was one of the venues where this took place; today, a stone outside the building marks it as the "site of the revival of kendô."

The "Shrines and Temples of Nikko [sic]" were named a [[World Heritage Site]] in 1999.<ref name=unesco/>

The "Shrines and Temples of Nikko [sic]" were named a [[World Heritage Site]] in 1999.<ref name=unesco/> The designation covers 103 structures across 50.8 hectares, including 38 structures at Rinnô-ji, 40 at Tôshôgû, 23 at Futarasan, and two others.<ref name=rinno/>

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