Changes

==Layout==

==Layout==

One of the most famous sights within the Tôshôgû complex is the Yômeimon, a large ''karamon'' ("Chinese gate") loaded with intricately detailed carving and decorative elaboration. Named after one of the gates to the [[Kyoto Imperial Palace]], the Yômeimon includes over 500 relief depictions of animals and people, including ones of elephants, giraffes, and other creatures about which knowledge was surely second or third-hand. Paintings of dragons by [[Kano Tanyu|Kanô Tan'yû]] are located inside the gateway. Along with the Yômeimon, five other structures including the ''honden'' (main hall) and ''haiden'' (worship hall) have been designated as [[National Treasures]]. Another thirty structures on the grounds have been designated [[Important Cultural Properties]].

One of the most famous sights within the Tôshôgû complex is the Yômeimon, a large ''karamon'' ("Chinese gate") loaded with intricately detailed carving and decorative elaboration. Named after one of the gates to the [[Kyoto Imperial Palace]], the Yômeimon includes over 500 relief depictions of animals and people, including ones of elephants, giraffes, and other creatures about which knowledge was surely second or third-hand. Paintings of dragons by [[Kano Tanyu|Kanô Tan'yû]] are located inside the gateway. Along with the Yômeimon, five other structures including the ''honden'' (main hall) and ''haiden'' (worship hall) have been designated as [[National Treasures]]. Another thirty structures on the grounds have been designated [[Important Cultural Properties]].

==History==

==History==

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>

Following his death, Ieyasu was first enshrined at [[Kunozan Toshogu Shrine|Kunôzan Tôshôgû]], and then less than a year later his body and spirit were relocated to a shrine at Nikkô, as a result of efforts by the Buddhist priest & shogunal advisor [[Tenkai]]. 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>

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>

Construction at Nikkô on a fuller, grander, shrine began in [[1634]] under the third Tokugawa shogun, [[Tokugawa Iemitsu]]. This project cost, in the end, some 568,000 [[currency|gold ''ryô'']], 100 ''kanme'' of silver, and 1,000 ''[[koku]]'' of rice; by some estimates, this amounted to roughly 1/5th of Iemitsu's total inheritance from his father.<ref>Adam Clulow, ''The Company and the Shogun'', Columbia University Press (2014), 250.</ref> The new structures were among the most ornate in the entire realm, and are decorated with 644 images of animals, 950 of birds, and 1,423 of plants. The expansion project was completed in roughly two years, in time for mourning ceremonies for the 20th anniversary of Ieyasu's death, held on [[1636]]/4/17.<ref>Pitelka, 149.</ref>

Construction at Nikkô on a fuller, grander, shrine began in [[1634]] under the third Tokugawa shogun, [[Tokugawa Iemitsu]]. This project cost, in the end, some 568,000 [[currency|gold ''ryô'']], 100 ''kanme'' of silver, and 1,000 ''[[koku]]'' of rice; by some estimates, this amounted to roughly 1/5th of Iemitsu's total inheritance from his father.<ref>Adam Clulow, ''The Company and the Shogun'', Columbia University Press (2014), 250.</ref> The new structures were among the most ornate in the entire realm, and are decorated with 644 images of animals, 950 of birds, and 1,423 of plants. The expansion project was completed in roughly two years, in time for mourning ceremonies for the 20th anniversary of Ieyasu's death, held on [[1636]]/4/17.<ref>Pitelka, 149.</ref>

The complex was divided in three by the [[Meiji government]] in [[1871]] - Tôshôgu and [[Futaarasan Shrine]] as Shinto shrines, and [[Rinno-ji|Rinnô-ji]] as a [[Buddhist temple]].<ref name=unesco>"[http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/913 Shrines and Temples of Nikko]." UNESCO World Heritage Sites official webpage. UNESCO, 2012.</ref> This came at a time when a nationalist/Imperial cult of Shinto was being constructed, and the "foreign" religion of Buddhism was losing favor in the government. [[Matsudaira Katamori]] became the chief priest of the shrine in [[1880]].

The complex was divided in three by the [[Meiji government]] in [[1871]] - Tôshôgu and [[Futaarasan Shrine]] as Shinto shrines, and [[Rinno-ji|Rinnô-ji]] as a [[Buddhist temple]].<ref name=unesco>"[http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/913 Shrines and Temples of Nikko]." UNESCO World Heritage Sites official webpage. UNESCO, 2012.</ref> This came at a time when a nationalist/Imperial cult of Shinto was being constructed, and the "foreign" religion of Buddhism was losing favor in the government. [[Matsudaira Katamori]] became the chief priest of the shrine in [[1880]].

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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