Visit Japan Web Toshogu Shrine
Visit Japan Web invites you to explore Toshogu Shrine, a magnificent tribute to Tokugawa Ieyasu. He is the esteemed figure behind the Tokugawa Shogunate, which governed Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is revered as the deity Tosho Daigongen, “Great Deity of the East Shining Light”, at Toshogu.
Initially constructed as a relatively modest mausoleum, Toshogu was expanded into the striking complex seen today by Ieyasu’s grandson, Iemitsu, during the first half of the 17th century. The opulently adorned shrine compound comprises more than a dozen buildings nestled in a picturesque forest.
Visitors should take note that Toshogu Shrine incorporates both Shinto and Buddhist elements. Until the Meiji Period, it was customary for places of worship to feature elements of both religions. However, during the Meiji Period, efforts were made to deliberately separate Shinto from Buddhism. It led to the removal of Buddhist elements from shrines and vice versa across the country. At Toshogu, the two religions were so intertwined that the separation was not fully carried out.
Among the various structures at Toshogu, the most notable is a beautiful five-story pagoda. It is located in front of the main entrance gate. The main pillar of the pagoda hangs ten centimeters above the ground, serving as an interesting feature designed to counteract the wood’s expansion and contraction over time. The interior of the pagoda is only open to visitors periodically and requires a separate fee for entry.
The paid area begins at the entrance gate, where visitors will first encounter a group of extravagantly designed storehouses. These storehouses are adorned with numerous colorful and intricate wood carvings, with the most famous ones depicting the “see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil” monkeys.
