|
The broad, tree-lined Omotesan-do leads up to the main entrance to Tosho-gu (daily April-Oct 8am-4.30pm; Nov-March 8am-3.30pm), just to the east of Rinno-ji. You'll pass under a giant stone torii gate (one of the few remaining features of the original 1617 shrine) and will see on the left an impressive red and green five-storey pagoda, an 1819 reconstruction of the 1650 original, which burned down. Ahead is the Omote-mon gate, the entrance to the main shrine precincts, where you'll need to hand over a section of your combination ticket or Tosho-gu-only ticket (Y1250), either of which can be bought from the booth in front of the gate. Inside the precincts, turning to the left will take you past the Three Sacred Storehouses ( Sanjinko ) on the right and the Sacred Stables ( Shinkyusha ) on the left. In front of the stables there is usually a crowd of amateur photographers jostling to capture one of the many famous painted wood-carvings within Tosho-gu - the "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" monkeys , which represent the three major principles of Tendai Buddhism. The route leads to the steps up to the dazzling Yomei-mon (Sun Blaze Gate), with wildly ornate carvings, gilt and intricate decoration. Impressive as it is, the gate has less dramatic impact than the detailed panels on the flanking walls, which are adorned with fantastic flowers and birds. A belfry and drum tower stand alone amid pools of pebbles in front of the gate. Behind the drum tower is the Honji-do (Y50), a small hall which is part of Rinno-ji temple and inside of which is the ceiling painting of a "roaring dragon". A priest will demonstrate how to make the dragon roar by standing beneath its head and clapping to create an echo. It's better to pay the small charge to see the roaring dragon rather than fork out Y500 for the less impressive sleeping cat ( nemuri neko ), just above the Sakashita-mon gate to the right of the inner precinct beyond the Yomei-mon - you'd easily miss this minute carving if it wasn't for the gawping crowd. Two hundred stone steps lead uphill from the gate to the surprisingly unostentatious tomb of Ieyasu , amid a glade of pines, and about the only corner of the shrine where the crowds are generally absent. Directly in front of the Yomei-mon is the serene white and gold gate of Kara-mon , beyond which is the Haiden , or hall of worship. The side entrance to the hall is to the right of the gate and you'll need to remove your shoes and stop taking photographs. Inside, you can walk down into the Honden, the shrine's central hall, still decorated with its beautiful original paintwork. On the way back out through the Yomei-mon, you'll pass the Jinyosha, a building where the mikoshi (portable shrines) used during Tosho-gu's spring and autumn festivals are hidden away. Before rushing off, don't miss the Nikko Tosho-gu Museum of Art (daily: April-Oct 9am-5pm; Jan-March, Nov & Dec 9am-4pm; Y800), at the back of the shrine complex, to the left as you walk out of the Omote-mon gate. The traditional wooden mansion, dating from 1928 and impressive in its simplicity, is the former head office of the shrine. Inside, the sliding doors and screens were decorated by the top Japanese painters of the day and together constitute one of the most beautiful collections of this type of art that you'll see anywhere in the country. Not far east of here are the grounds of Meiji-no-Yukata , the early twentieth-century holiday home of the American trade representative F.W. Horne. The various houses amid the trees are now fancy restaurants , but it's worth wandering around even if you don't eat here, to take in the pretty gardens and sylvan setting.
Your Tip for Tosho-gu and Nikko Tosho-gu Museum of Art
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Tosho-gu and Nikko Tosho-gu Museum of Art - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Tosho-gu and Nikko Tosho-gu Museum of Art - visit the main Tosho-gu and Nikko Tosho-gu Museum of Art forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Tosho-gu and Nikko Tosho-gu Museum of Art webguide section below! Thanks.
| 
