Temples and Shrines UNESCO

- Shrines and Temples, UNESCO, Toshogu Shrine, Taiyuinbyo Shrine, Rinnoji Shrine, Futarasan Shrine

There are many Buddhist Shrines and Temples in the green West part of Nikko, originally founded by Monk Shodo Shonin. There are more then 100 religious buildings in the temple area, surrounded by forest with tall pine trees and lakes. The area has been declared an UNESCO World Heritage site and is 50.8 ha in sinze . The most famous temples and shrines are:

Toshogu Shrine (Nikkō Tōshō-gū). Tokugawa Iemitsu (1603-51) built this as a mausoleum for his ancestor Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, a politicans that founded the dynasty that ruled Japan for more then 250 years. It took only two years to build the shrine in the 1600s, 15 000 art workers were involved. Ieyasu's grave and tomb is here. There is a 5-storey red pagoda from 1818 (originally from 1650) at the main gate, the Niomon Gate, guarded by two Nio figures, speaking the first and last letters of the Japanese alphabeth. Yomeimon Gate and Karamon Gate leads you trough stairs higher up to Honden, the inner sacred place. The sculptures of the "three wise monkeys" is famous.

Taiyuinbyo Shrine (Nikkosanrinnoji Taiyuin) was completed in 1653 as a mausoleum for Tokugawa Iemitus that built the previous shrine. It is more relaxed and less visited by hords of tourists then Toshogu Shrine, but it is even more beautiful in a way because it is closer to the trees in the forest. The main entrance is Niomon Gate, then you go higher and higher on the stairs of the Nitemon Gate and Yashamon Gate. Honden, the inner sacred place with a golden buddhist altar, was open during our visit!

Rinnoji Temple was the first temple founded by Monk Shodo Shonin, in 766. In the 1600s it became the temple of the Tendai sect. Its sanbutsudo is the largest hall with three buddhas in Nikko. There are 1000 volumes of sutras (the holy script of the Buddhism). In the Hall of Treasure, there are treasures from the Edo period. Shoyoen is a beautiful garden, just behind the temple. The temple was under reconstruction 2018, so the exterior of the main temple was hidden. Unfortunately it was prohibited to take pictures inside also, so we can't show many pictures of this shrine.

Futarasan Shrine was founded by Shodo Shonin in 782. The bronze lantern is said to look like a monster. The shrine was dedicated to the gods of the Nantai and Nyotai mountains, together with two other shrines at Lake Chuzenji and Mt. Nantai. (We didn't visit the Futarasan Shrine.)

Shinkyo Bridge (the Sacred Bridge) is an ancient bridge, that is one of the most famous bridges in Japan and symbols of Nikko. It is a red wooden bridge crossing the Daiya River. It is part of the Futarasan Shrine. According to the legend, Shodo Shonin crossed the river on the backs of two huge snakes on this spot. The bridge was originally built in 1636 for the shogun but it was destroyed by a flood. Today's bridge is from 1907. It is not allowed to walk on the bridge.

There are also other temples in Nikko, some are around Lake Chuzenji and Mt. Nantai.



SHINKYO BRIDGE:

Shinkyo Bridge 01 Shinkyo Bridge 02 Shinkyo Bridge 03 Shinkyo Bridge 04 Shinkyo Bridge 05 Shinkyo Bridge 06

 

TOSHOGU SHRINE:

Nikko Toshogu Shrine 01 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 02 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 03 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 04 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 05 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 06 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 07 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 08 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 09 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 10 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 11 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 12 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 13 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 14 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 15 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 16 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 17 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 18 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 19 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 20 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 21 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 22 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 23 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 24 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 25 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 26 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 27 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 28 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 29 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 30 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 31 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 32 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 33 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 34 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 35 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 36 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 37 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 38 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 39 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 40 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 41 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 42 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 43 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 44 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 45 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 46 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 47 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 48 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 49 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 50 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 51 Nikko Toshogu Shrine 52

 

TAIYUNINBYO SHRINE:

Taiyuinbyo Shrine 01 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 02 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 03 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 04 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 05 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 06 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 07 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 08 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 09 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 10 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 11 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 12 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 13 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 14 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 15 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 16 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 17 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 18 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 19 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 20 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 21 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 22 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 23 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 24 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 25 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 26 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 27 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 28 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 29 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 30 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 31 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 32 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 33 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 34 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 35 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 36 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 37 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 38 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 39 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 40 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 41 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 42 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 43 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 44 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 45 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 46 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 47 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 48 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 49 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 50 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 51 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 52 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 53 Taiyuinbyo Shrine 54

 

RINNOJI TEMPLE:

Rinnoji Temple 01 Rinnoji Temple 02 Rinnoji Temple 03 Rinnoji Temple 04 Rinnoji Temple 05 Rinnoji Temple 06 Rinnoji Temple 07 Rinnoji Temple 08 Rinnoji Temple 09 Rinnoji Temple 10

 

AROUND THE SHRINES:

Temples and shrines 01 Temples and shrines 02 Temples and shrines 03 Temples and shrines 04 Temples and shrines 05 Temples and shrines 06 Temples and shrines 07 Temples and shrines 08 Temples and shrines 09 Temples and shrines 10 Temples and shrines 11 Temples and shrines 12