Tosho-gu Shrine
Within the grounds of Tosho-gu Shrine there are 55 buildings, 8 of which are designated National Treasures and 34 are designated Important Cultural Properties, adorned with sculptures by master craftsmen from around the country. One of the most famous sculptures in all of Japan displayed here, “Three Wise Monkeys” is said to depict “see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil.”
The founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu, chose Nikko as his final resting place. The beauty of Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine (World Heritage Site), where the shogun is enshrined, will take your breath away. Buildings that have been designated as National Treasures of Japan and Important Cultural Properties line the grounds. The master craftsmen who were gathered from around the country used lacquer and rich colors in building Tosho-gu Shrine, which also features numerous sculptures on its pillars. Records from the time indicate a total of 4.54 million people worked on the shrine completing its construction in a year and five months.
Ieyasu’s Tomb
If you draw a straight line through Tosho-gu Shrine’s Yomeimon Gate, Karamon Gate, and Honden Main Hall, the North Star lies to the north and Edo (Tokyo) to the south. Even in death, the shogun watches over and protects Edo.
