About Japan
Nikko is a beautiful town, hidden up high in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, approximately 140km north of Tokyo.
Set in the Nikko National Park, this is one of Japan’s greatest shrines. Around the time of the 8th Century, a Buddhist priest called Shodo Shonin established his first temple there.
The lovely red Shinkyo Bridge over the Daiya River is said to mark the spot where Shodo was carried across the river on the backs of two large serpents.
However it was not until Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa chose it as his mausoleum that it became the beautiful complex of structures that it is today. It was the warlord Ieyasu who took control over all Japan and established the shogunate (military government) which ruled for over 250 years until they were overthrown in 1867.
Perhaps the most famous carving at the shrine is the Sansaru – Three Wise Monkeys.
The famous ‘Hear No Evil’, ‘Speak No Evil’ and ‘See No Evil’ Monkeys protect the sacred white horse of Nikko. It is traditional for the shrine to always have a white horse present. A horse donated by the New Zealand government is stabled there for several hours each day.
Once you pass by the Niomon and the Three Wise Monkeys, you must climb more stairs up to the famous Yomeimon gate encrusted with gold leaf. Lavishly decorated with beasts, flowers, dancing girls and Chinese sages, the effect is spectacular. One of the supporting pillars was carved upside-down, a deliberate imperfection to avoid arousing envy in the gods. For a close-up of the ornate, gold leaf encrusted carvings.
The Sleeping Cat carving is another famous carving at Toshogu and is located in the east corridor of the temple complex.
The gorgeous Momoyama-style complex took over two years to complete, with an army of some 15000 artisans from across Japan building, carving, painting and lacquering to complete it. 2.5 million sheets of gold leaf were used to decorate the sculptures and buildings.
