Nov.26th, 2020
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In the evening, the last place to visit is Taiyūin.
Taiyūin is the grave of the third shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa Iemitsu, and is a part of Rin'nōji. It was build here to fulfil Iemitsu's desire to serve for his respected grandfather Ieyasu even after his death. Following Iemitsu's will, that his grave must not surpass Tōshōgū, that is Ieyasu's grave, Taiyūin is elegant using black and gold, but less gorgeous than Tōshōgū. However, due to the advance of architectural and crafting techniques, the sculptures, pictures and gold foils used in the Taiyūin are better in quality than those in the Tōshōgū. The honden is also called "Kinkakuden" and is one of the greatest gold architecture in Japan. The Taiyūin is not as known as Tōshōgū but there are many places worth seeing.
Continuing on to Taiyūin, in the right from Futarasan shrine.
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Soon it will be closing time, and hardly any people. Using the ticket purchased earlier at the Sanbutsudō and entering Taiyūin.
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The first gate is the Niōmon.
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Inside the Niōmon is a pair of statues of is the Niō.
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Looking around from the Niōmon.
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Next to the Niōmon is a storehouse of treasures, and besides it is a black pine tree said to be planted by Tokugawa Ietsuna, the 4th shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate and is the son of Iemitsu.
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At the top of the stairs is the second gate, Nitenmon.
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Before the Nitenmon, there is a suibansha. Supported by 12 granite pillars, the suibansha is decorated with sculptures of waves and Mitsuba-aoi.
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The water poured into the water basin flows from the rocks behind the suibansha.
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On the ceiling of the suibansha, is a picture of a dragon drawn by Kanō Yasunobu. It is called the "Kagami-no-ryū" since the dragon reflected in water, but it cannot be seen clearly due to deterioration.
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Going up the stone steps.
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Next to the stairs are many lanterns, those are offerings from feudal lords.
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Nitenmon had gone through repair works for 6 years, and had just completed this May. The Yōmei-mon of the Tōshōgū based around the color white, but the Nitenmon is in vermilion. The letters "Taiyūin" on the hengaku was written by Emperor Go-Mizunō.
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The gate is called Nitenmon since it settles the statues of Jikokuten and Kōmokuten. This is the Jikokuten, that protects the east.
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This is the Kōmokuten, that protects the west.
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Inside the Nitenmon, is another stairway.
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Along the stairway, there is a place called the "Tembōjo", meaning a viewing point. The laterns can be seen below, so it is said that it is like looking down at the earthly world from the heavens.
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At the top of the stairs, there is a Shō-rō that is a bell tower, and a Ko-rō that is a drum tower, positioned symmetrically. This is the Ko-rō, on the left.
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The third gate, the Yashamon. Since it is decorated with sculptures of botan, paeonies, it is also called "Botanmon".
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It is called the Yashamon since statues of the 4 Yashas, Abatsumara, Bidara, Umarokya and Kendara are settled inside. In the front, Bidara in the left and Abatsumara in the right.
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In the back side, Umarokya in the left and Kendara in the right.
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Inside the Yashamon is the Karamon, that is the entrance to the haiden and honden, the main building of Yaiyūin.
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The Karamon is a small gate, but still an elegant gate decorated with delicate sculptures.
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Right inside the Karamon is the haiden, worship hall. It is decorated with gold and also called "Kinkakuden". It is similar to the one in Tōshōgū, but inside, Buddhist religious objects can be seen meaning that it is a Buddhist temple.
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The honden, behind the haiden. The haiden and the honden is in a style called Ishi-no-ma-zukuri, connected by what is called the Ai-no-ma.
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Besides the honden is the Kōkamon, that is the entrance to the Oku-no-in. The gate is in a style called Ryūgū-zukuri, unique from the other gates in Taiyūin. It is also called Ryūgūmon.
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The Oku-no-in, inside the Kōkamon, is the grave of Tokugawa Iemitsu. It is not open to the public.
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Going back along the honden.
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These stones tortoise shell like stones, seen in Taiyūin and Tōshōgū, are called kabuto-ishi, or kame-ishi. It covers holes to erect flagpoles.
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Back at the Yashamon.
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Going down the stairs. The Nitenmon can be seen below.
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A very quiet atmosphere.
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The Niōmon seen from the Nitenmon.
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Going back through the Niōmon.
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Reclaiming the Goshuin book at the entrance. The Goshuin of Taiyūin.
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Leaving Taiyūin, that is closing for the day.
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Near the Taiyūin is the Jōgyōdō of Rin'nōji that houses the statue of Hōkangochiamidanyorai.
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Passing by Futarasan shrine again.
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The slope going down from the Futarasan shrine is named "Yoien-zaka", meaning the slope of good relations.
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Going down the "Yoien-zaka".
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Looking back at the Futarasan shrine.
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The bottom of the "Yoien-zaka".
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Some restaurants line the path.
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There are some souvenir shops but are already closed.
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Going across the approach to Tōshōgū.
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Tōshōgū is already closed too, and there aren't many people walking.
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The Kuromon, that leads to the Sanbutsudō.
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Continuing on the main path. There is another gate, that leads to the Goreiden of Rin'nōji, but it is usually not used.
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Passed by Rin'nōji, going down a different slope. Why the half of the path is not paved is because horses walk here in the festivals.
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The otabisho of Tōshōgū. An otabisho is where a mikoshi rests or stays over night, and the mikoshi travels here in the festivals.
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Continuing on, the Hongū shrine is in sight.
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Hongū shrine is an associated shrine of Futarasan shrine. Futarasan shrine was originally located here, and after it was relocated, Ajisukitakahikone-no-mikoto was enshrined here in place. It was established in 808.
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This stone in the Hongū shrine is called the "Oikakeishi", since it is said that Shōdō Shōnin leaned his oi against the stone. An oi is a box carried on the back of Buddhist priests, to keep items needed for training.
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The haiden and the honden of Hongū shrine. The shrine buildings those exist now were rebuilt in 1685, after these were destroyed by fire in 1685.
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Behind the Hongū shrine is a three-storied pagoda. It is Shihonryūji. Shihonryūji is said to be the place where Shōdō Shōnin established Nikkō-san.
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This stone in Shihonryūji is called "Shiun-ishi". It is said that when Shōdō Shōnin was praying, four trails of purple clouds trailed towards Mount Nantai. Shōdō Shōnin thought this place was a sacred protected by the Four Guardians, Seiryū, Suzaku, Byakko and Genbu, so he founded Shiunji, that would be Shihonryūji. In behind is the Kan'nondō, built in 807, that houses the statue of Senjukan'non.
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In between the Kan'nondō and the pagoda, is a statue of Fudō-myō'ō.
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Leaving the Hongū shrine.
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Going through the torī, and going down the stairs on the left.
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Nikkō san'nai in the evening.
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The Shinkyō is already closed.
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Going back the street to the station.
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The street leads to the great roadside cedar trees of Nikkō. The trees were offered to Tōshōgū, 33 years after the death of Tokugawa Ieyasu, as tree-lined path to the shrines. About 12500 cedar trees were planted along 35km of the Nikkō-kaidō, the Nikkō-reiheishi-kaidō and the Aizu-kaidō used by the feudal lords visiting Nikkō. It is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest tree-lined road.
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The JR Nikkō station, a few minutes from the Tobu-nikko station. The Neo-Renaissance style station building was built in 1912. Today, the main route to Nikkō is the Tobu Nikko Line, but there used to be a competition for passengers between the Tobu Nikko line and JR Nikkō Line, that was a part Japanese National Railways at the time, and there were through trains operated from Tōkyō.
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The second floor of the station building used to be a waiting room for first class passengers, but now it is open to the public as a gallery. On the first floor there is another room used by members of royalty, that can be seen in some occasions such as events.
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The interior of the station building of Nikkō station. Starting homeward.
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