Nikkō - a pearl in the mountains

As you already know from previous posts, Japan has several heroes whom it calls unifiers. At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, three military commanders line up in a row as those who led to the unification of Japanese lands, reformed state administration and brought peace for a total of about 250 years. They are Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Ieyasu Tokugawa. The last of them, after winning the Battle of Sekigahara, where he defeated other candidates for power, did what his predecessors had dreamed of, i.e. introduced his family to the hereditary office of shogun. That is, the office was not hereditary, but he managed to organize it so that it became so for the Tokugawa family ;)

When Ieyasu Tokugawa died (1615), as a retired shogun, his spirit was deified in a previously prepared Shinoist Toshogū shrine in Nikkō. At first it was a richly decorated temple, but probably not much different from the standards of its time. In 1619, Ieyasu's grandson, the third shogun, Iemitsu Tokugawa, began to improve it and erected such a complex of temples that to say colloquially that it is "richly" is an understatement. Each element is carved and polychromed or covered with lacquer (and you must know that lacquer is a type of resin, which is applied in about 40 layers before the surface is ready; and each one dries for a sufficiently long time). Not a single small element was left unfinished. It is not like on European baroque elevations, where the sculpture has a front, but the back is probably already flat, because no one will notice. Everything is thought out and done to perfection, because it wasn't just for show, but also had religious significance. If something is done incorrectly, the spirits might get offended.

This area of ​​belief in good and bad omens is evidenced not only by the number of amulets sold at temples, but also by the fact that one of the gates leading to the Toshogū area was turned upside down. There is a theory that this was done deliberately so that the whole work would not be perfect, which could bring bad luck. I have heard guides say that it may be a coincidence, but I looked at this column and noticed that although its overall design is turned "upside down", other decorations placed on it are not. So it is not a coincidence. At the moment I cannot think of any other such intentional imperfections in art, but I am sure there are some. Maybe you remember?

By the way, Iemitsu also built a similarly elaborate and rich temple complex right next door. It's called Taiyuin. If you ever have a whole day in Nikkō to explore, I recommend it.

As an interesting fact, there is also a pavilion with a "singing dragon", where if you hit two pieces of wood (related to Buddhist rites) together while standing under the head of the dragon painted on the ceiling, you will create a vibration that sounds as if the dragon itself was speaking. You are not allowed to record or take pictures there, but I have a few other photos for you.

Most Shinkyo nad rzeką Daiya, symbolicznie wprowadzający na teren, gdzie zbudowano świątynie w Nikkō / Shinkyo Bridge over the Daiya River, a symbolic entrance to the area where the Nikkō temples were built

Wejście na teren Toshogū / Entrance to Toshogū

Pagoda przy wejściu na teren Toshogū / Pagoda at the entrance to Toshogū

Rzeźbiony smok, jeden z dwunastu znaków zodiaku na pagodzie / Carved dragon, one of the twelve zodiac signs on the pagoda

Budynek stajni na terenie świątyni, gdzie mieszkał koń Ieyasu ofiarowany po wygranej bitwie pod Sekigaharą / The stable building on the temple grounds where Ieyasu's horse, donated after the victorious Battle of Sekigahara, lived

Słynie rzeźbione małpki, które mówią "Nie patrz na zlo", "Nie mów zła", Nie słuchaj zla" pochodzą właśnie z tej stajni w Toshogū. Tradycyjnie małpy uważa się za zwierzęta związane z końmi / The famous carved monkeys that say "See no evil", "Speak no evil", "Hear no evil" come from this stable in Toshogū. Traditionally, monkeys are considered animals associated with horses

Brama Yomeimon prowadząca do świątyni Toshogū / The Yomeimon Gate leading to the Toshogū Shrine

Latarnia holenderska przed bramą Yomeimon / Dutch lantern in front of the Yomeimon gate

Rzeźbiony szczyt bramy Yomeimon / The carved top of the Yomeimon Gate

Rzeźbione smoki na bramie Yomeimon / Carved dragons on the Yomeimon gate

Rzeźbiona grupa chińskich postaci na bramie Yomeimon / Carved group of Chinese figures on the Yomeimon gate

Brama Karamon, prowadząca do głównego miejsca świątynnego w Toshogū / The Karamon Gate leading to the main shrine site at Toshogū

Rzeźbiony smok na bramie Karamon / Carved dragon on the Karamon gate

Rzeźbiony śpiący kot na bramie prowadzącej do wewnętrznego sanktuarium w Toshogū / Carving of a sleeping cat on the gate leading to the inner sanctum at Toshogū

Grobowiec Ieyasu Tokugawa w Toshogū. On sam niekoniecznie jest tam złożony, bo pochowano go w Kunōzan, ale może jakiś kawałeczek... / Ieyasu Tokugawa Tomb in Toshogū. He himself is not necessarily buried there, because he was buried in Kunōzan, but maybe some piece...