"One Night and Two Days Outside Tokyo" — Shrine and Temple Pilgrimage in Nikko

When visiting the Nikko area, you definitely shouldn’t miss the UNESCO World Heritage-listed shrine complex. The so-called “Two Shrines and One Temple” of Nikko consist of Toshogu Shrine, dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period; Futarasan Shrine, a spiritual center for the mountain deities of Nikko; and Rinno-ji Temple, an important site for Tendai Buddhism. All three are located in the same area and can be easily explored on foot, making them well worth spending an afternoon visiting.

When visiting the Nikko area, you definitely shouldn’t miss the UNESCO World Heritage-listed shrine complex. The so-called “Two Shrines and One Temple” of Nikko consist of Toshogu Shrine, dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period; Futarasan Shrine, a spiritual center for the mountain deities of Nikko; and Rinno-ji Temple, an important site for Tendai Buddhism. All three are located in the same area and can be easily explored on foot, making them well worth spending an afternoon visiting.

The Yomeimon Gate within the shrine grounds is a two-story structure approximately 11.1 meters tall and 7 meters wide, and it’s a representative architectural gem of Nikko. The gold leaf-adorned details of the gate’s pillars are dazzlingly brilliant, especially the 508 meticulously carved dragon figures, each with a unique expression, which are truly breathtaking. It’s considered a masterpiece of early Edo-period craftsmanship.

The Sleeping Cat in the inner shrine is the work of the famous Edo-period craftsman Hidari Jingoro. It’s said that the Sleeping Cat was created to guard the spirit of Ieyasu. But why is it sleeping? And what do the sparrows playing on its back represent? One theory suggests that because the cat sleeps peacefully, the sparrows can play joyfully without fear — symbolizing a time of peace.