Toshogu

The Toshogu is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. The shrine is dedicated to the spirits of Ieyasu and two other of Japan's most influential historical personalities, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Minamoto Yoritomo.
The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen Shinto and Buddhist buildings set in a beautiful forest. Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 17th century.








Tadakatsu Sakai contributed this building in 1650, but was burned down in 1815. Descendant of Tadakatsu rebuilt in 1818. Tadakatsu Sakai was the governor of Obama (Former Fukui prefecture).
It is 36m high. There are no floors inside and each story is connected directly. The central pillar is the diameter of 60cm. It is hung from the height of the 4th floor by chain. The bottom of the pillar is not attached to the ground, but it has floated about 10cm. This is an anti-earthquake construction. Also, gap of the building will be bigger when wood shrinks and the roof sinks. The hung pillar also has an effect on that.
Rafter of the roof is parallel from the first to the 4th floor, but rafter of the 5th layer is spoke-wise. Also, sculptures of animals on the first layer indicate twelve zodiac signs and directions.


Nagamasa Kuroda dedicated the Ishidorii in 1618. It is 9m high, and the pillar is diameter of 3.6m, and central space between pillars is 3.8m. The Ishidorii is one of the best three stone-made torii gates in Japan, but it is the biggest among the stone-made torii gates in Edo period. Other two torii gates are located in Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto, and Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura.
Emperor Gomizunoo wrote "Tosho-daigongen" (Divine designation of Ieyasu Tokugawa) on the frame of 6ft x 3ft. That frame is put on the upper side of the Ishidorii. Main material of the Ishidorii was the granite, which was produced in Fukuoka prefecture. The Ishidorii was constructed by 15 pieces of stone material. Each material is connected by axle, and crossbars have caves in order to be lightweight. It also has an anti-earthquake function. In fact, joint of the crossbars was slipped widely by the earthquake in 1949, but it shifted back to the original place by aftershock.