03 Tōshōgū Temple Complex
Although Nikko became home of the mausoleums of the Tokugawa Shoguns it is the burial place of Tokugawa Ieyasu himself that is the most extravagant of the lot. Ieyasu was buried here immediately after his death but the present complex was only built in 1634 on the order of his grandson Iemitsu. The shrine took 2 years to complete with the efforts of 15,000 workers. Unlike most Japanese temples and shrines, the buildings in the Tōshōgū Temple complex are extremely gaudy and ornate, with multicoloured carvings and plenty of gold leaf. They show a heavy Chinese influence. Some sense of dignity is restored by a magnificent forest of over 13,000 cedar trees, covering the entire area. The whole area is a UNESCO World Heritage protected site. Nikko, Honshu, Japan. July 16th, 2005
