1 / 49
490 likes | 504 Views
Nikko is a town at the entrance to Nikko National Park, a popular destination for Japanese and international tourists. Attractions include three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the mausoleum of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (Nikko Tosho-gu), Rinno-ji Shrine and the Futarasan Shrine, which dates to the year 782. Elevations range from 200 to 2,000 m
E N D
JAPAN Short but sweet touching trip Nikko 8
Ancient Japanese believed that natural phenomena such as storms, earthquakes, eruptions and so on were an act of God, and that God existed in high mountains. Mt. Nantai (2486m), Mt. Nyoho (2464m), and Mt. Taro (2368m) have been worshipped most solemnly for thousands of years
Yakushi-do Temple - The building where the crying dragon lives This dragon is painted on the ceiling of the temple. It makes a sound like roaring when clappers are struck standing underneath the dragon
Yakushi-do Temple - crying dragon Nikko Toshogu Shrine ©Ron Reznick
Yakushi-do Temple - The building where the crying dragon lives ©Ron Reznick
Yakushi-do Temple This dragon is painted on the ceiling of the temple. It makes a sound like roaring when clappers are struck standing underneath the dragon (visitors gather in silence under the dragon as a resident priest strikes a clapper, resulting in a mysterious sound that suggests the cry of a dragon)
Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) was the founder and first Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which began after the battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and lasted until the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Ieyasu was posthumously enshrined at Nikko Toshogu Shrine and is buried in the Okusha Hoto. Ieyasu was enshrined with the name Tosho Daigongen, thus the shrine name “Tosho-gu”
Hundreds of stone steps lead through the cryptomeria forest up to the grave of Ieyasu
A torii at the top bears calligraphy attributed to Emperor Go-Mizunoo
The three hollyhock kamon (family crest of the Matsudaira and Tokugawa)
The Tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa Shogun and one of three unifiers of Japan. Along with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he ended the Sengoku (Warring States) period that lasted over 130 years, and established a Shogunate that lasted for over 250 years. A bronze urn contains the remains of Tokugawa Ieyasu
Okumiya Original Haiden Oratory where the deity is worshiped Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) was the founder and first Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which began after the battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and lasted until the Meiji Restoration of 1868
The Hoto (or houtou) is translated as a Treasure Pagoda. The body of the hoto rests on a lotus flower. The stone foundation is sloped to drain outwards, to keep dry the remains of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the joints of the stone blocks are sealed with lead to block penetration of rainwater. The roof is peaked with a finial, from which emanate stems that end in bud-like shapes. The finial is crowned with a ball-shaped sacred jewel emanating flames
Flower Vase (Kabin), incense burner (Koro), and candlestick (Shokudai) in shape of crane in front of the Okusha-houtou (a gift from the King of Korea to honor Ieyasu)
The formal gate to the central shrine where the Okusha resides ©Ron Reznick
The pillars and crossbar were cast as a single piece. Two very elegant Koma-inu (Lion-dogs) stand in front of the gate, and the gate is flanked by imaginary “Shin”, a spiritual dragon-like animal that eats the spirit and exhales it as fire. The Shin can be seen above the Koma-inu. Built in 1650 (http://www.digital-images.net/Gallery/Scenic/Japan/Shrines/Nikko-3/nikko-3.html)
The Holy Existence sitting in the mountains was invisible and intangible. Then people made Them visible in the form of shrines near the mountains so that they could be near their Gods when they prayed: Main entrance to Futarasan shrine
Together with Nikkō Tōshō-gū and Rinnō-ji, Futarasan forms the Shrines and Temples of Nikkō UNESCO World Heritage Site
Futarasan Shrine was founded in 782 by Shodo Shonin, the Buddhist monk who introduced Buddhism to Nikko and who also founded nearby Rinnoji Temple. Futarasan Shrine is dedicated to the deities of Nikko's three most sacred mountains: Mount Nantai, Mount Nyoho and Mount Taro. Futarasan is an alternate name of Mount Nantai, the most prominent of the three mountains
Chinowa-kuguri, which the source of disease and defilement is believed to be eliminated by passing through a circle made of reeds, is almost the common rite of Nagoshi-no-harae (annual rite of purification/harae) and held at Shinto shrines all over Japan
On the way of traveling, Susanoo-no-mikoto (one of gods) asked Kotan Shorai, a rich man, to be fixed him up for the night but was refused. Then he asked his elder brother Somin Shorai, he fixed him up and gave him the full treatment., though he was poor. Few years after, Susanoo visited Somin Shorai again and told his family to put a ring made of reed. In that night, all the people except who put the reed rings were killed by disease. It is said Susanoo-no- Mikoto told that in case disease sets in, if you say "I am a descendant of Somin Shorai" and put a ring made of reeds, you will be able to escape from transmission People pass through the gate made of reed three times like a sign of infinity ∞ (left, right and left again)
In Shinto, shintai, or go-shintai when the honorific prefix go- is used, are physical objects worshipped at or near Shinto shrines as repositories in which spirits or kami reside A yorishiro in Shinto terminology is an object capable of attracting spirits called kami, thus giving them a physical space to occupy during religious ceremonies. Yorishiro are used during ceremonies to call the kami for worship. The word itself literally means approach substitute. Once a yorishiro actually houses a kami, it is called a shintai. Ropes called shimenawa decorated with paper streamers called shide often surround yorishiro to make their sacredness manifest
Mount Nantai constitutes Futarasan Shrine's go-shintai, and the shrine is an important example of this ancient type of mountain cult. Significantly, the name Nantai itself means "man's body“. The mountain not only provides water to the rice paddies below, but has the shape of the phallic stone rods found in pre-agricultural Jōmon sites
Zigzag shaped paper streamers, known as O-Shide or Shide are often used in Shinto rituals
The present main shrine was built in 1619 by Tokugawa Hidetada, the second shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. Housed here is a sword inscribed with the name of the famous 14th century sword smith Tomomitsu of Osafune
A chōzuya or temizuya is a Shinto purification fountain for a ceremonial purification rite known as temizu Water-filled basins are used by worshipers for washing their left hands, right hands, mouth and finally the handle of the water ladle to purify themselves before approaching the main Shinto shrine
Near the shrine's entrance, visitors should take one of the ladles provided at the fountain, fill it with fresh water and rinse both hands. Then transfer some water into your cupped hand, rinse your mouth and spit the water beside the fountain. You are not supposed to transfer the water directly from the ladle into your mouth or swallow the water." – Japan-Guide.com
In 2008 Yuri Kawasaki became the first female Shinto priest ever to serve at Nikkō Tōshō-gū
During fall, Nikko's landscape transforms into a painting of red and gold
The thick forest surrounding the Nikko lends itself perfectly to the contemplation of autumn leaves
Pictures: Nicoleta Leu Sanda Foişoreanu Internet All copyrights belong to their respective owners Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu https://www.slideshare.net/michaelasanda https://ma-planete.com/michaelasanda 2015 Sound: Oliver Shanti - Avaloketeshvara, mirror of 4 directions
