Nikko Tosho-gu

Last month Ayumi and I went to Nikko, a town in Tochigi prefecture in the Kanto region.
Nikko is a very important place to visit on a visit to Japan and easily accessible as it is only about two hours from Tokyo. Nikko is well known for its waterfalls, some of its temples and especially for its traditional baths (onsen).
We went and returned in the same day, so we only had time to visit Nikko Tosho-gu, the Kegon no taki Falls and the imperial villa; Tamozawa goyoutei.
Will definitely go to bathe in an onsen in the middle of the mountain.

Today I leave you with some information on Nikko Tosho-gu, which is what I liked most of Nikko.
Here some historical information extracted from Wikipedia :

Nikko Tosho-gu (日光东照宫, Nikko Tosho-gu?) Is a Shinto shrine located in Nikko (Tochigi, Japan). Part of the "Shrines and Temples of Nikko" World Heritage recognized by UNESCO.
Yomeimon
The Tosho-gu was built from 1634 to 1636, in the early Edo period, Tokugawa Ieyasu for after his death. His grandson Iemitsu decided to build a mausoleum to rest the spirit of his grandfather. For two years, more than fifteen thousand artisans and carpenters from across the country worked on the construction of the mausoleum to contain the ashes of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The mausoleum is considered the climax of Gongen-zukuri architectural style characteristic of Japanese shrines.
The site was designated a sanctuary during the Meiji era, but still retains Buddhist elements, such as the pagoda, tank Niomon sutras and the door. An avenue bordered by 13,000 cedars (Sugi-Namiki Kaido) leading to the entrance of the enclosure, which must be accessed by a granite torii.
In the first courtyard is the Gojunoto pagoda, five levels, donated by a daimyo in 1650 and rebuilt in 1818 after a fire that consumed three years earlier. The central pillar of the pagoda is not part of the foundation, but hanging from the fourth level and ends four inches above the ground. This constructive approach shifted the center of gravity of the building, increasing its resistance to wind and earthquakes.
Later, the door is Niomon, flanked by two statues of Nio. First, open your mouth to pronounce the first letter of the Sanskrit, and the second figure has a closed mouth, giving a running, the last letter. Behind the door Niomon is the second courtyard, with the holy stables. On the front of the barn is the famous woodcut of the three wise monkeys. For several hours every day, the barn is used to save the horse to the New Zealand government gave to Nikko. This area also has a library of sutras. The courtyard is surrounded by warehouses, and the sacred fountain built in 1618, used for ritual purification.
From there, climb two steps to the door Yomeimon, leading to the patio final and shrines to the shogun. Yomeimon is probably the building that has the most elegant decor of the whole, its wooden columns were carved from top to bottom, to make them imperfect on purpose. Before coming to the door Yomeimon, is passed between the drum tower and bell, which contain the instruments symbolize the birth and death. Access to the shrines of the Shogun is through the door Karamon, the smallest of the mausoleum. At shrines, there is an engraving attributed to Hidari Jingoro artist.
The tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu is not within the sanctuaries, but in an adjacent tower, called Hoto.