Senba Toshogu Shrine

Senba Toshogu Shrine is one of the three most important Toshogu shrines in Japan. It is adjacent to Kitain Temple on the south side. When Tokugawa Ieyasu died in 1616 in Sunpu (Shizuoka), his remains were carried to Nikko. Along the way, the procession stopped at Kitain Temple for a four-day service by Tenkai-Sojo, which led to the construction of the shrine in 1633. The lacquered and richly colored Honden, Karamon, Mizugaki, Haiden, Heiden, Zuijinmon (shown in the photo, above left), and Ishi-dorii have all been designated as important cultural properties, and the pillars of the Shaden feature carvings worthy of the name Toshogu. Inside the Honden is an enshrined statue of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and other cultural properties include an openwork screen above the sliding partitions in the Haiden called Sanjyu Roku Kasen Egaku that was created by Iwasa Matabei Katsumochi, and dedicated by Tokugawa Iemitsu. In the Heiden there are 12 framed pictures of eagles (Taka Egaku), a prefecture-designated cultural property dedicated by the lord of Iwatsuki Castle, Abe Tsushima-no-kami Shigetsugu.

Access

• A 10-minute walk from the hotel.