Tōshō-gū

A Tōshō-gū (東照宮) is a Shinto shrine in which Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616), the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, is enshrined.^[1] Tōshō-gūs are found throughout Japan.

Yomeimon at Nikkō Tōshō-gū

The most well-known Tōshō-gū is the Nikkō Tōshō-gū located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture.^[2] It is one of Japan's most popular destinations for tourists and is part of "Shrines and Temples of Nikkō" World Heritage Site.^[3]

Ueno Tōshō-gū at Ueno Park in Tokyo is also widely known.^[4][5] The Kunōzan Tōshō-gū is in Shizuoka Prefecture and rivals Nikkō's for decorative splendor.^[6][7] Another one is the Nagoya Tōshō-gū, constructed in 1619. A Tōshō-gū can also be found at Miyanochō, in Sendai.

During the Edo period these shrines reached 500 in number, but after the Meiji Restoration many were abandoned,^[8] and others united with shrines in the area. Presently, it is estimated that there are about 130 Tōshō-gū.^[9] The National Tōshō-gū Association lists a total of 48 shrines.^[10]

Ieyasu was deified with the name Tōshō Daigongen (東照大権現), meaning "Great Gongen, Light of the East"^[11] (a gongen is a Buddha who has appeared on Earth in the form of a kami to save sentient beings), and this is what gives Tōshō-gū shrines their name.

Gallery of Tōshō-gū shrines

• 
  Nikkō Tōshō-gū
  Nikkō, Tochigi
• 
  Kunōzan Tōshō-gū
  Shizuoka, Shizuoka
• 
  Ueno Tōshō-gū
  Tokyo, Tokyo

• 
  Sendai Tōshō-gū
  Sendai, Miyagi
• 
  Nagasaki Tōshō-gū [ja]
  Nagasaki, Nagasaki
• 
  Shiba Tōshō-gū
  Tokyo, Tokyo
• 
  Reikyū Shrine
  Shimabara, Nagasaki
• 
  Hōraisan Tōshō-gū
  Shinshiro, Aichi

See also

• List of Tōshō-gū
• List of World Heritage Sites in Japan
• Testament of Ieyasu