Nikko mysterious shrine

Nikko (Nikko Toshou-gu 日光東照宮) is one of the world heritage sites in Japan. Then do you know what is the Nikko Toshou-gu? It's the tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康) who established the Edo Shogunate system and also the ruler of Japan at that time. And this place (Nikko Toshou-gu) is the shrine constructed in front of the Tokugawa Ieyasu's tomb.

When you visit this shrine, we guess you will be explained as below. This shrine is very unique, because it's very colorful and ornamental. Architectural complex is decorated with gorgeous and luxurious carvings. And these decorations and sculptures are various. Such as animals (cranes, turtles, monkeys, lions, tigers, cats, elephants sparrows and so many others), 
imaginary creatures (Chinese lions, dragons and so on), humans (samurais, Chinese legends' characters), plants, botanical and other images come into view.

 
Because decorations and sculptures cover whole surface of the architectural complex, they are sometimes considered as not lofty. We are very concerned about their being a jumble affect their reputation. So we want to find reason why this shrine was so much like this, authentic reasonable explanation of the fact. And we want to name this question 'Mystery of Nikko.' And we found several plausible ones.

According to them, these buildings' design was influenced by foreign cultures imported especially from China. Design influenced by mainly Chinese culture but many other regions' cultures brought this mixed up of structures. And on the other hand, this diverse influence caused divine atmosphere of this site. But we don't fully agree with this idea. So we want to propose another hypothesis later.

There is one more story, when people talk about its historical aspect. As already mentioned, the person buried in this huge tomb was Tokugawa Ieyasu who had died in 1616. He decided, before he died, how he should been treated after his death and he made his will about it. He wrote that he wished to be buried in Nikko. And he ordered to make a shrine in front of his tomb. Furthermore, he decided to be a symbol of his family's prosperity and to be worshiped by his descendants as a god.

The place was selected by his high rank vessels. It was selected by the reason of Directionology (certain vessel advised) but geographical suitability. So we guess this fact caused it some difficulties and also become the answer of the mystery.

Let's continue with the historical background of construction. Tokugawa Hidetada (徳川秀忠) who is a Ieyasu's son and the second shogun took on the project with the best team available. He ordered Nakai Masakiyo (中井正清) (the foremost master carpenter at that time) to design and supervise the construction. And also he made Todo Takatora (藤堂高虎) lead the construction force, who had an outstanding record in building works especially castles. Both were the best persons imaginable. So we guess the finished product was excellent.

 
This first Nikko Toshou-gu shrine, completed in 1617, is not given proper recognition now. It is said that, unfortunately, because Tokugawa Ieyasu had stated, "Build a small hall on the Mount Nikko and enshrine me there," the shrine was built in a modest and simple manner in accordance with his words. Later, in 1634, Tokugawa Iemitsu (徳川家光) who is a Ieyasu's grandson and the third shogun reconstructed it into the splendid and magnificent form befitting Ieyasu's tomb. But is such a story really believable? Was the original structure truly small and unimpressive, and was it really the case that the shrine took on its current grand appearance only after being renovated?

Then let's summarize what we've mentioned so far. 
There are two mysteries.

1. Why are the buildings of Nikko Toshou-gu filled with excessively diverse and seemingly inconsistent decorations?

2. Is it really true that the first buildings constructed by Hidetada were too small, and that Iemitsu later carried out a massive reconstruction?

We'll start to consider number 2 first.

 
The original Nikko Toshou-gu shrine was designed by Nakai Masakiyo, who oversaw the construction of many monumental buildings in the early Edo period. This large shrine complex was constructed on the slope at the foot of the mountains. And from its central area a secret approach path goes the long way around to the innermost precinct, where Ieyasu's tomb was built. We believe that it should have been impossible to enlarge the basic modest plan to the huge plan we see now. How could they have added floor area to scale up the buildings? If they had rebuilt the shrine in another location, that might make sense, however, to simply expand the existing site seems unrealistic. In other words, it is natural to assume that the scale of the initial construction was preserved during the later reconstruction.

Of course, new buildings must have been added during Iemitsu's renovation, and some buildings may have been dismantled. However, we believe that altering the fundamental layout would have been impossible. If such a drastic change had been forced through regardless, there would surely be records at least indicating who devised the plan and how the layout was altered.

On the other hand, the very reason such a story arose may be that everyone felt the shrine had changed dramatically after Iemitsu's renovation. Why did it appear to change so dramatically? We think the reason may lie in the fact that the shrine was built deep in the Mount Nikko (日光山). 

This shrine was not constructed solely because the site was ideal for a new shrine, rather, its location was chosen for its relationship to Edo and other important places. Of course, the existence of the nearby temple complex (Rinno-ji (輪王寺)) must have been considered in evaluating whether the site was suitable. However, there is the fact that the first shrine built in 1617 was rebuilt in 1634. We guess that this was not because Iemitsu was dissatisfied with its size, but because (despite only seventeen years having passed) the buildings had deteriorated. In other words, the humid climate of Nikko district inflicted a level of damage on the buildings that would not have been imaginable in Kyoto or other major cities,
thereby advancing the timing of the mending.

There is some circumstantial evidence supporting this idea. The Nikko Tousho-gu shrine had a dedicated group of carpenters who were constantly prepared for repairs. Moreover, historical records show that it underwent large-scale repairs thirteen times during the 250 years of the Edo period. This record is excluding repairs to recover damage caused by earthquakes or other disasters. Is it not reasonable to think that the reason for conducting major repairs roughly every twenty years was the severe environmental effects on the structures?

Next, we would like to consider the first mystery (the extravagant decorations of the Nikko Toshou-gu).

It may sound rather far-fetched, but we believe it is not entirely impossible. As we mentioned earlier, Japan at that time was under strong influence from foreign cultures. The buildings constructed during that period clearly reflect those influences. However, the impression we get from the structures of this shrine is particularly extraordinary. We want to know why that is.

We believe the reason lies in the events leading up to Iemitsu's decision to undertake the grand reconstruction. Let us look at how that came about. In 1633, the year before the reconstruction began, Iemitsu stayed at the Hommaru (本丸) Palace of the Nagoya Castle on his way to Kyoto. This palace had been extensively renovated by the Owari's castle lord, Tokugawa Yoshinao (徳川義直) (Iemitsu's uncle) to display his prestige for Iemitsu's visit. How it was renovated?

The rooms Iemitsu stayed known as the Joraku-den (上洛殿) were covered by colorful and ornamental decorations. Every room was covered with gilded Fusuma-e (襖絵)(sliding door paintings) and Shoheki-ga (障壁画)(wall paintings) lavishly decorated with gold leaf. The transoms were filled with thick openwork carvings depicting birds in magnificent and elaborate detail. Furthermore, the ceilings in the highest status were adorned with paintings of various plants. These fusuma-e and Shoheki-ga depicted scenes from ancient Chinese dynasties. And transoms featured symbolic birds inspired by classical Chinese tales. Although we do not know in detail the intention behind the painted plants, their sheer elegance must have been overwhelming.

Iemitsu had visited the Hommaru Palace before its renovation, and he had been astonished by how magnificently it had been transformed. Deeply impressed by its clear and striking beauty, he visited the Nikko Toshou-gu the next year. Upon seeing the shrine terribly damaged by the damping climate of the Nikko mountain district, might he have decided to rebuild it with his own hands?

As he imagined how it should be restored, perhaps some images came to his mind. Such as murals inspired by ancient Chinese tales, carvings of birds symbolizing those legends, and diverse decorative patterns based on plants. We think if you visit these sites, you will find many similarity between Nikko Toshou-gu and Hommaru Palace. You may find a resemblance between the carvings of Chinese sages at the Nikko Toshou-gu and the paintings depicting ancient Chinese dynasties in Hommaru Palace. You may also notice both are covered with carvings with countless birds and also with many four-legged animals. While Nikko Toshou-gu leaves a stronger impression of them (turtles🐢, monkeys🐒, lions🐈, tigers🐅, cats🐱, and elephants🐘), however, turtles and tigers also appear in the paintings of Hommaru Palace. Could it not be that Iemitsu's experiences, influenced by such works, led to the creation of this extraordinarily ornate and decorative architecture in Nikko Toshou-gu?

Yet, there may have been another, more practical reason as well. Perhaps surrounding the exterior surfaces of the shrine with carvings coated by paints, they served the structure beneath from environmental damage from the humidity. Furthermore, the vivid color coatings of carvings might not have been for beauty alone. They also protected the wood structures from weathering. Similarly, the white coating known as kofun-zuri (胡粉摺り) applied to the pillars and reliefs of Chinese scenes may be same. They have been intended not only for visual elegance but also for the same protective purpose. If such considerations truly influenced the design of Nikko Toshou-gu, would that not be remarkable?

Finally, the refined beauty of Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto is often hailed as the ultimate expression of Japanese aesthetics in architecture. By contrast, the decorative splendor of Nikko Toshou-gu is regarded as a deviation from that traditional sense of beauty. Yet, if its lavish ornamentation was not mere display, but rather a thoughtful effort to preserve the building's beauty and longevity, which form of beauty would you favor?