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

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

Ueno Tōshō-gū at Ueno Park in Tokyo is also widely known. The Kunōzan Tōshō-gū is in Shizuoka Prefecture and rivals Nikkō's for decorative splendor. 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, and others united with shrines in the area. Presently, it is estimated that there are about 130 Tōshō-gū. The National Tōshō-gū Association lists a total of 48 shrines.

Ieyasu was deified with the name Tōshō Daigongen (東照大権現), meaning "Great Gongen, Light of the East" (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

References

1. "Tōshō-gū Shrine". GetHiroshima. 2 January 2012. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
2. "Tōshō-gū Shrine". GetHiroshima. 2 January 2012. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
3. "Shrines and Temples of Nikko". UNESCO. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
4. "Ueno Park". Japan Guide. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
5. "Ueno Toshogu". Ueno Toshogu. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
6. "Kunouzan Toshogu, Welcome". Kunōzan Tōshō-gū Official Website. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
7. "Kunozan Toshogu Shrine". Japan Guide. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
8. "Tosho-gu Shrine, Ueno Park, Tokyo". Old Tokyo. 16 November 2014. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
9. "Toshogu". Japan This. 27 May 2013. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
10. "全国東照宮連合会 加盟神社 (in japanese)". National Tōshō-gū association. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
11. "Toshogu Shrine". Japan Guide. Retrieved 2017-12-28.

External links

• Toshogu.net (in Japanese)
• National Archives of Japan: Illustrations of Road to Nikko, Tempo 14 (1843)

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• v
• t
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v t e Tokugawa Faith
Main Deities	Tokugawa Ieyasu
Shrines	Kunōzan Tōshō-gū Nikkō Tōshō-gū Mito Tōshō-gū
Branch shrines	Hida Tōshō-gū Hirosaki Tōshō-gū Hiroshima Tōshō-gū Hiyoshi Tōshō-gū Hokkaidō Tōshō-gū Hōraisan Tōshō-gū Kishū Tōshō-gū Maebashi Tōshō-gū Matsudaira Tōshō-gū Motoshirochō Tōshō-gū Nagasaki Tōshō-gū [ja] Nagoya Tōshō-gū Reikyū Shrine Senba Tōshō-gū Sendai Tōshōgū Serada Tōshō-gū Shiba Tōshō-gū Takisan Tōshō-gū Tottori Tōshō-gū Ueno Tōshō-gū

• Tōshō-gū
• Shinto shrines in Japan
• Shinto stubs