Takisan Toshogu Main Shrine (Nationally Designated Important Cultural Property)
In 1644, the Third Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu decided to construct the Takisan Toshogu Shrine to honor and deify his grandfather, the first Edo Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, near his birthplace at Okazaki Castle. It was suggested that the shrine should be located in the Takisan-ji, an old Tendai sect Buddhist temple and sacred place of great religious devotion where the blessings of the gods and Buddha were manifested. The shrine was built in 1646 on the Takisan-ji Temple’s far eastern grounds. The shrine is built in the traditional Irimoya-zukuri architectural style with a black lacquered, copper-tiled roof. Takisan Toshogu Shrine is said to be one of Japan's top three Toshogu shrines, along with Kunozan Toshogu Shrine (Shizuoka Prefecture) and Nikko Toshogu Shrine (Tochigi Prefecture) and was well protected by the Shogunate. The construction of Takisan Toshogu Shrine is said to have spurred the revival of Takisan-ji Temple, which was in ruins at the time.
The stone lanterns in the Takisan-ji Temple and Takisan Toshogu Shrine precincts were dedicated by various feudal lords and lords of Okazaki when the Toshogu Shrine was being built, and by the later successive lords of Okazaki.
Okazaki Castle Outer Moat Enclosure >
