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History of Nikko

A power spot established 1400 years ago

The very first man who went beyond the violent stream of the Daiya River in Nikko and made a successful ascent of Mt. Nantai (2486m) was Priest Shodo. In 767 he built a small temple in Nikko and established a foothold of religious austerities in the mountain.

In 1616, the great Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, died in Shizuoka and was buried in Nikko the following year. From his grave in Nikko, Ieyasu protected the capital city of Edo (modern day Tokyo).

In 1636, Ieyasu’s grandson, Iemitsu (the third Shogun), reconstructed Tosho-gu Shrine on an even larger scale. It consists of many gorgeous buildings and countless numbers of beautiful carvings. Iemitsu died in Edo Castle in 1651 and was buried in Nikko to serve Ieyasu after his death. In 1653, the brilliant buildings of Taiyu-in were built as a mausoleum for Iemitsu.

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Mandy Bartok 9 years ago
Tomoko, I love the dramatic flair of this video! Made me feel as if I were watching a movie preview.
Tomoko Kamishima Videographer 9 years ago
Oh, thank you Mandy. I really enjoyed making this video. This one also has some drama: https://en.japantravel.com/kanagawa/the-great-buddha-of-kamakura/13950

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