Historical Relics
Stroll from Kanmangafuchi Abyss to Jakko Waterfall |
There is a history of 1200 years in Nikko, and there also are various
kinds of relics there. These relics do not stand out, but are important.
There is a strolling course to visit those historical relics. It will
take you 3 hours and 8km long to finish the course.
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1, Monument of
celebration for Genshichi Ochiai and Kaikan Tomoe
It is a stone monument, which stands in front of the
community hall. Those two men told the Emperor of Meiji directly about
the hardship of Nikko. Nikko was suffered by the law, which forced
to separate Shinto Shrine from Buddhist Temple.
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2,
Iwasaku Shrine (In Takumi-cho)
It is interesting that Honden main hall is built in
the stone warehouse, which has been made of Oya-ishi stone.
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3,
Monument of poem that the Emperor of Taisho period made
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4,
Jiunji Temple |
5,
Reihikaku House
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6,
Thrown Brush of Saint Kobo
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| 7,
Bake-jizou |
8,
Kanmangafuchi Abyss
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Bake-jizou (left), Head of Oya-jizou (Parent Jizou)
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9, Zenisawa-fudouson
Image of Fudou-myouou has been enshrined there. It
will take you 15 minutes on foot from the entrance of the Kanmangafuchi
Abyss.
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10, Joukouji Temple of Mt. Kangen Myokakuin
House
The roof of the gate is stone.
The principal image is seated Amida Nyorai, which was made by Kasuga
Busshi (Buddhist carpenter.)
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11, Bonsho
(Sanskrit Bell)
This is the oldest bell in Nikko. It is located
near the gate of Joukouji Temple. It was dedicated in 1459. This copper
bell has a value as a historical material.
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12, Kanman Oya-jizou
Onkubi (Head of Parent Jizou)
There are two Oya-jizous, and it is one of the two.
That Jizou was washed away by flood in 1902, but the head was found
at the bottom of the river. That head was put in the Joukouji Temple.
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13, Sugekasa Hijiri
Jizouson (Jizo of Hijiri with Sedge Hat)
It is located in the Jizo Hall of Joukouji Temple.
It wears a stone-made sedge hat. Your will might come true if you
pray in certain days.
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14, Monument of
Fire Fighters
The fire fighters were assigned to go to Nikko from
Hachioji (Tokyo). They started operation from 1652. This monument
was built in 1834 in order to express condolences.
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15, Bungo-renjizuka
(Coalition Tombs of Great Writers)
Tombs are of Riyou Shirakawa and Ryouun Taoka. They
were chief editors of newspaper such as Kyushu Nippo and Ibaraki Shinbun.
Mr. Taoka passed away in Nikko under tubercular medical treatment.
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16, Tomb of Zazenin-bettoh
Zazenin (Zazen House) had managed Nikko for about
200 years around Muromachi period. The Zazenin also was called Orusuiken-bettoh.
6 tombs of the successive managers are existing.
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17,
Michibiki-jizouson (The guardian deity of children)
There are three images of Jizo, and the center Jizo
is called the Michibiki-Jizoson. These were built in 1550, and are
the oldest stone images in Nikko.
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18, Rengeishi
(Stone of Lotus Flower)
The Rengeishi is a giant stone, which faces national
route. This place also is a playground for children, and is recognized
as guardian of children. |
19, Hanaishi
Jinja Ohkeyaki (Big Zelkova Tree of Hanaishi Shrine)
The Ohkeyaki is 22m high. It is estimated 800 years
old.
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20, Hanaishi Shrine
Priest Shoto imagined 18 deified mountains when he
seated on the Rengeishi for worship the mountainous Nikko. Priest
Shoto gathered those images and enshrined in a building called Juhachiouji
(18 Princes). The Juhachiouji was renamed as Hanaishi Shrine in 1869.
God of this shrine is Sukunabikono-mikoto.
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| 21,
Monument of poem by Bokusui Wakayama |
22, Monument of
Takigara
The Takigara was built in 1675 for the dead horse,
which was owned by Sadayoshi Kaji. It is located in the precinct of
Hanaishi Shrine.
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23,
Big Cedar of Hanaishi Shrine
This cedar is 25m high, and is estimated 400 years
old.
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24, Hachiman
Shrine
It is located on the left side of the entrance of
Shaka-doh hall. Emperor Oujin (or called Hondawakeno-mikoto) is enshrined.
Priest Shoto named Tobiishi Hachiman because he had a dream when he
built a hermitage there. According to the dream, a round stone flied
to there, and it said, "I am the Hachiman-daijizai. I came here
as the guardian of the whole nation." By the way, the Tobiishi
can be translated as flying stone.
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25, Shaka-doh
Hall
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26, Tomb of Martyrdom
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27, Enmei Jizouson
(Long life Jizou, or Inubiki Jizou)
It is located on the right side of the Shaka-doh Hall,
and faces the national route. The name of the Inubiki derived from
the legend, which was related to Shougen Itabashi (Former land owner)
. He found the image of Jizou at the lakeside of Yunoko when he was
hunting in Oku-Nikko. That image was carved by Priest Shoto. Shougen
made his dog to pull the Jizou out to the lake. However, a harsh thunderstorm
broke out and the dog came back to the shore with the Jizou. The Inubiki
can be translated as "Dog pulls." That is why this Jizou
is called Inubiki Jizouo. Later, the Inubiki Jizou was enshrined as
Enmei Jizou, and was moved to today's place.
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28, Ikeishi (Stone
of pond) |
29,
Jakko Shrine
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30,
Jakko Waterfall
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31,
Seiryu Shrine
Saint Kobo's followers built a shrine when Kobo cultivated
Takinoo and Jakko. God of Oowatatsumino-mikoto is enshrined in the
Seiryu Shrine. Those followers imitated Seiryu Shrine in Kyoto. It
will be sunny if prayed for that.
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32, Trace of Nikko Bugyosho-ato
The Bugyosho had function as a police station,
or court of justice in Edo period. The Nikko Bugyosho was built
in 1700, and an additional building was built next to the original
building in 1791. Today, a stone pillar stands there. Inscription
of the pillar means "Trace of Nikko Bugyo."
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