Author(photographer): Zairon.
Title: Yomeimon Gate.
Built: 1617.
Architect: Tōdō Takatora.
Architecture Style: Ishi-no-ma-zukuri.
Location: Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.
Date: Photo taken April 3, 2019.
Description: Nikko Tosho-gu is a shinto shrine located in Nikko Japan, as well as one of the most popular tourist locations in Japan. The Tosho-gu shrine is known best for being the grand memorial to the late Tokugawa leyasu, the founded of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Specifically pictured above is the Yomeimon Gate, also known as the Higurashi-no-mon meaning day gate due to its emmese beauty. Yomeimon is just one of the 12 buildings that consist within the shrine, it features intricate carvings and is painted in vibrant colors. Gold, a color used heavily in Japanese art and architecture, showcases the Toshog’s luxury and wealth. A total of 240,000 sheets of gold leaf were used on the buildings exterior, giving it a bright and extravagant display when in the sun. The Tosho-gu shrine was the bruial site of Tokugawa leyasu, therefore it was crucial that he will “rest in peace”. To insure that, the Yomeino Gate was ingraved with specific carvings of Dragons and Zuijus, mythical creatures in Japan, who both were said to have lived only in a realm of peace. Also carved are ancient chinese monarchs and politicians who ruled in peace. At the top of the gate is Japanese wrting which says, tosho daigongen, who was believed tobe. a. budda thata appeared on earth in the form of a kami, meaning god or spirit. The architecture style of the shrine consists of two connected halls with a single roof creating am “H”. The visible part if the haiden or the hall or worship while the main santuary is hidden in the back the connecting passage is reffered to as Ishi-no-ma. This shrine is located directly behind the yomeimon not visible in this image becasue of the gates grand apperance.
Soruces: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nikko_Nikko_Tosho-gu_Yomei-mon_07.jpg, https://thegate12.com/spot/225.
