Walk the shrines and temples of Nikko, from Toshogu to Rinnoji

North of Tokyo, in Tochigi Prefecture, the Shrines and Temples of Nikko were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999. The property counts 103 religious buildings in three groups: the Shinto shrine of Futarasan (23 buildings), the Tosho-gu shrine (42) and the Buddhist temple of Rinno-ji (38). Together they hold nine National Treasures and 94 Important Cultural Properties. Tosho-gu is linked to Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) and is one of two mausoleums built in the Gongen-zukuri style. The buildings stand on forested mountain slopes among old-growth trees planted in the early seventeenth century, and the mountains and forests are themselves regarded as sacred. The first buildings are reported to date from the eighth century, built by a Buddhist monk.

Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Visit Nikko. Check the official sites for opening times and tickets. See also Nikko.