I walked up the avenue with a feeling of awe, and it seemed as if the whole atmosphere of Nikko was surcharged with an element of sanctity, and that no one could gaze on the mountains and the groves of cryptomerias without being somewhat better than before. At the end of the avenue the perspective is wonderful, for one looks through a series of great stone toriis, gray with age, and sees along the way objects that are of interest, a five-story pagoda being the most striking. This approach is to the great Temple of Ieyasu, the illustrious Shogun and founder of the Tokugawa dynasty and, like the other great temple and mausoleum of his grandson, Iemitzu (farther on), was erected in the seventeenth century, at a time when the art of building shrines was at its perfection, as was the work in lacquer and bronze, wood carving and decorative painting. Every detail is perfect, and the great predominance of red and gold lacquer with its setting of green produced a striking effect, but without being in the least garish. Indeed, the keynote to all the buildings and interiors we have seen in Japan, of any age whatsoever, has been chasteness of design and harmony. If we sometimes find a discordant note in modern Japanese art, I fear Western taste has had some influence, if it be true that the producer ever seeks to please the purchaser.
With all this perfection on every side, it becomes even more difficult to give any adequate description, so that an outline comprising only general details will be suggested. A quotation explains my position fully. Dr. Dresser once wrote: "Any words that I can use must fail to convey any adequate idea of the consciousness of the work, the loveliness of the compositions, the harmoniousness of the colors, and the beauty of the surroundings here before me; and yet the adjectives which I have tried to heap one upon another, in the hope of conveying to the reader what I—an architect and ornamentist—feel when contemplating these matchless shrines, must appear, I am afraid, altogether unreasonable." The difficulty is further added to by the fact that there are in all six groups of temples with numerous associated buildings and gateways in the near vicinity, although Ieyasu and Iemitzu are the most famous.
The approach to Ieyasu Temple is most unusual. Within the two courts, each with toriis and stone steps, are many notable adjuncts to the temples, the five-story pagoda, one hundred and four feet high, being a marvel of rich lacquered walls. It has peculiar brass-trimmed roofs and bells hanging from every angle. Three artistic buildings are used as storehouses, where articles employed in worship, pictures, and many treasures of Ieyasu are deposited. Near by is a finely carved gateway leading to a beautiful carved water cistern which is cut out of one solid piece of granite and sheltered by a roof supported on twelve square pillars of stone, all erected in 1618. A beautifully decorated building behind this is the depository for the complete collection of the Buddhist scriptures, contained in a fine revolving octagonal bookcase with red lacquered panels and gilt pillars. In the centre of this court stands a fine bronze torii. A flight of steps gives access to the second court. Just inside of this are two stone lions in the act of leaping down; on the right stand a bell tower, a bronze candelabrum presented by the King of Loochoo, and another bell presented by the King of Korea; there is also a bronze candelabrum from Holland. This diversity of gifts indicates the general interest at that time in this shrine. All of these articles are of very unusual style of workmanship.
At the left extremity of this same platform stands the Temple of Wakushi, dedicated to the patron saint of Ieyasu, for which reason its Buddhist emblems have been left intact. The building is a blaze of gold and harmonious colors. Stone steps lead up to the exquisitely beautiful gate called Yomei-mon; it has a fence on each side. Passing through the gateway, we entered the third court, in which the Buddhist priests used to offer liturgies on the occasions of the two great annual festivals. In this court are also two buildings, one containing a stage for the performance of the sacred dance, and the other an altar for burning the fragrant cedar while prayers were recited. Next we have the Karu-mon or Chinese gate. It gives admittance to the main shrines. The folding doors of the oratory are lavishly decorated with arabesques of peonies, in gilt relief.
