Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine (久能山東照宮), Nihondaira, Japan

This article was updated on 19 Sep 2021 to clarify the rail portion of the trip to Shizuoka Station.

Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康, January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616) was the founder and first shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He brought a long period of civil wars to an end and united all of Japan. As shōgun, he created and solidified the Tokugawa shogunate, which ushered in the Edo period and effectively ruled Japan for 250 years from 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. [1]

Nikkō Tōshōgū Shrine (日光東照宮), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine and mausoleum dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, and is located in Nikkō, which is about two hours north of Tokyo by limited express train. Ieyasu is enshrined at Nikkō Tōshōgū as the deity Tōshō Daigongen (東照大権現), "Great Gongen, Light of the East". A Gongen is believed to be a buddha who has appeared on Earth in the shape of a kami (spirit or god) to save sentient beings. [1] Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Nikkō Tōshōgū was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 1600's. [2]

While Nikkō Tōshōgū Shrine should be on everyone's list of sights to see when visiting Japan, this article is not about that easy-to-reach and popular must see (and crowded) place. Tokugawa Ieyasu is not buried at Nikkō Tōshōgū, but on the mountain chosen by Ieyasu himself at Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine in Nihondaira, near the city of Shizuoka. Many people believe that "after the first anniversary of his death", his remains were reburied at Nikkō Tōshōgū, but neither shrine has offered to open the graves, so the location of Ieyasu's physical remains are still a mystery. [1] Shizuoka is southwest of Tokyo and is easily reachable in one hour by Shinkansen. While Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine is not as large or as lavishly decorated as the Nikkō Tōshōgū Shrine, it has the advantage of being not as well known, so there are fewer tourists and no crowding which allows for a more leisurely pace to view the shrine. Please read the rest of the article to find out about more about this not so well known, designated national treasure near Tokyo.

Rōmon (Two Story Gate), Entrance to Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine

Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine was built by Ieyasu’s successor, the second shōgun, Tokugawa Hidetada who carried out Ieyasu’s instructions and ordered a shrine be built to fulfill the express wish of Tokugawa Ieyasu for a mausoleum on Mount Kunōzan after spending the last decade of his life at nearby Sunpu Castle (駿府城, Sunpu-jō) in Sunpu (modern-day Shizuoka City).

Torii gate (鳥居) after entering the shrine through the Rōmon

Master carpenter Nakai Masakiyo was chosen to build the shrine and construction was completed in a year and seven months. The shrine was built using the finest craftsmen of the time and became a model for other Tōshōgū shrines all over Japan, including the Nikkō Tōshōgū Shrine. The Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine is considered a masterpiece of Nakai Masakiyo’s later years and was designated as a National Treasure in 2010. [3]

Koro (Drum Tower)

The drum tower was originally a bell tower. At the separation of Shintoism and Buddhism in the Meiji period (1868-1912), the bell was replaced with a taiko drum because bells were closely associated with Buddhist temples. In 1873, a taiko drum that was previously at Edo Castle was given to the shrine by Katsunao Kojima, a former retainer of the shogun. This tower is also an Important Cultural Property. [4]

Entrance to the Shaden (Main Shrine Building)

Shanden Roof Detail

Shanden Inner Sanctuary and Worship Hall

The Shanden building is where Tokugawa Ieyasu is enshrined. After Ieyasu's death, his successor Shogun Hidetada had this shrine built to enshrine the first Tokugawa shogun at Kunōzan. The shrine is built in a style referred to as Gongen-Zukuri (権現造) where the inner sanctuary and worship hall are connected with an Ishi-no-ma-zukuri (石の間造; a room with a stone floor). [4]

Gate to Tokugawa Ieyasu's Mausoleum

Byousho Sando (Path Leading to Mausoleum)

Tokugawa Ieyasu's Mausoleum

Byousho Sando is the path that runs from the gate to the mausoleum. The stone lanterns on either side of the path were dedicated by the military commanders who served under Tokugawa Ieyasu. [4]

Roof Detail

Accessing Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine (久能山東照宮)

Shizuoka Station is the most convenient Japan Rail (JR) station to which you can take a Shinkansen from Tokyo, Nagoya, or Osaka. From Shizuoka Station, you take a bus to get to the Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine. There are two methods and entrances to Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine:

1. Take the Nihondaira Ropeway up Kunōzan (Mountain) and walk 5 minutes to the shrine.

2. Walk 20 minutes from the base of Kunōzan (Mountain) up 1159 stone steps to the shrine.

Both shrine entrances can be accessed by bus from the north exit of Shizuoka Station. On 27 Oct 2018, I took the bus to the Nihondaira Ropeway entrance from Shizuoka Station after taking the Shinkansen from Nagoya, where I was staying. If you want to walk up to the shrine from the base of Kunōzan, you need to take a different bus (than the the one that goes to the ropeway) and then transfer to another bus to get the base of Kunōzan (Mountain). See the Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine (久能山東照宮) Information and Access section for more information.

Shizuoka Station Bus Stop 11 for the Nihondaira Ropeway

Nihondaira Ropeway

Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine (久能山東照宮) Information and Access

Name:

• Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine

• 久能山東照宮

Address:

• 390 Negoya, Suruga Ward, Shizuoka, 422-8011, Japan

• 〒422-8011 静岡県静岡市駿河区根古屋390 久能山

Access:

• Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):

• Valid for travel throughout Japan on Japan Rail (with some exceptions).
• Purchase outside of Japan. Must show passport and have a short-term (90 day) visitor's stamp to redeem at selected airports and rail stations. (This is changing)
• Once activated, must be used on consecutive days (i.e. cannot skip days).
• Website: https://japanrailpass.net/en/.

• Plan your rail trip using Hyperdia: http://www.hyperdia.com/en/.

• Shizuoka Station is easily reached by Shinkansen from Tokyo, Osaka, and/or Nagoya.
• From Tokyo or Nagoya:

• Approx. 60 minutes from Tokyo or Nagoya Stations by Shinkansen Hikari.
• The cost of the trip is fully covered by the Japan Rail (JR) Pass, otherwise the cost for the trip would be:

• Unreserved: ¥5940
• Reserved: ¥6470
• Green Seat: ¥8740

• From Osaka:
• Approx. 120 minutes from Osaka (Shin-Osaka Station) by Shinkansen Hikari.
• The cost of the trip is fully covered by the Japan Rail (JR) Pass, otherwise the cost for the trip would be:

• Unreserved: ¥10560
• Reserved: ¥11090
• Green Seat: ¥14750

• Take the Shizuoka Station North Exit and walk to Bus Stop 11 (located near the Hotel Associa Shizuoka) for the Nihondaira Ropeway:

• Approx. 40 minutes by Nihondaira Bus 42 (For Nippondaira Hotel/Nihondaira Ropeway via Oguro/Magarikane/Nihondaira Zoo).

• ¥590 fare payable by exact change or Electronic IC Money Card (e.g. JR East Suica) when exiting the bus.
• If you are paying by exact change, be sure to take the numbered ticket from the dispenser when entering the bus and then deposit the numbered ticket into the farebox when you exit the bus. The numbered ticket indicates where you boarded the bus.
• Change is given at the farebox. Etiquette for making change is to do it while the bus is in transit and before exiting at your stop, if possible, to not inconvenience the other passengers.

• The Nihondaira Ropeway Bus Stop is the last stop on the Nihondaira Bus 42 line. Walk from the bus stop to Nihondaira Station and take the ropeway to Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine, which is another 5 minute walk.

• Round trip: ¥1100.
• One way: ¥600.
• Combo Ticket (includes a round trip ropeway ticket, admission to Tōshōgū Shrine and the Museum; can only be purchased at Nihondaira Station): ¥1750.
• This is the most cost effective ticket to buy.

• The Nihondaira Ropeway website also contains links to the bus schedules and is a good site for planning the trip from Shizuoka Station.

• https://ropeway.shizutetsu.co.jp/en/index.html.

• Information and prices are accurate as of the published date of this article and are subject to change.

Hours:

• 1 Apr to 30 Sep: 8:30-17:00 (last entrance 16:50).

• 1 Oct to 31 Mar: 8:30-16:00 (last entrance 15:50).

• Information is accurate as of the published date of this article and are subject to change.

Admission:

• Shrine ¥500

• Museum ¥400

• Shrine and Museum ¥800

• Purchasing the ¥1750 Combo Ticket at Nihondaira Station before taking the ropeway to the shrine is the best value.

• Information and prices are accurate as of the published date of this article and are subject to change.

Websites:

• Plan your rail trip using Hyperdia:

• http://www.hyperdia.com/en/.

• Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):

• https://japanrailpass.net/en/.

• Kunōzan Tōshōgū Shrine English website:

• https://www.toshogu.or.jp/english/index.php.

• Nihondaira Ropeway English website (also contains links for the bus from Shizuoka Station to the ropeway):

• https://ropeway.shizutetsu.co.jp/en/index.html.

Map:

References

[1] Wikipedia. "Tokugawa Ieyasu". Last accessed: 19 Jan 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_Ieyasu.

[2] Japan Guide. "Toshogu Shrine". Last accessed: 19 Jan 2020. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3801.html.

[3] Kunozan Toshogu. "About Kunozan Toshogu". Last accessed: 19 Jan 2020. https://www.toshogu.or.jp/english/.

[4] Kunozan Toshogu. "Shrine precinct guide". Last accessed: 30 Jan 2020. https://www.toshogu.or.jp/english/precincts/.

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