The Savannah tribune. [volume] (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960, 1888-07-28
THE GRANDEUR OP NIKKO.
a JAPANESE CITY, THE IDEAL OF
BARBARIc BEAUTY.
The Grandest Shrine on Earth-A
Gate Gorgeous in Gold and Bronze
Tho Sacred Bridge.


A traveller in Japan writes in the Hart
ford Courant concerning his visit to
Nikko IN this wise: At five o'clock we
took jinrikishas and several days pro-
visions for here we babe good-by to
European food and started on this, our
most delightful picnic in Japan. A
few miles from Utsunomiya we entered
through granite tori, or gateway, the
approach to the shrines Of Nikko, which
are twenty-one miles away. All tenn
pies, as | have written before, must have
an approach through grove of trees,
and the builders of Nikko, in order to
have their avenue the grandest that
could be conceived of, made it twenty
one miles long.
Words cannot express the tree grand
eur OF this approach. Twenty one miles
gentle and almost straight ascent up the
mountain side over road smooth as a
floor, with magnificent cryptomeria
CEDAR trees planted four deep on either
side of the way trees two hundred years
old, grand, royal in their beauty, meet
ing their giant arms over the roadway,
making a godlike shade a running
stream on either side of the road, a re.
ligious stiffness in the air 1t was
twentyone miles of natures own cathe-
dral aisle. Twenty one miles of incar-
hate rest, repose, religion
The town of Nikko has nothing re-
markable in it, but just beyond the
/ town we crossed a beautiful, dashing,
blue mountain stream and entered the
temple grounds. The stream is spanned
by two bridges; one of which is travelled
by ordinary mortals, the other a red
lacquered span which once year is
crossed only by the high priest. The
lowed to cross it was General Grant.
The japanese love warrior and so they
permitted Grant to pass over their sacred
arch.
Nikko is the burial place of two of the
greatest shoguns or prime ministers
which Japan has ever known-Iyeyasu
and his grandson Iyemitsu. Their
graves and bronze monuments are high
up on the mountain side, and all these
grand temples are simply shrineS before
these two tombs. Other bronze monu-
ments there are, and granite ones thou
sand or more in the shape of lanterns,
but these are here only because it was
an honor to be allowed place in Nikko
for monument The real cause of
building all these temples was that the
shoguns were buried there, and the
grandeSt shrines on earth were erected
in honor of their memory. | say grand
est shriues on earth, for where else in the
world are there built scores Of great
temples and gateways as approaches and
shrines for two tombs, the whole led up
to by an avenue of magnificent cedars
--twcnty-one miles of shady calm
grandeur.
After entering the grounds we walked
through the pebbled and admirably kept
walks, passing through several minor
gates, each beautiful and grand, till we
came to the great gate of all Yomci
Mantle name of which means 'stand
all day and look upward" Every part
of the gate is gorgeous in gold, and lac
quer, and bronze, and rich, elaborate
carving, and all so beautifully wrought
and harmonized that the eye revels in
the delight of color and carving run
riot. Day after day l went and looked
upward for hours at this marvel of
beauty 1t lives in my soul now as the
most beautiful work of man that | ever
saw. | will not except any.
Passing through this we came to one
Of the temples and when | describe one
] describe all; forall are magnificent and
regal. The steps to the temple are COW
cred with hand wrought plates of bronze.
We took off our shoes and put on great
slippers that were allowed us, and en-
tered. We were first shown the var Gus
rooms set apart for the use of the Mlkado
when he comes here, the priests, and such
guests as General Grant, who was here
accorded the highest honors. These
rooms were approximately fifteen feet
square, and marvels of grand decoration.
The walls were painted, giving various
views of Japan, all sorts of tree shapes
and adornments of blossoms and flow
ers, and the whole lacquered with the
richeat gold lacquer
The decorations were over two hun
dred years old, and yet the gold and
colors were as brilliant as when first put
on. The entrances were hung with the
most heavy and rich brocaded and en-
broidered silk curtains which Japan
could produce. The ceilings were
paneled with rich carved flowers and
birds, golden pheasant being the pre-
dominant bird. When they wanted 20
introduce a sombre hue, they put in a
peacock or bird of paradise, and yet all
This magnificence of color and gold and
carving was in perfect good taste, and
the general effect was quiet rather than
loud.
Passing through these rooms we
entered the great room of the temple,
-. ! lora ~, ,ovvarS Of dissertation give