Nikkō Tōshō-gū

Ieyasu died in 1616; his grandson Iemitsu had the mausoleum rebuilt between 1634 and 1636, reportedly mobilising fifteen thousand craftsmen over twenty months. The result breaks with the rest of Japanese religious architecture: the Yōmeimon gate carries five hundred polychrome carvings, lacquer, gold and mythical beasts. Here are the three monkeys, mizaru, kikazaru, iwazaru, on the sacred stable, and the sleeping cat attributed to Hidari Jingorō. Nikkō has been World Heritage since 1999.