Shrines and Temples of Nikko

The group of buildings centered on Futarasan Shrine, Toshogu Shrine, and Rinno-ji Temple, collectively known as the "Shrines and Temples of Nikko", were registered as Japan's 10th World Heritage in 1999.
From ancient times, the Japanese have believed that kami deities dwell in high mountains. The concept of syncretization of Shinto and Buddhism that connected the Buddhism brought from the continent developed there, and many monks began to climb the mountains in various regions. Shodo Shonin, the founder of Mount Nikko, was one such monk who aimed for Nikko's Mt. Nantai. In 766 he erected the forerunners of Rinno-ji Temple and Futarasan Shrine.
Mt. Nikko developed as the training ground for monks of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, and from the Kamakura Period that began in the latter half of the twelfth century, it came under the auspices of the shogunate, because the mountain gave protection from the unlucky northeastern direction. In the Azuchi-Momoyama Period that began in the latter half of the sixteenth century, events of the time resulted in a temporary decline, but with the start of the Edo Period in the seventeenth century, the region saw the peak of prosperity under its close ties with the ruling Tokugawa Clan, and an elegant and luxurious group of buildings was constructed, including Toshogu Shrine. Meanwhile, the number of Shugendo priests decreased significantly during the mid-Edo Period, and the increase in derelict monk's dwellings was noticeable. In 1871, during the Meiji Period, an edict was issued commanding the separation of Shinto and Buddhism. The two shrines and one temple on Mount Nikko that had been a collective site of worship were separated, providing the opportunity for the area to develop as a sightseeing destination. In 1934, Nikko was designated a national park.