Kunozan Toshogu Shrine

Kunozan Toshogu Shrine is the foundation of all Toshogu Shrines in Japan, which worship Tokugawa Ieyasu as its deity. Tokugawa Ieyasu put an end to the age of war and built the foundations for the 260-year-long Edo period of peace that was unparalleled in the world. He established the foundations of academia, industry, and culture, and made a great contribution to the development of early modern Japan. In his later years, he lived in Sunpu Castle as a shogun and ordered his retainers to bury his remains on Mount Kuno. The second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, built a shrine to worship Ieyasu on Mount Kuno. The "Gongen-zukuri" style, which brought together the finest architectural techniques and art of the time, is considered the model for Toshogu Shrines across the country, and was designated a national treasure in 2010. The attached museum also houses over 2,000 cultural assets related to Tokugawa Ieyasu and other shoguns of the Edo shogunate.