Rinnō-ji Audio Guide

Rinnō Temple Complex: what does the audio guide cover?

1. 01

   Welcome to Rinnō Temple Complex

   Welcome to Rinnō Temple Complex, known in Japanese as 輪王寺, in the mountain town of Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo. This is a Tendai Buddhist temple, and it is described as Nikko's most important Buddhist temple. It is also one of the three pillars of the Shrines and Temples of Nikko, the UNESCO World Heritage site that includes Toshogu Shrine and Futarasan Shrine. A quick word on what to expect. Rinnō Temple Complex is not a single hall but a set of buildings and sacred places that belong together, so think of this guide as a story about the temple as a whole rather than a tour of one doorway. Today we will look at the monk who started it all, the three golden Buddhas at its heart, and the strange and wonderful mixture of faiths that shaped Nikko. We will finish with practical ideas for finding your way here. As you settle in, notice that the buildings here are part of a landscape. UNESCO praises the harmony of Nikko's buildings with the forest around them, a natural setting laid out with human care. Let your eyes drift between the carved details and the trees.

2. 02

   Rinnō Temple Complex and the Mountain Monk

   Our story begins with a monk named Shōdō Shōnin, who lived from 735 to 817. He was a renowned Buddhist monk and mountain ascetic, and he is credited with introducing Buddhism to Nikko. The site of Rinnō Temple Complex was established in 766 by Shōdō. The temple's predecessor was a temple called Shihonryuji, which he founded, and today's Rinnō Temple Complex grew out of it. Why here? Nikko is deep in the mountains of Japan, and that isolation mattered. The remote setting soon drew other Buddhist monks to the site, and a mountain place of retreat grew into a center of religious life. Shōdō also founded Futarasan Shrine in 782, several centuries older than Toshogu Shrine, dedicated to the three deities of the surrounding mountains. So the temple and the shrine share a very old beginning in the same peaks. Hold onto that image of a lone ascetic and his mountains. The gilded carvings and grand halls you see around Nikko came much later, but the sense that these peaks are sacred goes back to him.

3. 03

   Three Golden Buddhas at Rinnō Temple Complex

   At the spiritual heart of Rinnō Temple Complex is the Three Buddha Hall, known in Japanese as Sanbutsudō. Inside are gold-leafed wooden statues of three figures: Amida, Senju Kannon, the Kannon with a thousand arms, and Batō Kannon, the Kannon with a horse's head. They are the three Buddhas that form the foundation of worship at Nikko. Here is the clever part. These Buddhist figures are considered manifestations of Nikko's three mountain kami, the native deities enshrined at Futarasan Shrine. In other words, the mountains behind you are honored twice, as Shinto deities at one place and as Buddhas at another. Rinnō Temple Complex enshrines the three Buddhas of the mountains behind it, so you are looking at a mountain faith expressed in gold. The temple's reach goes beyond this one hall. Many of Nikko's grand and important treasures belong to Rinnō Temple Complex, and in all, 37 other structures in the complex are designated as Important Cultural Properties. Among its holdings is Daiyūin, the lavish final resting place of the third shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, who lived from 1604 to 1651. Like neighboring Toshogu Shrine, the temple is distinguished by elaborate, gilded carvings.

4. 04

   A Blend of Faiths Around Rinnō Temple Complex

   To understand Nikko, you need to forget the idea that Buddhism and Shinto always lived in separate buildings. From as early as the eighth century, religious practice here was a syncretic mix of Buddhism, Shinto and Shugendo, the tradition of mountain asceticism. This blend was common across Japan until 1868, when a government decree ordered the separation of Shinto and Buddhism. That history explains why the Buddhist figures in the Three Buddha Hall mirror the kami of Futarasan Shrine, and why Rinnō Temple Complex, Toshogu Shrine and Futarasan Shrine are now thought of together as one sacred whole. The entire ensemble is a UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed in 1999, covering 50.8 hectares. UNESCO values it for two reasons. The shrines and temples reflect architectural and artistic genius, and they are a perfect illustration of the Edo period style applied to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Nikko is also tied closely to the history of the Tokugawa shoguns. Ieyasu, the first shogun, is entombed at Toshogu Shrine, while Rinnō Temple Complex holds the resting place of his grandson Iemitsu. The two sit side by side in the same forest.

5. 05

   Before You Head Off

   If you are planning your visit, a few pointers. From Tokyo, take the Tohoku shinkansen three stops to Utsunomiya Station, then transfer to the JR Nikko Line and ride to Nikko Station. From Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station, a World Heritage tour bus stops at the UNESCO sites, including Rinnō Temple Complex. You may also cross the 28-meter-long Shinkyo Bridge, the sacred entrance to Nikko. As you wander, try a little detective work. Look for the gold and the carving, and ask yourself where Buddhism ends and the mountain gods begin. Notice how the buildings sit among the trees, linked by serene mountain paths, just as UNESCO describes. There is a lot more to discover in this forest: Toshogu Shrine, with its famous carvings of the three wise monkeys, Futarasan Shrine, and the mountain scenery beyond. Take your time, and let each path show you another layer of the story.