Kunozan Toshogu in Shizuoka

Kunozan Toshogu Shrine

Kunozan Toshogu in Shizuoka prefecture enshrines the spirit of the Japanese shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The main shrine there, Gongen Zukuri, is considered a national treasure.

There are two ways you can worship there: one is to climb the 1159 steps of Omotesando from the bottom of Kuno mountain, and the other is to reach it by ropeway from Nihondaira (on the other side of the mountain). In the past, there was no ropeway. Instead, people climbed the winding road, which has 17 turns and 1159 stairs, from the stone torii gate at the bottom of the mountain to the main shrine, chanting "Ichi(1)ichi(1)go(5)ku(9)ro-san".

Road to the top

The shrine where Ieyasu Tokugawa sleeps

2022 is the year of the Tiger according to the Chinese Zodiac Calendar. Ieyasu was actually born in 1542, the year of the ‘Water’ Tiger (called Mizuenotora).

So this year marks the 480th anniversary of the birth of Ieyasu, the 40th Water Tiger, and the 8th Kanreki(60th birthday), an auspicious year.

Ieyasu spent his childhood in Shizuoka and was called Takechiyo at that time.

Therefore, he has a very strong relationship with bamboo(Take) and tiger(Tora), so this year you can get special goshuin stamps decorated with bamboo and a tiger.