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Tochigi

Summary of Tochigi Prefecture

Capital City: Utsunomiya
Population in 2011 (thousands): 1,989
Area (square km): 6,408

Tochigi Coin

1000 yen silver coin

Image of Tochigi design of 1,000 yen
(Obverse design:Yōmei–mon Gate of Nikkō TōshōgūShrine)

Nikkō TōshōgūShrine is a mausoleum of TOKUGAWA Ieyasu (1542~1616), the founder of Tokugawa shōgunate. It was registered as World Heritage Site, together with Arayama Shrine and Rinnō–ji Temple, as "Shrines and Temples of Nikko" in 1999. Yōmei–mon Gate, a symbol of the shrine, was founded under the command of the third Shogun TOKUGAWA Iemitsu in 1635. It was named after "Yōmei–mon Gate", one of the twelve great gates of the Heian Palace in Kyoto. The plate engraved "Tosho Daigongen", honorific title of TOKUGAWA Ieyasu, is hung in front, which was given by Emperor Goyōzei. Also, Yōmei–mon Gate has another name, "Higurashi–mon", meaning "Day–passing Gate". This is because inside of the gate is decked with 508 sculptures as well as brilliant colored ornaments, and you cannot be bored even after seeing them all the day.

500 yen bi–color clad coin

Image of Tochigi design of 500 yen
(Obverse design: Sleeping Cat and Sparrows)

Sleeping Cat is a wooden figure placed in an entrance of the East Cloister of Nikko ToshōgūShrine. It is said to have been carved by Hidari Jingorō, a famous temple carpenter and sculptor. Behind the Sleeping Cat are sculptures of sparrows. There is one interpretation — that their co–existence on his work represented arrival of the peace era, after the end of the age of provincial wars in Japan, around that time. In addition, East Cloister of Nikko TōshogūShrine, where these sculptures are placed, was selected as a National Treasure together with Yōmei–mon Gate etc. in 1951.