HISTORY OF NIKKO

Shodo Shonin ( 勝道上人 ) established the temple of Rinno-ji in 766, followed by the temple of Chuzen-ji in 784. The village of Nikko developed around these temples.

The shrine of Nikko Toshu-gu was completed in 1617 and became a major draw of visitors to the area during the Edo period. It is known as the burial place of the famous Japanese shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. A number of new roads were built during this time to provide easier access to Nikko from surrounding regions.

Nikko Tosho-gu, Futarasan Shrine, and Rinno-ji now form the UNESCO World Heritage Site Shrines and Temples of Nikko. During the Meiji period Nikko developed as a mountain resort, and became particularly popular among foreign visitors to Japan. The Japanese National Railways began service to Nikko in 1890 with the Nikko Line, followed by Tobu Railway in 1929 with its Nikko Line. Nikko was incorporated as a town in 1889, part of Kamitsuga District.

It was upgraded to city status in 1954 after merging with the neighboring village of Okorogawa. On March 20, 2006 Nikko absorbed the old city of Imaichi, the town of Ashio, from Kamitsuga District, the town of Fujihara and the village of Kuriyama, both from Shioya District, to create what is officially the new city of Nikko.

The new city hall is located at the former Imaichi City Hall: the former Nikko City Hall is now known as Nikko City Hall-Nikko Satellite Office.

TOKUGAWA SHOGUNATE

ABOUT TOKUGAWA

・Ieyasu Tokugawa ( 徳川　家康 )

Founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.and ruler of Japan (1603～16). A gifted leader and brilliant general, early in his career he helped Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi unify Japan. In 1590 he received the area surrounding Edo (Tokyo) in fief, and he later made Edo his capital. After Hideyoshi's death (1598), he became the most powerful daimyo by defeating rival barons in the battle of Sekigahara (1600). He became shogun in 1603, and abdicated in favor of his son Hidetada in 1605, but remained in power until his death in 1616. He used his years as shogun to create and solidify the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan for the next 250 years.