CHAPTER XVII.

THE TOMBS OF THE SHOGUNS.

THE famous shrines of Nikko lie outside the town, at the foot of the hills on the other side of the bustling river Daiyd-Gawa. The town itself was not born yesterday, but the temples and tombs count their years by centuries. There is record of a Buddhist temple here in the middle of the eighth century. The importance of Nikko dates from the seventeenth, when Iyeyasu, the founder of the mighty race of Tycoons who for 250 years held imperial sway in Japan, was buried here. The first Tycoon-or Shogun, as he was earlier calledwas deified, and religion was called in to aid courtiership in making Nikko a holy place. The vassals of the reigning Shogun vied with each other in the magnificence of the presents with which they endowed the tomb of the founder of the race. A prince of the Imperial blood became Abbot of Nikko, and through

the year solemn processions were made to the tomb.

In 1868, when the revolution broke the power of the Shoguns, there was a PrinceAbbot of the Mikado's family at the head of the monastery. The Shogun party played their last card when they seized him, carried him off to the North, and proclaimed him Mikado. Victory still clung to the banners of the reigning Mikado. The young pretender surrendered, the power of the Tycoon was irretrievably broken, and with his fall much of the glory of Nikko has departed.

There are two bridges across the river leading to the temples and the tombs. One is painted a bright red, of the glaring colour in which the temples flame forth. It was built in the year 1638, and it is boasted that since then the cost of repairs has been merely nominal. This is the less marvel since the bridge is very rarely used, being opened only once or twice a year for pilgrim processions, and for the rest being close barred. A little lower down the stream is the more ordinarylooking and much more useful structure over which traffic passes without restriction. Crossing this, turning to the left and walking up the bank lined on either side with cedars, we come upon a temple, the name of which

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being translated is "the Hall of the Three Buddhas.' These three Buddhas are the Thousand-Handed Kwan - non, the Horse headed Kwan-non, and Amida Nio-Rai. The title of the Thousand-Handed Kwan-non is rather boldly assigned, since the great gilt doll that bears the name has only forty armsquite enough, it is true, but it is well to be exact, and a good deal happens between forty and a thousand.

On the matting before these images copper coins were sprinkled, the gifts of the faithful. They were minute in value, being almost exclusively rin, ten of which go to make a halfpenny. Some had placed their offerings in paper, a mark both of deeper respect and greater affluence, as seldom less than five rin were placed in the packets, and occasionally the contents ran as high as ten. The moneybox forms a prominent feature in all the temples. There is none here approaching the proportions of the vast gridiron into which rin are rained at Asakusa on the fête day of the God of Happiness. But each shrine has its money-box outside, while single gifts in coin may, without incurring reproach, be strewed on matting before the god whom it is desired to propitiate.

In truth the hat goes round with great per

sistence in the temples of Japan, whether Buddhist or Shinto. On approaching nearly every one of these sacred halls, wherever situated, the visitor will note a hoarding, sometimes two or three, erected upon upright wooden posts, and covered with writing, just like the advertisements in railway stations or on hoarding before unfinished buildings. These boards are truly advertisements, but have about them nothing relating to the modern bill-poster. Each strip of wood contains a record of the name of a donor to the building or sustentation fund in connection with the temple, together with the amount presented. I was not able to learn where this clever device was first essayed; but it has proved highly successful and is now common in all the temples. Any man at the expenditure of a few yen may have his name thus set up on high in holy places.

Before the Hall of the Three Buddhas is a curious sun-dial, consisting of an upright post. From the shadow cast on the ground the time is ascertained and the great bell struck. This most musical instrument stands on a mound a little to the right of the temple. As the hours come round a man mounts up to the bell, and with the whole weight of his body pulls back a wooden ram slung at right angles with the

bell. This being released falls back and strikes the bronze casting, and through the valleys, up the hills and across the little town of Nikko, there floats a note of exquisite melody.

At the back of the temple is a black pillar crowned with a series of six gilded cups in the form of lotus flowers. This grim copper column is erected to celebrate the memorable feat of an early bishop of the Buddhist Church, who in honour of the first Shogun read at a single stretch the ten thousand books of Buddha. This feat occupied him seven days, during which neither meat nor drink passed his lips, only the names of Buddha. By the side of this well-authenticated feat Mr. Biggar's famous effort, when in the House of Commons he through four hours read Blue Books to the Speaker and the clerks at the table, becomes of small account. Zigendaishi was the name of this hero, in whose too-early birth Mr. Parnell lost the opportunity of securing a notable follower.

Behind this temple is a smaller one, on the pillars of which are pasted numerous slips of paper containing the names and addresses of pilgrims who have wended their way hither from all parts of the Empire. The way to the tomb of the first Shogun leads up a broad