Nikkō Tōshō-gū (日光東照宮) is a Tōshō-gū Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.
Together with Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji, it forms the Shrines and Temples of Nikkō UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 42 structures of the shrine included in the nomination. Five of them are designated as National Treasures of Japan, and three more as Important Cultural Properties.
Futarasan jinja (二荒山神社) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It is also known as Nikkō Futarasan Shrine, to distinguish it from the Utsunomiya Futarayama Jinja, which shares the same kanji in its name. Both shrines claim the title of ichinomiya of the former Shimotsuke Province. The main festival of the shrine is held annually from April 13 to April 17.
The shrine consists of three geographically separate sections. The main shrine is located between Nikkō Tōshō-gū and the Taiyū-in Mausoleum. Many visitors go to all three, as well as to Rinnō-ji, which are part of the Shrines and Temples of Nikkō UNESCO World Heritage Site. The "middle shrine" is located off the shore of Lake Chuzenji. The "inner shrine" is located at the summit of Mount Nantai, the volcano overlooking the lake.
Nikkō (日光市, Nikkō-shi; IPA: [ɲikkoꜜːɕi]) is a city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. As of 2 December 2020, the city's population was 80,239, in 36,531 households. The population density was 55 persons per km. The total area of the city is 1,449.83 square kilometres (559.78 sq mi).
Nikkō is a popular destination for Japanese and international tourists. Attractions include the mausoleum of shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Nikkō Tōshō-gū shrine, and that of his grandson Tokugawa Iemitsu (Iemitsu-byō Taiyū-in), along with Futarasan shrine, which dates to the year 767. There are many famous onsen (hot springs) in the area. Elevations range from 200 to 2,000 meters.
A tamagaki (玉垣) is a fence surrounding a Japanese Shinto shrine, a sacred area or an imperial palace. Believed to have been initially just a brushwood barrier of trees, tamagaki have since been made of a variety of materials including wood, stone and—in recent years—concrete. Depending on the material and technique utilized, such fences have a variety of names:
The simple fences of ancient and medieval times became more elaborate in pre-modern Japan with the addition of roofs, wainscoting and grilles between posts. An example is the 1636 Tōzai Sukibei (東西透塀) around the main sanctuary of Nikkō Tōshō-gū.
Tourism in Japan is a major industry and contributor to the Japanese economy. In 2024, the total number of domestic tourists in Japan, including day trips, reached 540 million, while the number of international tourists visiting Japan was 36.87 million. Total tourism consumption within Japan amounted to 34.3 trillion yen ($237 billion), accounting for 5.6% of the country’s GDP of 609 trillion yen ($4,208 billion). Of this amount, Japanese tourists spent 26.2 trillion yen ($181 billion) domestically, while foreign tourists contributed 8.1 trillion yen ($56 billion). From a statistical perspective, spending by international tourists in Japan is classified as exports. As a result, the inbound tourism industry ranks as the second-largest export industry after the automobile industry, which recorded 17.7 trillion yen ($122 billion) in export value. In that year (2024), domestic tourism spending by Japanese nationals, the number of international tourists, and the total tourism spending by international visitors all reached record highs.
In 2025, the number of international tourists is expected to exceed 40 million, and their total spending is projected to surpass 10 trillion yen ($69 billion), both representing all-time highs.