Why Nik-ko is Beautiful 



303 



NEAR IEYASU S MAUSOLEUM 



On the way to Chuzenji is a graveyard so overshadowed with cryptomerias that it is hard 

 to get good photos;. This avenue is formed by the lofty monolithic gravestones of the illus- 

 trious Samurai, who had the Shogun's permission to commit hara kiri in order to accompany 

 their beloved Ievasu on his journev of death. 



fined in narrow and winding lava chan- 

 nels just above the town, where the 

 swollen waters boil with frightful noise. 

 It is one of the sights of Nik-ko to watch 

 the violent threshing of the water there 

 upon the twisted sides and cavities of the 

 unyielding lava. Just below this hell- 

 gate, called Gamman-ga-fuchi, is the Im- 

 perial bridge, one of the charms of which 

 to me is that its massive stone posts rest 

 on the last appearance of the lava beds 

 that flowed down from an unknown vol- 

 cano of the distant past. Far up the hill 

 to the left the tomb of Ievasu stands on 

 the highest part of this same ancient lava 

 stratum. 



The artificial beauty of Nik-ko centers 

 around the Rinno temple and the mauso- 



leums of Ievasu and Iemitsu. To meet 

 the two men who hold the highest places 

 in the sacred enclosures, and talk with 

 them about the intensely interesting his- 

 tory of this region, is a real education. 

 Being favored through our (then) lega- 

 tion with letters of introduction from the 

 Home Minister, I was shown the national 

 treasures of the Buddhist temple and of 

 the Ievasu mausoleum. This is no place 

 to go into details, but I was so cordially 

 met by these gentlemen that I wish to add 

 to this partial description of Nik-ko the 

 faces of these distinguished officials from 

 photographs they kindly gave me. The 

 position of high priest, or abbot, in 

 Rinno- ji is an Imperial appointment. The 

 young princes and princesses who spend 



