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and banners belonging to 36 Buddhas
and a wonderful Mandara of Dainichi-
Nyorai. Close by is a pillar called
Sorinto, said to avert evil influences.
The pillar is of a form strange to our eyes
with horizontal bars resting on shorter pillars
and on each a series of lotus flower cups.
Next come the Mausoleums of
Iyeyasu before which stand the
grand Toris of Granite presented by
Prince Chikusen,1618 from his
own quarries. A very fine pagoda
5 stories high rises close by to the height of
104 feet. The wonderful green and grey & red
colouring among the magnificent cryptomerias
must strike every eye with admiration.
From the Toris a pavement leads you
to a flight of very broad steps
to the Gate of the Nio Kings. Great figures
occupy the niches, outside of these
gates. The carvings of fabulous beasts
called Takuju seem wonderful but
these people are very full of romance.
A carving of an elephant has the joints
of hind legs bent the wrong way.
Close to this stands the stable of the