Main Bridge

Shots taken in front of the romon gate. The bridge leads to the main entrance of the shrine grounds. Ironically, most tourists enter from the side or rear due to the lack of parking at the main entrance.

If you have a chance to visit this shrine, I strongly encourage you to enter from the main entrance. You may have to walk a little bit, but it will be well worth it.

Nezu Shrine, Tokyo

Lion-Dog

View from within the main hall looking toward the main gate. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to take pictures inside the actual hall itself albeit understandable. The "lion-dogs" can be found at almost any Shinto Shrine guarding the main hall.

Nezu Shrine, Tokyo

Main Gate

View from the inner sanctuary looking out of the main gate.

Rear view of the romon gate from the front of the main gate to the inner sanctuary.

Main gate leading up to the inner sanctuary with main hall in the background.

Nezu Shrine, Tokyo

Bronze Gold

Gold plated head of a dragon-like creature at the entrance of the main gate of the inner sanctuary.

I love the highly detailed gold-plated, bronze-plated, and colorful woodwork found throughout various parts of the main gate of the inner sanctuary.

This is a shot of the base of one of the huge pillars supporting the main gate to the inner sanctuary.

Nezu Shrine, Tokyo

Romon Gate

Front view of the romon two-story gate.

Side view of the gate.

Intricately carved and painted parts halfway up the gate.

Nezu Shrine, Tokyo

Moss and Poles

Not quite sure, but maybe one of the priests or groundskeepers live in this old Japanese-style building. Like how they use a simple bamboo pole to indicate a non-obtrusive gate to keep tourists out.

I like the simple but intricate woodwork of Shinto shrines and their associated buildings and other structures.

One nice thing about Japan is that it is so humid and wet that moss can easily grow just about anywhere. Makes for a beautiful green carpet!

It's not uncommon to see poles used to support old trees that would otherwise collapse under their own weight or break apart during a severe typhoon.

Nezu Shrine, Tokyo

Torii

They had stopped cooking food at the stalls when we arrived. Maybe due to the bad weather or we were too early in the afternoon. This is a shot of the larger torii gate at one of the entrances to the shrine grounds.

Nezu Shrine, Tokyo