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Nemuri-neko
Nemuri-neko ( or , "sleeping cat", from ''nemuri'', "sleeping/peaceful" and ''neko'', "cat") is a famous wood carving by Hidari Jingorō (左甚五郎の作) located in the East corridor at Nikkō Tōshō-gū, Tōshō-gū Shrine (日光東照宮) in Nikkō, Japan. The Japanese sleeping cat is modeled after the famous crouching nemurineko carving by Hidari Jingorō. Based on the writing of Zempei Matsumura's book, ''Nikkō Tōshō-gū Shrine and Jingorō Hidari'' published by Nohi Publishing Company in 1975: Hidari Jingorō loved cats and was fascinated by cats. Jingorō spent eight months in seclusion to refine his knowledge and technique in wood sculpturing. He spent the majority of his time studying, sculpturing, and carving wooden cats that appeared lifelike in various shapes. According to Matsumura, it was Jingorō's goal to carve and sculpture lifelike cats by making "utmost efforts in the future to create a new style in the field of sculpturing". Prior to his seclusion ...
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Nikkō Tōshō-gū
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. History Tōshō-gū is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. It was initially built in 1617, during the Edo period, while Ieyasu's son Hidetada was ''shōgun''. It was enlarged during the time of the third shōgun, Iemitsu. Ieyasu is enshrined there, where his remains are also entombed. This shrine was built by Tokugawa retainer Tōdō Takatora. During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate carried out stately processions from Edo to the Nikkō Tōshō-gū along the Nikkō Kaidō. The shrine's annual spring and autumn festivals reenact these occasions, and are known as "processions ...
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Wood Carving
Wood carving (or woodcarving) is a form of woodworking by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculpture, sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object. The phrase may also refer to the finished product, from individual sculptures to hand-worked mouldings composing part of a tracery. The making of sculpture in wood has been History of wood carving, extremely widely practised, but does not survive undamaged as well as the other main materials like Stone sculpture, stone and bronze, as it is vulnerable to decay, insect damage, and fire. Therefore, it forms an important hidden element in the art history of many cultures. Outdoor wood sculptures do not last long in most parts of the world, so it is still unknown how the totem pole tradition developed. Many of the most important sculptures of China and Japan, in particular, are in wood, and so are th ...
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Hidari Jingorō
was a possibly fictitious Japanese artist. Some people and sources state his real name was Itami Toshikatsu. A Renaissance man, he worked as a sculptor, carpenter, painter, architect, comedian, actor, ''kōdanshi'' (rhythmical storyteller) and professor of art. Although various studies suggest he was active in the early Edo period (around 1596–1644), there are controversies about the historical existence of the person. Jingorō is believed to have created many famous deity sculptures located throughout Japan, and many legends have been told about him. His famous ''nemuri-neko'' ("sleeping cat") carving is located above the Kuguri-mon Gate amidst the sacred mountain shrines and temples of Nikkō, Japan. Amongst these shrines and temples is Nikkō Tōshō-gū, a shrine that honors the Shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The two dragon carvings at the '' karamon'' in Ueno Tōshō-gū are also attributed to him.English information panel at Ueno Tōshō-gū. Other sculptors were reportedly je ...
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Nikkō
is a Cities of Japan, city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city's population was 80,239, in 36,531 households. The population density was 55 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Nikkō is a popular destination for Japanese and international tourists. Attractions include the mausoleum of ''shōgun'' Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Nikkō Tōshō-gū, 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. The Japanese saying " – with meaning splendid, magnificent, or satisfied – is a reflection of the beauty and sites in Nikkō. Geography Nikkō covers a vast area (1,449.83 km2) of rural northwestern Tochigi, approximately 140 km north of Tokyo and 35 km west of Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi Prefecture. It is the third-largest ...
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Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea in the south. The Japanese archipelago consists of four major islands—Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu—and List of islands of Japan, thousands of smaller islands, covering . Japan has a population of over 123 million as of 2025, making it the List of countries and dependencies by population, eleventh-most populous country. The capital of Japan and List of cities in Japan, its largest city is Tokyo; the Greater Tokyo Area is the List of largest cities, largest metropolitan area in the world, with more than 37 million inhabitants as of 2024. Japan is divided into 47 Prefectures of Japan, administrative prefectures and List of regions of Japan, eight traditional regions. About three-quarters of Geography of Japan, the countr ...
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Nohi Publishing Company
Nohi is a sub-prefecture of Ennedi Region in Chad Chad, officially the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North Africa, North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to Chad–Libya border, the north, Sudan to Chad–Sudan border, the east, the Central Afric .... References Populated places in Chad {{Chad-geo-stub ...
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Imperial Court In Kyoto
The Imperial Court in Kyoto was the nominal ruling government of Japan from 794 AD until the Meiji period (1868–1912), after which the court was moved from Kyoto (formerly Heian-kyō) to Tokyo (formerly Edo) and integrated into the Meiji government. Upon the court being moved to Kyoto from Nagaoka by Emperor Kanmu (737–806), the struggles for power regarding the throne that had characterized the Nara period diminished. Kyoto was selected as the location for the court because of its "proper" amount of rivers and mountains which were believed to be the most auspicious surroundings for the new capital. The capital itself was built in imitation of Chang'an, the Chinese capital of the Tang dynasty, closely following the theories of yin-yang. The most prominent group of people within the court was the civil aristocracy (kuge) which was the ruling class of society that exercised power on behalf of the emperor. Kyoto's identity as a political, economic, and cultural centre starte ...
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Yakushi Nyorai
Bhaiṣajyaguru (, zh, t= , , , , ), or ''Bhaishajyaguru'', formally Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabha-rāja ("Medicine Master and King of Lapis Lazuli Light"; zh, t=藥師琉璃光(王)如來, , , ), is the Buddha of healing and medicine in Mahāyāna Buddhism. Commonly referred to as the "Medicine Buddha", he is described as a doctor who cures suffering (Pali/Sanskrit: dukkha/ duḥkha) using the medicine of his teachings. The image of Bhaiṣajyaguru is usually expressed with a canonical Buddha-like form holding a gallipot and, in some versions, possessing blue or deep green skin. Though also considered to be a guardian of the East, in most cases, Akshobhya is given that role. As an exceptional case, the honzon of Mount Kōya's Kongōbu Temple was changed from Akshobhya to Bhaiṣajyaguru. Origin Bhaiṣajyaguru is described in the eponymous ''Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabha-rāja Sūtra'', commonly called the ''Medicine Buddha Sutra'', as a bodhisattva who ma ...
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