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It was an outcome of Ieyasu's astuteness that the great Hongwan temple was divided into two branches, eastern and western, by which process its influence was prevented from becoming excessive.
To prevent other families from growing too rich and powerful seems to have been a part of Ieyasu's definite plan for holding in check possible rivals of the Tokugawa, so that it is not impossible that he foresaw this very result.
Immediately on coming into power, he moved a large army against the castle of Nagashino in the province of Mikawa, one of Ieyasu's strongholds. This was in June, 1575, and on the news reaching Nobunaga, the latter lost no time in setting out to succour his ally.
This is a flourishing, commercial city, with one of the longest and widest streets we had seen in Japan. The garrison occupies the castle, whose approach is the same as in the olden time through gates and past moats. This castle was erected in 1610 by twenty great feudal lords to serve as a residence for Ieyasu's son.
He entrusted its prosecution to Todo Takatora, and in 1616, the year of Ieyasu's death, Todo induced Konoe Nobuhiro, minister of the Right, to promote this undertaking. Nobuhiro, being the Emperor's younger brother, was able to exert much influence, and finally the ex-Emperor gave his consent.
Thus, Ieyasu's love of literature may be regarded as a cause of the peace that prevailed under the Tokugawa for 260 years." Ieyasu employed four instruments for educational purposes the establishment of schools, the engagement of professors, the collection of ancient literary works, and the printing of books.
Now that it has been changed into a Shinto shrine and is under the patronage of the Government, the Buddhas and attendant Buddhas of the olden time are no longer to be seen. An old mossy staircase and a time-worn pavement lead to Ieyasu's tomb, before which stand two long tables.
Such was the case with the son of Hosokawa Tadaoki; with Goto Matabei, chief vassal of Kuroda Nagamasa, and with Nambu Saemon, principal retainer of Nambu Nobunao. These three and many others repaired to the castle of Osaka, and being there secure against any unarmed attempt of the Tokugawa to arrest them, they virtually defied Ieyasu's control.
But at Oyama in Shimotsuke news reached him that Ishida and his partisans had drawn the sword in the west, and had seized Osaka, together with the wives and families of several of the captains who were with Ieyasu's army.
The temple is much less magnificent than Ieyasu's, but a more perfect representation of the Buddhist art, inasmuch as here can be seen the interior as it was originally. After the restoration in 1886, the interiors of all the other temples were changed to meet the requirements of the Shinto faith, that being the State religion.
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