Toshogu and its cedar approach

Toshogu, the mausoleum shrine of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, is the most lavishly decorated shrine in Japan. The approach climbs through tall cedars and stone lanterns to the Yomeimon gate, covered in carved and painted figures, with the famous three monkeys and the sleeping cat elsewhere in the precinct.

The cedar approach and the stone steps give the best portrait frames — dark trunks, mossy lanterns and the shrine buildings glowing beyond. Inside the precinct the detail is extraordinary, but the crowds are dense.

Entry is paid, some buildings do not allow photography, and the shrine sets its own rules for professional shoots — check before you go. Mornings are the quietest.