Professor Screech, a scholar of Japanese studies whose primary field of study is Edo, continues to shed light on history that has been preserved in the form of a wide range of visual information. In his keynote speech, Prof. Screech explained why and how Tokugawa Ieyasu came to be enshrined as Tosho Daigongen, and also delved deeper into the history of Nikko Toshogu, which enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu, through its art and architecture.

Prof. Screech began his commentary in fluent Japanese while presenting paintings and photographs on the screen. Ieyasu died in 1616, and it is said that his body was initially buried at the current location of Kunozan Toshogu (Shizuoka Prefecture). Professor Screech recounted what he had actually seen of this area a beautiful place with Mount Fuji and Miho no Matsubara nearby.

The following year, Ieyasu's body was moved to Nikko, where a shrine was built. Nikko was chosen because it was directly north of Edo, an important direction signifying power and protection. Ieyasu was deified in part because of the influence of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who had died years before him and was enshrined as Toyokuni Daimyojin. It was about 20 years after Ieyasu’s death when his grandson, the third shogun Iemitsu, made extensive renovations and invested a large sum of money to build the extravagant Nikko Toshogu. Prof. Screech explained the evolution of architectural styles and features, with a comparison to Hideyoshi's mausoleum in Kyoto.

Finally, Prof. Screech introduced one of the unique features of Nikko: its lanterns. The main Buddha associated with Tosho Daigongen is Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha who cures illnesses, and from many centuries before, lanterns were used in ceremonies for this Buddha. For this reason, there are numerous lanterns placed inside Nikko Toshogu. Date Masamune, a samurai warlords, was the first person to offer lanterns, and those were made of Portuguese bronze. Some were gifts from Ieyasu's granddaughter, Tofukumon’in (Kazuko Tokugawa), and others were made in the style of the famous demon carved lanterns ryutoki [demon with dragon lantern] from the Kamakura period. The Netherlands sent three unusual lanterns, including a chandelier-shaped one as a gift. These offerings might be seen as a symbol of Ieyasu's recognition as a deity by the rest of the world.

The lecture was an interesting opportunity to explore the historical figure Tokugawa Ieyasu, a man well known by all, from the perspective of Shintoism and Buddhism, and to depict him in the context of Nikko's architecture and art.