Collection
Black-Seal Letter by Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
| Black-Seal Letter by Tokugawa Tsunayoshi |
| Ink on paper; 46.8 x 66.0 cm; dated 16th day, 2nd month of Genroku 2 (1689); Important Cultural Property; Gift of the Ii Family |
In 1688, fifth shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (1646–1709) launched repair work on Nikkō Tōshōgū Shrine, which had been built in 1617 in homage to Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. This letter, which is affixed with Tsunayoshi’s black seal, is addressed to fourth Hikone daimyo Ii Naooki (1656–1717), assigning him to supervise the project. Naooki himself went to Nikkō three times to oversee the repairs between 1681 and 1690. This letter illustrates the strong ties between the Ii family and the Tokugawa shoguns.
