Zuiho-den Mausoleum was built for the warlord Date Masamune in the year after his death. It was inspired by Nikko's famous Tosho-gu Mausoleum, which had been built between 1634 and 1636. It was destroyed during the 1945 bombings then reconstructed almost identically in the 1970s, although concrete replaced the original wood. Although the reconstruction has the same hieratic, lugubrious black set off by the brilliance of the gilding, the comparison ends there due to concrete and varnished wood making for very different edifices. Following the earthquakes and tsunami of March 11 2011 and the ensuing nuclear accidents, we recommend you consult the National Tourist Office of Japan: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/index.html