This article is based on a visit made on Tuesday, 22 November 2016.
Previously on Sekai Ichi, I visited the
Senjokaku shrine pavilion on Miyajima. It is, in fact, an auxiliary shrine of the Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社,
Itsukushima Jinja) complex, whose most famous parts are the ones built off the shore, over the water. It is the most famous sight of Miyajima island, so no more putting it off. Let's go!
For those arriving from Miyajima's main port, the shrine is a ten-minute walk along the coast. If you come across this stone torii gate, you're on the right path. However, this isn't the torii everyone thinks about...
...this is. The grand torii of Itsukushima Shrine is 16 metres (52½ feet) tall, and is built out of camphor wood to resist decay from the seawater. The four posts supporting it on either side mark it as a
Ryobu torii (両部鳥居,
ryōbu torii). Believe it or not, the posts are not dug into the ground, but simply stand atop a hard base of some sort. The top bar, or
kasagi (
笠木), is filled with stones to help weigh it down.
Edit 29 Mar 2019: Itsukushima Shrine's floating torii will be covered up by scaffolding during renovations, starting in June 2019. It is currently unknown how long this will last, but they are expected to take about a year's time.
The shrine is built on stilts atop a small bay. It was constructed this way because the island behind it was so sacred, that for some time, commoners were not allowed to set foot atop it. They would instead travel to the shrine by boat, passing under the torii gate in the process. Even today, nobody is supposed to give birth or die on the island, and should head back to the mainland if either is imminent. Fun Fact: A similar arrangement exists for the small Greek island of
Delos, which also has strong religious significance.
There are three deities enshrined at Itsukushima shrine: Ichikishima-hime (市杵島姫命,
Ichikishima Hime no Mikoto), Tagori-hime (田心姫命,
Tagori Hime no Mikoto), and Tagitsu-hime (湍津姫命,
Tagitsu Hime no Mikoto). They are the three daughters of
Amaterasu, the sun goddess, and
Susano'o, her brother. If you've played
Okami, at least some of those names should ring familiar. Also, yes, there was brother-sister incest involved. That sort of thing happens among quite a few pantheons around the world. But, that aside, the shrine which has been dedicated to them is very pretty. A straight line connects the
torii, the
kagura stage, and the main hall behind it, for a spot of stunning symmetry.
Some views were not as crowded as others, such as this look back towards the entrance. The Senjokaku hall and pagoda can be seen in the back.
The bay atop which Itsukushima Shrine was built rises and falls with the tides. At high tide, the shrine and its torii appear to float atop the water. There are boats which cruise under the torii in such conditions, much as they have in the days of old. And at low tide, visitors may walk out to the torii on on solid, albeit muddy, ground. The predicted peak times for both high and low tides are posted near the shrine's entrance. As you can see, I came here closer to high tide, which makes for a prettier picture, I'd say.
A collection of goods donated to the shrine is stacked along the west corridor, near the exit. I presume most of these to be barrels of sake, except the ones on the left. The sign above them reads the name and logo of the
Kikkoman corporation, so they must contain soy sauce instead. (Although, they do produce sake and other beverages as well.)
Also along the back way, we can see this large curved bridge. It is called
Sori-bashi (反橋, lit. 'curved bridge'), and/or
Chokushi-bashi (勅使橋, lit. 'imperial messenger's bridge'). The railings are painted in the same vermilion colour as the rest of the shrine, while the posts holding it up are dyed black with
sumi (墨) ink. The contrasting colours and its shape make for a striking appearance, I'd say. If I recall correctly, it was closed to pedestrians, though.
Traffic through the shrine flows in from the northeast side, and out through the other end on the west. When you walk out, there are a couple of places in front of you that you might be interested in visiting. The closest is Daigan-ji (8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, free), a Buddhist temple (some of its auxiliary buildings are pictured). Itsukushima Shrine itself has a separate treasure hall (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, ¥300) across the street from Daigan-ji. And behind them you can find the Miyajima History and Folk Museum (8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, ¥300) and the Miyajima Public Aquarium (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, ¥1,400). Alas, I was unaware of those places, and instead aimlessly wandered uphill until I reached the ropeway up to Mount Misen. But that's a story for another day.
So until then, I shall leave you with a new sign-off selfie. Taken on the pier pointing towards the grand torii, this one is a particular favourite among my family. Because of all the people who come to visit the shrine, there is liable to be a small queue of people who are doing the same. So while it may not be all that of an original view anymore, it is no less pleasant. But, all those other people in line behind you mean you'll have to move on soon, and move on I did -- to Momijidani Park, next time on Sekai Ichi!
Hours: Open from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM from March to mid-October; hours vary with season. No regular closing days.
Costs: ¥300. A combined ticket with the treasure hall costs ¥500, and must be purchased from the shrine's main entrance.
Address: 1-1 Miyajima-chō, Hatsukaichi-shi, Hiroshima-ken 〒739-0588
Access: Itsukushima Shrine is 10 minutes on foot from Miyajima Pier.
Directions: From Miyajima Pier, turn right and walk along the coastline. If you pass under the stone torii, you're on the right path. The shrine entrance will be on your right. Note that the exit is on the other end of the shrine grounds.
Website:
(English) (Japanese)
