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Itsukushima Shrine

Itsukushima Shrine (Itsukushima-jinja) is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima), best known for its "floating" torii gate.

It is in the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan, accessible from the mainland by ferry at Miyajimaguchi Station.

The Itsukushima shrine is one of Japan's most popular tourist attractions. It is most famous for its dramatic gate, or torii on the outskirts of the shrine, the sacred peaks of Mount Misen, extensive forests, and its ocean view.

The shrine complex itself consists of two main buildings: the Honsha shrine and the Sessha Marodo-jinja, as well as 17 other different buildings and structures that help to distinguish it.

Hatsukaichi map.
Itsukushima Shrine is in the center. The harbor is at the bottom left.


Miyajimaguchi Station.
With Bugaku Statue of King Ranryo.


Ferry services for Miyajima (Itsukushima).
From the pier near Miyajimaguchi Station there are ferry services for Miyajima (Itsukushima) by JR Miyajima Ferry and Miyajima Matsudai Kisen.


Mount Misen.
Mount Misen is the sacred mountain on Itsukushima in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, Japan.

  • Mount Misen is the highest mountain on the island at 535 m.
  • The north side of the mountain is covered by primeval forest.
  • Mount Misen was visited by Kukai in the year 806, the 1st year of the Daido era. Since ancient times, the mountain has been an important destination for religious visitors.
  • See more at Mount Misen - Wikipedia.

Stone torii gate (Ishi no Otorii).
Stone gate with two lion-dogs, one on each side.

  • A torii is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred.
  • See more at Torii - Wikipedia.
  • Komainu, often called lion-dogs in English, are statue pairs of lion-like creatures either guarding the entrance.
  • Meant to ward off evil spirits, modern komainu statues usually are almost identical, but one has the mouth open, the other closed. The two forms are called a-gyo (lit. '"a" shape') and un-gyo (lit. '"un" shape') or referred to collectively as a-un.
  • See more at Komainu - Wikipedia.

More lion-dogs.
Further along the path we can find another pair of lion-dogs.


Divine Horse House (Jinmesha).
Before entering the sanctuary we can find the house of the divine horse.

  • The horse is dedicated to the shrine to serve as a divine messenger for the deity.
  • It was once common for Shinto shrines to keep sacred horses on the grounds, but most discontinued the practice due to the extensive care required.
  • In modern times, only white horses are chosen to be the shinme.
  • The “duties” of the sacred horse include greeting shrine visitors and participating in certain festivals and ceremonies.

Grand Torii Gate (Otorii).
The most recognizable and celebrated feature of the Itsukushima shrine, is its fifty-foot tall vermilion otorii gate ("great gate"), built of decay-resistant camphor wood.

  • The placement of an additional leg in front of and behind each main pillar identifies the torii as reflecting the style of Ryobu Shinto (dual Shinto), a medieval school of esoteric Japanese Buddhism associated with the Shingon Sect.
  • The torii appears to be floating only at high tide. When the tide is low, it is approachable by foot from the island. Gathering shellfish near the gate is popular at low tide.

General view of Itsukushima Shrine.
General view of the shrine from the access road.


Detail of the seafront of the shrine.
Detail of the seafront of the shrine from the access road.


General view of the shrine from the east.

Worship Entrance (Sanpai iriguchi).
Entrance to the shrine is from the northwest.


Copper lanterns.

Lion-dog in front of the Sessha Marodo Shrine.
On each side of the Upper Stage is one of these lion-dogs.


Upper Stage in front of the Purification Hall.

Purification Hall (Honsha Haraiden).

Inside Itsukushima Shrine.
The Itsukushima shrine is dedicated to the three daughters of Susano-o no Mikoto: Ichikishimahime no mikoto, Tagorihime no mikoto, and Tagitsuhime no mikoto. Otherwise known as the sanjoshin or "three female deities", these Shinto deities are the goddesses of seas and storms.

  • Kiyomori believed the goddesses to be "manifestations of Kannon," therefore the island was understood as the home of the bodhisattva.
  • In Japanese, the word Itsukushima translates to "island dedicated to the gods."
  • The island itself is also considered to be a god, which is why the shrine was built on the outskirts of the island.

Steeply arched bridge (Sorihashi).
In Japanese culture, symbolise our journey through life.


Noh Stage (No butai).
Extending from the sides of the haraiden of the main shrine is a noh stage which dates from 1590.

  • Noh theater performances have long been used to pay homage to the gods through the ritual acting out of key events in Shinto myth.
  • See more at Noh - Wikipedia.

Leaving Miyajima Island.

See also

Source

Location

Location: 1-1 Miyajimachō, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima 739-0588, Japan