Itsukushima Shinto Shrine

Itsukushima Shinto Shrine is located on Miyajima Island, partially elevated over the water on wooden stilts. Its design is axial, comprising long, covered corridors which connect to the world-famous “floating” torii gate in the bay. The building is low and horizontal in design to convey harmony with the coastline. Constructed of wooden posts and beams painted bright vermilion, it has tiled roofs that curve upward at its edges. Everything is simple, but the surfaces are striking, columns repeat, and shadows are rhythmic, accentuating the corridors. The open sides of the halls shine with natural light, while the water below glints off them; the halls, for example, appear glowy at high tide. The primary materials used are cypress wood and stone footings to sustain tides and earthquakes. The constructed shrine incorporates elements of the sea and of the mountain surroundings. With the “floating” form, it becomes clear the sacred purity of one, harmony with nature, and the spiritual boundaries between human and divine worlds.