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The Great Torri is the gateway to the sacred Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima
Island, off the coast near Hiroshima, in southern Japan. There have been
eight torri since the original was built during the Heian era, between AD
794-1192 The present torii erected in 1875, is made from camphor and stands
16 m in height on pillars being hewn from single tree trunks. Miyajima
Island was always considered a sacred site by local people on account of its
awesome beauty, a sentiment which became formalised over the centuries as
Shinto priests visited by boat to make offerings there. The present
Itsukushima shrine was probably enlarged to its present size in the 12th
century. It is dedicated to three Shinto sea goddesses: Ichikishina, Tagori
and Togitsu who are believed to dwell in the inner sanctum. Other shrines,
linked by walkways, are positioned around the island which also has a
traditional Shinto dance-drama school. Retaining the pristine nature of
Miyajima remains paramount. Burials on the island are forbidden to this day
as the torri serve to welcome departed spirits visiting from across the Seto
Inland Sea. The Itsukushima Shinto Shrine was inscribed on the World
Heritage List in 1996 while the Great Torii itself has become a national
icon in Japan.
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