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The Great Torri (`where the birds
reside`) 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
794-1192 AD. The present torii made from camphor wood logs and dating
from 1875 stands 16 metres in height its supporting pillars being hewn from
single tree trunks 10 metres in circumference. Miyajima Island had always been
considered a sacred site by people living in the area 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 first shrines
were probably erected in the 6th century AD with the present
Itsukushima shrine being enlarged to its present size in 1168 AD. Seeming to
float on the sea at high tide, 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 along with a traditional Shinto dance-drama school. Retaining the
pristine nature of Miyajima has always been paramount. Burials on the island remain
forbidden to this day with the torri serving to welcome the spirits
of the departed as they visit 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.
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