What kind of shrine is Itsukushima Shrine? It is a shrine in Aki, a symbol of the prosperity of the Heike clan!
Itsukushima Shrine is located on Itsukushima (Miyajima) Island in Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and is situated on the sea.
According to legend, the shrine was founded in 593, the first year of the reign of Emperor Suiko, when Kuramoto Saeki, a member of a powerful family, received an oracle to build a shrine and constructed a shrine pavilion to worship Princess Ichikishimahime no Mikoto.
Itsukushima as a whole has been the object of mountain worship since ancient times, and in the Heian period (794-1185) it became the first shrine in the Aki province (the highest shrine in a certain region).
In the late Heian Period, the shrine was built by Taira no Kiyomori, who became the guardian of Aki Province, and was revered by the Heike clan.
In the Warring States Period, the shrine was revered by Mori Motonari, who ruled Itsukushima, and it is said that Toyotomi Hideyoshi visited the shrine on his way to conquer Kyushu.
In the Edo period (1603-1868), pilgrimages to Itsukushima were popularized by the people, and the island was registered as a World Heritage site in 1996.
Itsukushima Shrine World Heritage Site The spots you should especially see are introduced!
Itsukushima Shrine is home to six national treasures and 11 important cultural properties.
The most notable of these are the “Honden” (main hall) and “Hirabutai” (flat stage), both national treasures.
The first “Honden” was built in the Heian period (794-1185) with the assistance of Taira no Kiyomori, then governor of Aki. Due to a fire in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and reconstruction in the Muromachi period (1333-1568), it is not the same as the original, but the scale and style are the same as those of the Heian period.
The “Hirabutai,” which is the garden of the main hall, is one of the three main stages in Japan, and is used for the launching and return of boats during the “Kangensai” festival.
(The Kangensai is a Shinto ritual in which a boat is floated and the strings are played in concert.
The Otorii is a must-see for all visitors to Itsukushima.
The Otorii is the most famous of Itsukushima Shrine’s structures, measuring approximately 16 meters in height.
The most impressive part of the Otorii is that it is erected by the torii itself.
To prevent the torii from collapsing in the wind or waves, about 7 tons of stones are packed into the upper part of the torii, called “torigi,” which serves as a “weight.
In addition, the torii is supported by six main pillars and supporting posts to prevent it from collapsing.
However, please note that the Otorii can only be seen up close at low tide.
Please check the website for the time zone of high and low tides.
Access to Itsukushima Shrine
《Location》
1-1 Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima 739-0588
《Train/Ferry》
Get off at Miyajimaguchi Station on the JR Sanyo Main Line or Hiroden Miyajimaguchi Station on the Hiroshima Electric Railway Line, and take a ferry at Miyajimaguchi Pier (ferry) to Miyajima Pier. It is a 15-minute walk to Itsukushima Shrine.
Official Site
Be sure to check the official website before you go.
The official website is Click here