Itsukushima Shrine

The Itsukushima Shrine is located on Miyajima Island, which is officially named Itsukushima. The island is situated in the Seto Inland Sea, a short ferry ride from the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is built directly on the shore, allowing the sea to wash beneath its pier structures at high tide.

The massive offshore torii gate appears to float because it is constructed in the shallow waters of the bay, separated from the main shrine buildings. At high tide, the sea level rises to cover the base of the gate, creating the illusion that it is hovering over the water. At low tide, visitors can walk out across the mudflats to view the massive wooden pillars up close.

The shrine was prominently established and dedicated by Taira no Kiyomori, a powerful warlord of the Heian period, in the 12th century. He chose to build it over the water so that commoners would not have to set foot on the sacred island itself. The current architectural layout is largely based on the designs commissioned by Kiyomori.

The shrine is dedicated to the three daughters of the Shinto god of storms and the sea, Susanoo. These goddesses, known as Ichikishima-hime, Tagitsu-hime, and Tagori-hime, are worshipped as deities of the sea and maritime safety. Because they are sea deities, the entire shrine complex was designed to harmonize with the ocean tides.