Spring time at my most favorite Japanese landmark!! The Great Torii gate of Miyajima, WORLD HERITAGE site!! National Important Cultural Property The giant torii gate at Itsukushima Shrine is a wooden Ryobu style (four legged style) torii. It stands at 16.6m, with a top crosspiece length of 24.2m, main pillars 9.9m around, and a gross weight of 60t. The wood has had a vermillion lacquer (Komyotan lacquer) applied, the main pillars are made from camphor, and the smaller supporting pillars are made from cedar. The current torii is the 8th generation since the Heian Period and was rebuilt in 1875. The top crosspiece and tie beams were turned into boxes and filled with 5t of rocks and sand. The base is just placed on the seafloor, and the gate stands of its own weight. The foundation of the main pillars use breakwaters called senbonkui, where 30 – 100 pine piles (45cm – 60cm long) are driven in around each pillar. Camphor trees have a high specific gravity and are resistant to rotting and insects. On the west side of the top crosspiece is a crescent moon mark, and on the east side a sun mark, showing the influence of yin-yang. “Itsukushima Shrine” is written on the framed plaque on the offing side and “Itsukishima Shrine” written on the temple side. The plaque today was written up by Prince Arisugawa Taruhito when the torii was rebuilt in 1875.
AloJapan.com