UNESCO · Cultural · 1996
Itsukushima Shinto Shrine
厳島神社いつくしまじんじゃItsukushima-jinjaA shrine on the sea, framed by a sacred mountain
Itsukushima Shinto Shrine on the island of Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture is a complex of vermilion halls and corridors built over the tidal flats of the Seto Inland Sea, with its great torii gate standing in the water offshore. Laid out in its present form by Taira no Kiyomori in the 12th century, it was inscribed in 1996 together with the sea before it and the forested slopes of Mount Misen.
Overview
Itsukushima, commonly called Miyajima (Shrine Island), lies in the western Seto Inland Sea just off the coast south-west of Hiroshima. The island itself has long been worshipped as a deity, and so the shrine was built not on its soil but over the shallow bay at the foot of Mount Misen. At high tide the halls, corridors and stage appear to float; at low tide the sea retreats and the torii can be reached on foot across the sand.
A shrine is said to have existed here from 593. Its present layout goes back to Taira no Kiyomori, the powerful courtier-warrior who made Itsukushima the tutelary shrine of the Taira clan and rebuilt it around 1168 in the manner of a Heian aristocratic palace. Fires in the 13th century led to reconstruction on the same plan, and later patrons — the Mori warlords, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the Asano lords of Hiroshima — added halls, a Noh stage, a pagoda and repairs.
The inscribed property includes the shrine buildings, the stretch of sea in which they stand and the primeval forest on the slopes of Mount Misen (535 m) that forms their backdrop, while the rest of the island and the surrounding sea form the buffer zone. The island lies within Setonaikai National Park.
Why it is World Heritage
UNESCO recognised four criteria. The shrine's arrangement of buildings over the water against a mountain backdrop is a masterpiece of human creativity that unites artistic and technical skill (criterion i). It displays the Japanese concept of scenic beauty in which nature and human work are combined, a concept that influenced shrine and landscape design (criterion ii).
The complex is the finest example of shrine architecture based on the aesthetic of the Heian-period shinden-zukuri palace (criterion iv). As a sacred island where the natural setting is itself the object of worship, it is also an exceptional expression of Shinto belief (criterion vi).
Component sites
Main shrine and corridors
本社本殿・廻廊Honsha Honden, KairōThe main sanctuary, rebuilt in 1571 under Mori Motonari, and the roofed corridors of about 275 m that link the halls over the water; their floorboards are laid with gaps to let the sea pressure escape at high tide.
Great torii
大鳥居ŌtoriiSome 200 m offshore and about 16 m high, the present gate dates from 1875; its main pillars are natural camphor trunks and it stands under its own weight without being sunk into the seabed. It was restored between 2019 and 2022.
Noh stage
能舞台Nō ButaiDonated in 1680 by the lord of Hiroshima, Asano Tsunanaga; the only Noh stage in Japan built over the sea.
Five-storey pagoda and Senjokaku
五重塔・千畳閣Gojū-no-tō, SenjōkakuThe pagoda of 1407 combines Japanese and Chinese styles; the vast hall known as the Hall of a Thousand Mats was begun by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1587 and never completed.
- 弥山原始林Misen Genshirin
Evergreen forest on the island's highest peak, protected for centuries as sacred ground and designated a Natural Monument; the mountain is also a centre of Shingon Buddhist practice.
History
593
Traditional founding date of the shrine by Saeki no Kuramoto.
1164
The Taira dedicate the Heike Nokyo, illuminated sutra scrolls now a National Treasure.
c. 1168
Taira no Kiyomori rebuilds the shrine in the shinden style as the Taira clan shrine.
1207, 1223
Fires destroy the shrine twice; it is rebuilt on the same plan.
1555
Mori Motonari defeats Sue Harukata at the Battle of Itsukushima on the island.
1571
Mori Motonari rebuilds the main sanctuary.
1875
Erection of the present great torii.
1996
Inscription on the World Heritage List.
Visiting
- Ferries run to Miyajima from Miyajimaguchi, reached by JR Sanyo Line or tram from Hiroshima; the crossing takes about ten minutes, and direct boats also leave from central Hiroshima.
- Tide tables decide the experience: the shrine appears to float at high tide, while at low tide the torii can be approached on foot.
- Mount Misen can be climbed on foot trails through the protected forest or partly by ropeway; the summit views take in the islands of the Inland Sea.
- The island's deer are wild animals protected as sacred; feeding them is discouraged by the local authorities.
- The Kangensai music festival, with court music played on boats, is held in summer on the 17th day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Itsukushima Shrine built over the water?
The whole island was regarded as a deity, so the shrine was placed on the tidal flats rather than on sacred ground. The water also created the effect of a palace floating on the sea.
Can you walk to the floating torii?
Yes, at low tide the sand flat in front of the shrine is exposed and the torii can be reached on foot; at high tide it stands in the sea.
Is Miyajima the same as Itsukushima?
Yes. Itsukushima is the island's official name; Miyajima, 'shrine island', is the name in everyday use.
Does the World Heritage property include the whole island?
No. It covers the shrine, the sea in front of it and the forested slopes of Mount Misen, about 14 per cent of the island; the rest of Itsukushima forms the buffer zone.
How far is Miyajima from Hiroshima?
About an hour from central Hiroshima by train or tram and ferry, or less by direct boat from the Peace Memorial Park area.
Related
Sources
- 1.Itsukushima Shinto Shrine (opens in a new tab) — UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- 2.日本の世界遺産一覧 (opens in a new tab) — 文化庁
- 3.世界遺産 厳島神社 (opens in a new tab) — 厳島神社
- 4.廿日市市 (opens in a new tab) — 廿日市市