Itsukushima, also known as Miyajima (Shrine Island), is an island off the coast of Hiroshima. It is best known for the Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is believed to have been first built in the 6th Century, and its current form built by the samurai Taira no Kiyomori. The shrine is dedicated to the daughters of Susano-o, the Japanese god of seas and storms. The island is considered holy, and historically, commoners were not allowed to set foot on the island. To this day, births and deaths in the shrine, as well as burials on the island, are forbidden to keep the purity of the shrine. The shrine is known for its torii gate, which is in the middle of the water and appears to be floating at high tide. The view of this torii gate was declared by the philosopher Hayashi Razan to be one of the Three Views of Japan.
No comments:
Post a Comment