By JUN UEDA/ Staff Writer
January 6, 2021 at 19:38 JST
HATSUKAICHI, Hiroshima Prefecture--The famed torii gate serenely resting in the sea may no longer be clearly seen, but the repair structure surrounding it is going viral on social media for its fantastic “golden” appearance when illuminated.
“It looks like a golden citadel,” one online commenter wrote.
“The is a sight that can be seen only for now,” said another.
The gate, part of Itsukushimajinja shrine, is a World Heritage Site and a sought-after destination for tourists because it creates the breathtaking impression of elegantly “floating” over the water.
But the wooden gate has been constantly exposed to the elements since it was constructed in 1875, so it is now undergoing a massive amount of preservation work--the first such undertaking in about 70 years.
The project began two summers ago. Workers erected scaffolding around it to envelope the gate with a protective net.
The scaffolding will remain illuminated while the restoration work is in progress. Shrine officials said they do not know when the project will be completed.
Stories about memories of cherry blossoms solicited from readers
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
A series on the death of a Japanese woman that sparked a debate about criminal justice policy in the United States
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.