By HIDEKI SOEJIMA/ Senior Staff Writer
November 6, 2022 at 07:10 JST
HATSUKAICHI, Hiroshima Prefecture--The famed “floating” torii gate of Itsukushimajinja shrine, a World Heritage site under repair, was revealed for the first time in about three and a half years.
The restoration project will be completed in December after a 100-meter-long work aisle leading to the offshore gate is removed.
“Artisans eagerly worked on the project to pass down the torii to future generations, and the restoration work went smoothly thanks to support and understanding from many people,” said Motoya Fujii, 47, a “gonnegi” priest at the shrine. “We’d be thrilled if worshippers visit anew the beautifully restored torii.”
The entire gate had been surrounded by scaffolding and a protective net for the repair work since June 2019.
Making use of the aisle on the sea surface, the shrine is accepting visitors between 9 a.m. and noon through Nov. 27, offering a rare chance for tourists to see the gate up close.
Visitors can observe the details of the repaired sections and two “hengaku” signs featuring “Itsukushimajinja” and “Itsukishimajinja,” another name for the shrine, from directly below and other angles not usually accessible.
Standing 16.6 meters tall and weighing 60 tons, the gate also serves as the symbol of Miyajima island, where the shrine stands.
The current gate is the ninth-generation torii. The first one is believed to have been built during the rule of warlord Taira no Kiyomori (1118-1181), according to the officials.
Made from camphor trees, the pillars measure about 10 meters in circumference at the base.
The large-scale preservation project of the torii is the first in about 70 years. The last work was carried out from 1950 to 1951.
The roof covered with “hinoki” cypress bark was rethatched and the pillars were repainted. Reinforcement work was also conducted to make the structure resistant to waves, winds and earthquakes.
Scaffolding removal began on Oct. 1. The two hengaku signs were installed on the upper part of the gate five days later.
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The torii gate of Itsukushimajinja shrine in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, is revealed for the first time in about three and a half years. (Jun Ueda)
