Itsukushima Shrine
A Shinto shrine on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Bay, Japan, famed for buildings and a torii gate that appear to stand over the water.
Miyajima: An island in Hiroshima Bay, Japan, known for Itsukushima Shrine and wooded Mount Misen. The shrine occupies this island, whose tidal shoreline shapes its setting.
Taira no Kiyomori: A powerful Japanese military leader who governed much of the country in the late Heian period. His patronage in the twelfth century helped establish the shrine’s grand architectural character.
Shinto shrine: A sacred precinct dedicated to kami and used for Shinto rites and worship. Itsukushima functions as an active shrine, not merely a historic monument.
Three Views of Japan: A traditional list of Japan’s three most celebrated scenic places: Matsushima, Amanohashidate, and Miyajima. Miyajima’s inclusion helped make the shrine’s landscape a canonical national view.
Itsukushima Shrine Main Hall: The principal worship hall in the Itsukushima Shrine complex on Miyajima. Its elevated position is central to the shrine’s distinctive relationship with the tides.
Shinto: Japan’s indigenous religious tradition, centered on kami, ritual practice, and sacred places. Itsukushima is a shrine within this tradition.
Heian period: A period of Japanese history from 794 to 1185, marked by aristocratic court culture and the rise of warrior power. The shrine’s best-known architectural development took place during this era.
Itsukushima Shrine Festival: A traditional festival held at Itsukushima Shrine, featuring ceremonies and performances on the water. The festival makes use of the shrine’s waterside stages and ceremonial setting.
Nihon Sankei: The Japanese name for the Three Views of Japan, a traditional ranking of celebrated scenic sites. Itsukushima is the defining landmark of one of these three landscapes.
Itsukushima Shrine Noh Stage: A stage at Itsukushima Shrine used for performances of Noh, a classical Japanese theater form. Its location over the water turns performance into part of the seascape.