Construction of Itsukushima Shrine

Itsukushima Shrine stands on the island of Itsukushima, usually called Miyajima, in the Seto Inland Sea near Hiroshima. Tradition says that it was founded in the late sixth century, and the present layout dates mostly from the twelfth century, when the warrior leader Taira no Kiyomori, then the most powerful man in Japan, patronized it and built the complex on piers over the tidal flats. At high tide the buildings and the famous vermilion torii gate seem to float on the water, which was designed to avoid defiling the sacred island by building on its land. The shrine is dedicated to three female deities, the daughters of the storm god Susanoo. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, and the torii is one of the most photographed landmarks of Japan.

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