In the old times, the Itsukushima Island was considered sacred land, so ordinary people weren’t allowed to touch the ground of the island. For this reason, the Itsukushima Shrine was built on pillars, over a land area that gets flooded during high tide. Also, the shrine’s Grand Gate (Otorii) is located in the water, being accessible by foot only during low tide.

Traditionally, the shrine was accessible only by boat, and the entrance was made by passing under the Otorii. This is still possible, and if you’ll visit the shrine in the morning (during high tide), you can enjoy a spectacular sight from a fisherman’s boat…

Itsukushima Shrine Torii, Miyajima

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Okayama Castle towering over the Korakuen Garden