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Thread: A Guide to Japanese Shinto Shrine Gateways (Torii)

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    Default A Guide to Japanese Shinto Shrine Gateways (Torii)

    Japanese Shinto Shrine Torii

    A torii is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred.

    Torii parts and ornamentations



    Torii may be unpainted or painted vermilion and black. The color black is limited to the kasagi and the nemaki. Very rarely torii can be found also in other colors. Kamakura's Kamakura-gū for example has a white and red one.

    The kasagi may be reinforced underneath by a second horizontal lintel called shimaki or shimagi.

    Kasagi and the shimaki may have an upward curve called sorimashi.

    The nuki is often held in place by wedges. The kusabi in many cases are purely ornamental.

    At the center of the nuki there may be a supporting strut called gakuzuka, sometimes covered by a tablet carrying the name of the shrine.

    The pillars often rest on a white stone ring called kamebara or daiishi. The stone is sometimes replaced by a decorative black sleeve called nemaki.

    At the top of the pillars there may be a decorative ring called daiwa.

    The gate has a purely symbolic function and therefore there usually are no doors or board fences, but exceptions exist, as for example in the case of Ōmiwa Shrine's triple-arched torii.


    Torii styles


    Structurally, the simplest is the shime torii or chūren torii. Probably one of the oldest types of torii, it consists of two posts with a sacred rope called shimenawa tied between them.

    All other torii can be divided in two families, the shinmei family and the myōjin family. Torii of the first have only straight parts, the second have both straight and curved parts.


    Torii of the shinmei family

    The shinmei torii and its variants are characterized by straight upper lintels.

    Shime torii: just two posts and a shimenawa






    Shinmei torii

    The shinmei torii, which gives the name to the family, is constituted solely by a lintel (kasagi) and two pillars (hashira) united by a tie beam (nuki). In its simplest form, all four elements are rounded and the pillars have no inclination. When the nuki is rectangular in section, it is called Yasukuni torii, from Tokyo's Yasukuni Jinja. It is believed to be the oldest torii style.






    Ise torii

    Ise torii are gates found only at the Inner Shrine and Outer Shrine at Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture. For this reason, they are also called Jingū torii, from Jingū, Ise Grand Shrine's official Japanese name.

    There are two variants. The most common is extremely similar to a shinmei torii, its pillars however have a slight inward inclination and its nuki is kept in place by wedges (kusabi). The kasagi is pentagonal in section. The ends of the kasagi are slightly thicker, giving the impression of an upward slant. All these torii were built after the 14th century.

    The second type is similar to the first, but has also a secondary, rectangular lintel (shimaki) under the pentagonal kasagi.

    This and the shinmei torii style started becoming more popular during the early 20th century at the time of State Shinto because they were considered the oldest and most prestigious






    Kashima Torii






    Kasuga torii

    The Kasuga torii is a myōjin torii with straight top lintels. The style takes its name from Kasuga-taisha's ichi-no-torii, or main torii.

    The pillars have an inclination and are slightly tapered. The nuki protrudes and is held in place by kusabi driven in on both sides.

    This torii was the first to be painted vermilion and to adopt a shimaki at Kasuga Taisha, the shrine from which it takes its name.






    Hachiman torii

    Almost identical to a kasuga torii, but with the two upper lintels at a slant, the Hachiman torii first appeared during the Heian period. The name comes from the fact that this type of torii is often used at Hachiman shrines.






    Kuroki torii

    The kuroki torii is a shinmei torii built with unbarked wood. Because this type of torii requires replacement at three years intervals, it is becoming rare. The most notorious example is Nonomiya Shrine in Kyoto. The shrine now however uses a torii made of synthetic material which simulates the look of wood.




    Mihashira torii


    The mihashira torii or Mitsubashira Torii is a type of torii which appears to be formed from three individual torii. It is thought by some to have been built by early Japanese Christians to represent the Holy Trinity.




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    Torii of the myōjin family

    The myōjin torii and its variants are characterized by curved lintels.


    Myōjin torii

    The myōjin torii, by far the most common torii style, are characterized by curved upper lintels (kasagi and shimaki). Both curve slightly upwards. Kusabi are present. A myōjin torii can be made of wood, stone, concrete or other materials and be vermilion or unpainted.






    Nakayama torii


    The Nakayama torii style, which takes its name from Nakayama Jinja in Okayama Prefecture, is basically a myōjin torii, but the nuki does not protrude from the pillars and the curve made by the two top lintels is more accentuated than usual. The torii at Nakayama Shrine that gives the style its name is 9 m tall and was erected in 1791.






    Daiwa / Inari torii


    The daiwa or Inari torii is a myōjin torii with two rings called daiwa at the top of the two pillars. The name "Inari torii" comes from the fact that vermilion daiwa torii tend to be common at Inari shrines, but even at the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine not all torii are in this style. This style first appeared during the late Heian period.






    Sannō torii


    The sannō torii is myōjin torii with a gable over the two top lintels. The best example of this style is found at Hiyoshi Shrine near Lake Biwa.






    Miwa torii


    Also called sankō torii, mitsutorii or komochi torii, the miwa torii is composed of three myōjin torii without inclination of the pillars. It can be found with or without doors. The most famous one is at Ōmiwa Shrine, in Nara, from which it takes its name.






    Ryōbu torii

    Also called yotsuashi torii, gongen torii or chigobashira torii, the ryōbu torii is a daiwa torii whose pillars are reinforced on both sides by square posts. The name derives from its long association with Ryōbu Shintō, a current of thought within Shingon Buddhism. The famous torii rising from the water at Itsukushima is a ryōbu torii, and the shrine used to be also a Shingon Buddhist temple, so much so that it still has a pagoda






    Hizen torii


    The hizen torii is an unusual type of torii with a rounded kasagi and pillars that flare downwards.




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    I want to visit there asap...

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    Quote Originally Posted by True Ancestor View Post
    I want to visit there asap...
    Take me with you!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kazimiera View Post
    Take me with you!!
    Need to get to take myself first, I'm dependent on parents

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    Quote Originally Posted by True Ancestor View Post
    Need to get to take myself first, I'm dependent on parents
    LOL! We will win the lotto. Hope springs eternal.

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