A floating torii gate crafted by those who know the seas.

Itsukushima’s name comes from the word “itsuku,” or “to worship.” Thus it is known as “the island that serves the gods.” Its colloquial name, Miyajima, follows a similar origin, as the word “miya” means “shrine,” which reflects the presence of a Shinto shrine on this island.

Why was Itsukushima Shrine built out at sea? That’s because in ancient times it was believed that the island itself was the body of a god, and that it was taboo to recklessly plough and till upon Their body. As a result, a torii gate was erected out at sea to mark the entrance to the island, and ancient peoples crossed it on small ships in pilgrimage to the opposite shores. Such a celestial legend tells of the origin of both its official name and its nickname.

In truth, it takes a fair amount of engineering to keep Itsukushima Shrine floating. First, if you take a look at the planks that make up the cloister’s floor, you’ll notice its crevices. These are purposefully built to disperse the heavy pressure resulting from typhoons or water surges, and avert potential collapse.

The torii gate itself is also full of similar precision engineering. For example, the gate posts are not buried underground, but rather placed atop a pavement base. This fusion of the torii with the pavement alone is not enough to protect it from high tide or rough currents. On the contrary, it makes it easier to knock over. That’s why the gate is box-shaped as well as weighed down with stone anchors. The weights are what keeps the gate standing, rather than a fixed foundation.

Itsukushima Shrine is estimated to be over 1,200 years old, but its current shape was designed by the shogun Kiyomori, around 850 years ago. He was a former samurai that rose through the ranks until he seized his first taste of power as an aristocrat who, in order to ease trade with China, built many ports of call in the Setouchi Region. As such, he is known as someone who solidified the Inland Sea’s traffic network.

He needed knowledge of the currents and tidal patterns of the region in order to build so many ports. Itsukushima Shrine is a grand structure that attests to the deep maritime wisdom of such men.