Itsukushima Shrine

Origin

Itsukushima jinja was the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) of Aki Province.[1]

This shrine is one of the "Three Great Shrines of Aki Province", along with Take Shrine and Hayatani Shrine.[2]

The first torii on the site is said to have been erected in 593, supposedly by Saeki Kuramoto during the reign of Empress Suiko (592–628 CE).[3] Although a torii has been in place at the site since 1168, the current structure dates to 1875.[3] The present shrine has been popularly attributed to Taira no Kiyomori, a prominent noble of the Imperial Court and later Chancellor (Daijō-daijin), who contributed heavily to the construction of the shrine during his time as governor of Aki Province in 1168.[4] Another renowned patron of the shrine was Mōri Motonari, lord of Chōshū Domain,[3][4] who was responsible for rebuilding the honden in 1571. As a result of waging war against Sue Takafusa there in 1555, Motonari is said to have tainted the island's grounds by battling on the island.[3] Spilling blood violated the strict taboos meant to preserve the sacred purity associated with Shinto shrines.[4] The only surviving structure in Itsukushima shrine from the Kamakura period is the Kyakuden or "Guest-God's Shrine".

Kiyomori

It was not uncommon during the 12th century for the nobility to build shrines or take on other architectural projects in order to "reflect their power and splendor."[5] The Taira are known specifically for their involvement in maritime trade with the Song dynasty (960–1279) and for attempting to monopolize overseas trade along the Inland Sea.[6]

Kiyomori was at the height of his power when he established the Taira dominion over the island. He "ordered construction of the main hall of Itsukushima shrine as a display of reverence for the tutelary god of navigation and to serve as a base for maritime activities..."[6] Miyajima soon became the Taira family shrine.[3] Supposedly, Kiyomori chose the location also for the reason to further establish himself in the Heian aristocracy as one who deviated from the social norms of Shinto pilgrimage .[7] He lavished great wealth upon Itsukushima, and he enjoyed showing the place to his friends and colleagues, or even to royal personages..."[8]

It is also said that Kiyomori rebuilt the shrine on account of a dream he had of an old monk who promised him dominion over Japan if he constructed a shrine on the island of Miyajima, and pay homage to its kami who are enshrined there for his success in life.[4][3] The renovations funded by the Taira allowed for Itsukushima to "grow into an important religious complex."[7]

The Itsukushima Shrine at high tide, when it appears to float on the water

^ "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya", p. 3 Archived 2013-05-17 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-11-20. ^ Hiroshima. Hiroshima City. 1986. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference cali-2013a was invoked but never defined (see the help page). ^ a b c d Sadler, A. L. (2009). A Short History of Japanese Architecture. ^ Calza, Gian Carlo (2002). Japan Style. Phaidon. p. 190. ISBN 978-1100744452. ^ a b Shively, Donald H. (1999). The Cambridge History of Japan, Volume 2: Heian Japan. Cambridge University Press. p. 635. ^ a b BLAIR, HEATHER (2013). "Rites and Rule: Kiyomori at Itsukushima and Fukuhara". Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. 73 (1): 1–42. ISSN 0073-0548. JSTOR 44478243. ^ Sansom, George (1958). A History of Japan to 1334. Stanford University Press. p. 276. ISBN 978-0804705233.