Itsukushima Shrine (Miyajima) · 5 min read
The Great Torii of Miyajima Isn't Buried — So How Does It Stand?
Miyajima's floating torii is not fixed to the seabed. Here's how a 60-ton wooden gate stays upright in the sea, and how to see it at high and low tide.
✓ Fact-checked 2026-11-08 · how we check
文A Summary in your language
日本語
宮島の大鳥居は海底に埋められていません。約60トンの自重で立っていて、上の笠木の中には石が詰めてあります。主柱は樹齢500年を超える楠。干潮のときは根元まで歩いて行けます。
繁體中文
宮島大鳥居並未埋入海底，而是以約 60 噸的自重屹立，上方橫樑內填有石塊。主柱為樹齡超過五百年的樟木。退潮時可步行至柱腳。
简体中文
宫岛大鸟居并未埋入海底，而是以约 60 吨的自重屹立，上方横梁内填有石块。主柱为树龄超过五百年的樟木。退潮时可步行至柱脚。
한국어
미야지마의 대도리이는 해저에 묻혀 있지 않습니다. 약 60톤의 자체 무게로 서 있으며, 위쪽 가로대 안에는 돌이 채워져 있습니다. 주기둥은 수령 500년이 넘는 녹나무. 썰물 때는 기둥 밑까지 걸어갈 수 있습니다.
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Quick answer
It stands by its own weight. The great torii is not buried in the seabed: it weighs about 60 tons, including about 7 tons of stones packed inside its top beam, and four extra legs keep it steady against wind and tide.
一A gate in the sea
Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima island is built over the water, and its great torii (Ō-torii) stands about 200 meters out in the bay. At high tide it seems to float. It marks the border between the everyday world and the sacred island.
A torii has stood here since 1168. The gate you see today was built in 1875.
二How does it stay up?
Four things work together:
- Its own weight. About 60 tons in total. Nothing is driven into the seabed.
- Stones in the top beam. The upper beam is a box filled with about 7 tons of stones, pressing the whole gate down.
- Six legs, not two. The two great pillars are each braced by two smaller legs. This six-legged style dates back to 1547.
- Camphor wood. The main pillars come from camphor trees over 500 years old. Camphor resists rot and insects, and the vermilion coating protects it further.
Look for it: at low tide, walk up to the gate and count the legs. Then look up at the boxy top beam — the stones are inside.
三High tide or low tide?
You'll get two completely different views:
- High tide: the gate rises out of the water. Best seen from the shore or from a boat.
- Low tide: the sea pulls back and you can walk across the sand to the foot of the gate.
Check the tide table before you go — many visitors stay long enough to see both.
四The island itself is sacred
探3 hidden details at Itsukushima Shrine
Open the hunt for Itsukushima Shrine (Miyajima) →
How to see it
| Where | Miyajima, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima |
| Getting there | Ferry from Miyajimaguchi (about 10 minutes) |
| Shrine entry | Paid — check the official site for current fees |
| Time needed | Half a day; a full day to see both tides |
The island charges a small visitor tax when you arrive. Check the official Miyajima tourism site for details.
Sources
- Japan Tourism Agency multilingual explanation database: Itsukushima Shrine, Great Torii — https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/en/R1-00518.html
- Miyajima Tourist Association: O-torii Gate — https://www.miyajima.or.jp/english/spot/spot_ootorii.html
- Itsukushima Shrine (official site)