Traditional Japanese gateway
A
torii
(
Japanese
:
鳥居
,
[to.?i.i]
)
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 mundane to the sacred,
[1]
and a spot where
kami
are welcomed and thought to travel through.
[2]
The presence of a
torii
at the entrance is usually the simplest way to identify Shinto shrines, and a small
torii
icon represents them on Japanese road maps and on
Google Maps
.
The first appearance of
torii
gates in Japan can be reliably pinpointed to at least the mid-
Heian period
; they are mentioned in a text written in 922.
[1]
The oldest existing stone
torii
was built in the 12th century and belongs to a
Hachiman shrine
in
Yamagata Prefecture
. The oldest existing wooden
torii
is a
ry?bu torii
(see description below) at Kub? Hachiman Shrine in
Yamanashi Prefecture
built in 1535.
[1]
Torii
gates were traditionally made from wood or stone, but today they can be also made of reinforced concrete, stainless steel or other materials. They are usually either unpainted or painted
vermilion
with a black upper
lintel
.
Shrines of Inari
, the
kami
of fertility and industry, typically have many
torii
because those who have been successful in business often donate
torii
in gratitude.
Fushimi Inari-taisha
in
Kyoto
has thousands of such
torii
, each bearing the donor's name.
[3]
Uses
[
edit
]
The function of a
torii
is to mark the entrance to a sacred space. For this reason, the road leading to a Shinto shrine (
sand?
) is almost always straddled by one or more
torii
, which are therefore the easiest way to distinguish a shrine from a Buddhist temple. If the
sand?
passes under multiple
torii
, the outer of them is called
ichi no torii
(
一の鳥居
, first torii)
.
[4]
The following ones, closer to the shrine, are usually called, in order,
ni no torii
(
二の鳥居
, second torii)
and
san no torii
(
三の鳥居
, third torii)
. Other
torii
can be found farther into the shrine to represent increasing levels of holiness as one nears the inner sanctuary (
honden
), core of the shrine.
[4]
Also, because of the strong relationship between Shinto shrines and the Japanese
Imperial family
, a
torii
stands also in front of the tomb of each Emperor.
In the past
torii
must have been used also at the entrance of Buddhist temples. Even today, as prominent a temple as
Osaka
's
Shitenn?-ji
, founded in 593 by
Sh?toku Taishi
and the oldest state-built Buddhist temple in the country (and world), has a
torii
straddling one of its entrances.
[5]
(The original wooden
torii
burned in 1294 and was then replaced by one in stone.) Many Buddhist temples include one or more Shinto shrines dedicated to their tutelary
kami
("
Chinjusha
"), and in that case a
torii
marks the shrine's entrance.
Benzaiten
is a
syncretic
goddess derived from the Indian divinity
Sarasvati
, who unites elements of both
Shinto
and
Buddhism
. For this reason halls dedicated to her can be found at both temples and shrines, and in either case in front of the hall stands a
torii
. The goddess herself is sometimes portrayed with a
torii
on her head.
[5]
Finally, until the
Meiji period
(1868?1912)
torii
were routinely adorned with plaques carrying Buddhist
sutras
.
[6]
Yamabushi
, Japanese mountain ascetic hermits with a long tradition as mighty warriors endowed with supernatural powers, sometimes use as their symbol a
torii
.
[5]
The
torii
is also sometimes used as a symbol of Japan in non-religious contexts. For example, it is the symbol of the
Marine Corps Security Force Regiment
and the
187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
and of other US forces in Japan.
[
citation needed
]
It is also used as a fixture at the entrance of some
Japantown
communities, such as
Liberdade
in
Sao Paulo
.
Origins
[
edit
]
The origins of the
torii
are unknown and there are several different theories on the subject, none of which has gained universal acceptance.
[4]
Because the use of symbolic gates is widespread in Asia?such structures can be found for example in
India
,
China
,
Thailand
,
Korea
, and within
Nicobarese
and
Shompen
villages?many historians believe they may be an imported tradition.
They may, for example, have originated in India from the
torana
gates in the monastery of
Sanchi
in central India.
[1]
According to this theory, the
torana
was adopted by
Shingon Buddhism
founder
K?kai
, who used it to demarcate the sacred space used for the
homa
ceremony.
[7]
The hypothesis arose in the 19th and 20th centuries due to similarities in structure and name between the two gates. Linguistic and historical objections have now emerged, but no conclusion has yet been reached.
[5]
In
Bangkok
, Thailand, a
Brahmin
structure called
Sao Ching Cha
strongly resembles a
torii
. Functionally, however, it is very different as it is used as a
swing
.
[5]
that was constructed in 1784 in front of the Devasathan shrine by King Rama I. During the reign of Rama II the swing ceremony was discontinued as the swing had become structurally damaged by lightning.
Other theories claim
torii
may be related to the
pailou
of China. These structures however can assume a great variety of forms, only some of which actually somewhat resemble a
torii
.
[5]
The same goes for Korea's "hongsal-mun".
[8]
[9]
Unlike its Chinese counterpart, the hongsal-mun does not vary greatly in design and is always painted red, with "arrowsticks" located on the top of the structure (hence the name).
Proposed relatives of the
torii
Various tentative
etymologies
of the word
torii
exist. According to one of them, the name derives from the term
t?ri-iru
(
通り入る
, pass through and enter)
.
[4]
Another hypothesis takes the name literally: the gate would originally have been some kind of bird perch. This is based on the religious use of bird perches in Asia, such as the Korean
sotdae
(솟대), which are poles with one or more wooden birds resting on their top. Commonly found in groups at the entrance of villages together with
totem poles
called
jangseung
, they are
talismans
which ward off evil spirits and bring the villagers good luck. "Bird perches" similar in form and function to the
sotdae
exist also in other
shamanistic
cultures in China,
Mongolia
and
Siberia
. Although they do not look like
torii
and serve a different function, these "bird perches" show how birds in several Asian cultures are believed to have magic or spiritual properties, and may therefore help explain the enigmatic literal meaning of the
torii's
name ("bird perch").
[5]
[note 1]
Poles believed to have supported wooden bird figures very similar to the
sotdae
have been found together with wooden birds, and are believed by some historians to have somehow evolved into today's
torii
.
[10]
Intriguingly, in both Korea and Japan single poles represent deities (
kami
in the case of Japan) and
hashira
(
柱
, pole)
is the
counter
for
kami
.
[6]
In Japan birds have also long had a connection with the dead, this may mean it was born in connection with some prehistorical funerary rite. Ancient Japanese texts like the
Kojiki
and the
Nihon Shoki
for example mention how
Yamato Takeru
after his death became a white bird and in that form chose a place for his own burial.
[5]
For this reason, his mausoleum was then called
shiratori misasagi
(
白鳥陵
, white bird grave)
. Many later texts also show some relationship between dead souls and white birds, a link common also in other cultures, shamanic like the Japanese. Bird motifs from the
Yayoi
and
Kofun periods
associating birds with the dead have also been found in several archeological sites. This relationship between birds and death would also explain why, in spite of their name, no visible trace of birds remains in today's
torii
: birds were symbols of death, which in Shinto brings defilement (
kegare
).
[5]
Finally, the possibility that
torii
are a Japanese invention cannot be discounted. The first
torii
could have evolved already with their present function through the following sequence of events:
- Four posts were placed at the corners of a sacred area and connected with a rope, thus dividing sacred and mundane.
- Two taller posts were then placed at the center of the most auspicious direction, to let the priest in.
- A rope was tied from one post to the other to mark the border between the outside and the inside, the sacred and the mundane. This hypothetical stage corresponds to a type of
torii
in actual use, the so-called
shime-torii
(
注連鳥居
)
, an example of which
can be seen
in front of
?miwa Shrine
's
haiden
in
Nara
(see also the photo in the gallery).
- The rope was replaced by a lintel.
- Because the gate was structurally weak, it was reinforced with a tie-beam, and what is today called
shinmei torii
(
神明鳥居
)
or
futabashira torii
(
二柱鳥居
, two pillar torii)
(see illustration at right) was born.
[1]
This theory however does nothing to explain how the gates got their name.
The
shinmei torii
, whose structure agrees with the historians' reconstruction, consists of just four unbarked and unpainted logs: two vertical pillars (
hashira
(
柱
)
) topped by a horizontal
lintel
(
kasagi
(
笠木
)
) and kept together by a tie-beam (
nuki
(
貫
)
).
[1]
The pillars may have a slight inward inclination called
uchikorobi
(
??び
)
or just
korobi
(
?び
)
. Its parts are always straight.
Parts and ornamentations
[
edit
]
- Torii
may be unpainted or painted vermilion and black. The color black is limited to the
kasagi
and the
nemaki
(
根?
, see illustration)
. Very rarely
torii
can be found also in other colors.
Kamakura
's
Kamakura-g?
for example has a white and red one.
- The
kasagi
may be reinforced underneath by a second horizontal lintel called
shimaki
or
shimagi
(
島木
)
.
[11]
- Kasagi
and the
shimaki
may have an upward curve called
sorimashi
(
反り?し
)
.
[12]
- The
nuki
is often held in place by wedges (
kusabi
(
楔
)
). The
kusabi
in many cases are purely ornamental.
- At the center of the
nuki
there may be a supporting strut called
gakuzuka
(
額束
)
, sometimes covered by a tablet carrying the name of the shrine (see photo in the gallery).
- The pillars often rest on a white stone ring called
kamebara
(
?腹
, turtle belly)
or
daiishi
(
台石
, base stone)
. The stone is sometimes replaced by a decorative black sleeve called
nemaki
(
根?
, root sleeve)
.
- At the top of the pillars there may be a decorative ring called daiwa
(
台輪
, architrave)
.
[1]
- 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
?miwa Shrine
's triple-arched
torii
(
miwa torii
, see below).
[13]
Styles
[
edit
]
Structurally, the simplest is the
shime torii
or
ch?ren torii
(
注連鳥居
)
(see illustration below).
[note 2]
Probably one of the oldest types of torii, it consists of two posts with a sacred rope called
shimenawa
tied between them.
[14]
All other
torii
can be divided in two families, the
shinmei
family
(
神明系
)
and the
my?jin
family
(
明神系
)
.
[1]
[note 3]
Torii
of the first have only straight parts, the second have both straight and curved parts.
[1]
Shinmei
family
[
edit
]
The
shinmei torii
and its variants are characterized by straight upper lintels.
-
Shime torii
? just two posts and a
shimenawa
-
Shinmei torii
-
Ise torii
? a
shinmei torii
with a
kasagi
pentagonal in section, a
shimaki
and
kusabi
-
Kashima torii
? a
shinmei torii
with
kusabi
and a
nuki
protruding from the sides
-
Kasuga torii
? a
my?jin torii
with straight top lintels cut at a square angle
-
Hachiman torii
? a
kasuga torii
, but the two lintels have a downwards slant.
-
Mihashira torii
? a triple
shinmei torii
Photo gallery
[
edit
]
-
Torii or traditional Japanese gate. Heian-jing?. Saky?-ku, Kyoto.
-
Beachside torii on the island of
Naoshima
-
Ise torii
, first type. Note the presence of
kasagi
.
-
Ise torii
, second type. Note the
shimaki
.
-
Hachiman torii
-
Mihashira torii
-
A
shiroki torii
-
Shinmei torii
[
edit
]
The
shinmei torii
(
神明鳥居
)
, which gives the name to the family, is constituted solely by a
lintel
(
kasagi
) and two pillars (
hashira
) united by a tie beam (
nuki
).
[15]
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
.
[16]
It is believed to be the oldest
torii
style.
[1]
Ise torii
[
edit
]
伊勢鳥居
(
Ise torii
)
(see illustration above) are gates found only at the Inner Shrine and Outer Shrine at
Ise Shrine
in
Mie Prefecture
. For this reason, they are also called
Jing? torii
, from Jing?, Ise Grand Shrine's official Japanese name.
[14]
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 (see illustration in the gallery below). 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
.
[17]
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.
[5]
Kasuga torii
[
edit
]
The
Kasuga torii
(
春日鳥居
)
is a
my?jin torii
(see illustration above) with straight top lintels. The style takes its name from
Kasuga-taisha
's
ichi-no-torii
(
一の鳥居
)
, 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.
[18]
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.
[14]
Hachiman torii
[
edit
]
Almost identical to a
kasuga torii
(see illustration above), but with the two upper lintels at a slant, the
Hachiman torii
(
八幡鳥居
)
first appeared during the
Heian period
.
[14]
The name comes from the fact that this type of
torii
is often used at Hachiman shrines.
Kashima torii
[
edit
]
The
kashima torii
(
鹿島鳥居
)
(see illustration above) is a
shinmei torii
without
korobi
, with
kusabi
and a protruding nuki. It takes its name from
Kashima Shrine
in
Ibaraki Prefecture
.
Kuroki torii
[
edit
]
The
kuroki torii
(
?木鳥居
)
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.
Shiromaruta torii
[
edit
]
The
shiromaruta
torii
(
白丸太鳥居
)
or
shiroki torii
(
白木鳥居
)
is a
shinmei torii
made with logs from which bark has been removed. This type of
torii
is present at the tombs of all Emperors of Japan.
Mihashira torii
[
edit
]
The
mihashira torii
or
Mitsubashira Torii
(
三柱鳥居
,
Three-pillar Torii
, also 三角鳥居
sankaku torii
)
(see illustration above) is a type of
torii
which appears to be formed from three individual
torii
(see gallery). It is thought by some to have been built by early Japanese
Christians
to represent the
Holy Trinity
.
[19]
My?jin
family
[
edit
]
The
My?jin torii
and its variants are characterized by curved lintels.
-
My?jin torii
?
kasagi
and
shimaki
are curved upwards.
-
Nakayama torii
? a
my?jin torii
, but the
nuki
does not protrude from the pillars.
-
Daiwa
or
Inari torii
? A
my?jin torii
with rings at the top of the pillars
-
Ry?bu torii
? a
daiwa torii
with pillars supported on both sides
-
Miwa torii
? a triple
my?jin torii
-
Usa torii
? a
my?jin torii
with no
gakuzuka
-
Nune torii
? a
daiwa torii
with a small gable above the
gakuzuka
-
Sann? torii
? a
my?jin torii
with a gable above the
kasagi
-
Hizen torii
? an unusual style with a rounded
kasagi
and thick, flared pillars
[note 4]
Photo gallery
[
edit
]
-
My?jin torii
-
Sann? torii
-
Daiwa torii
. Note the
nemaki
.
-
The
Sumiyoshi torii
has pillars with a square cross-section.
-
Nakayama torii
-
Ry?bu torii
-
Miwa Torii
-
The
hizen torii
(
肥前鳥居
)
has a rounded
kasagi
and thick flared pillars.
-
-
My?jin torii
[
edit
]
The
my?jin torii
(
明神鳥居
)
, by far the most common
torii
style, are characterized by curved upper lintels (
kasagi
and
shimaki
). Both curve slightly upwards. Kusabi are present. A
my?jin torii
can be made of wood, stone, concrete or other materials and be vermilion or unpainted.
Nakayama torii
[
edit
]
The Nakayama
torii
(
中山鳥居
)
style, which takes its name from Nakayama Jinja in
Okayama Prefecture
, is basically a
my?jin 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.
[14]
Daiwa / Inari torii
[
edit
]
The
daiwa or
Inari
torii
(
大輪鳥居??荷鳥居
)
(see illustration above) is a
my?jin 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.
Sann? torii
[
edit
]
The
sann? torii
(
山王鳥居
)
(see photo below) is
my?jin torii
with a gable over the two top lintels. The best example of this style is found at
Hiyoshi Shrine
near Lake Biwa.
[14]
Miwa torii
[
edit
]
Also called
sank? torii
(
三光鳥居
,
three light torii
)
,
mitsutorii
(
三鳥居
,
triple torii
)
or
komochi torii
(
子持ち鳥居
,
torii with children
)
(see illustration above), the
miwa torii
(
三輪鳥居
)
is composed of three
my?jin torii
without inclination of the pillars. It can be found with or without doors. The most famous one is at ?miwa Shrine, in Nara, from which it takes its name.
[14]
Ry?bu torii
[
edit
]
Also called
yotsuashi torii
(
四脚鳥居
,
four-legged torii
)
,
gongen
torii
(
?現鳥居
)
or
chigobashira torii
(
稚?柱鳥居
)
, the
ry?bu torii
(
?部鳥居
)
is a
daiwa torii
whose pillars are reinforced on both sides by square posts (see illustration above).
[20]
The name derives from its long association with Ry?bu Shint?, a current of thought within
Shingon Buddhism
. The famous
torii
rising from the water at Itsukushima is a
ry?bu torii
, and the shrine used to be also a Shingon
Buddhist temple
, so much so that it still has a
pagoda
.
[21]
Hizen torii
[
edit
]
The
hizen torii
(
肥前鳥居
)
is an unusual type of torii with a rounded
kasagi
and pillars that flare downwards. They are found only in
Saga prefecture
and the neighboring areas.
[22]
Gallery
[
edit
]
-
A tablet on a
torii
at
Nikk? T?sh?-g?
covers the
gakuzuka
.
-
The typical pentagonal profile of a
torii's
kasagi
. Note the black
nemaki
.
-
A row of
torii
-
One-legged torii,
Sann? Shrine
, Nagasaki, Japan. The other half was toppled in the explosion of the nuclear bomb.
-
An unusual white and red
Nakayama torii
-
A
shime torii
-
Rows of tiny votive
torii
donated by the faithful
[note 5]
-
An unusual
kaku-torii
(
角鳥居
, lit. square torii)
at Sumiyoshi Taisha: the
nuki
does not protrude and all members are square in section.
-
A temporary Torii for new year celebration in a shopping street decorated with Christmas lights
-
An example of a Hizen style gate
See also
[
edit
]
- Dvarapala
, is a door or gate guardian often portrayed as a warrior or fearsome giant, usually armed with a weapon.
- Hongsalmun
, in Korean architecture with both religious and other usage
- Iljumun
, portal in Korean temple architecture
- Mon (architecture)
- Paifang
, in Chinese temple architecture
- Tam quan
, in Vietnamese temple architecture
- Torana
, a Hindu-Buddhist ceremonial arched gateway
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
Torii
used to be also called
uefukazu-no-mikado
or
uefukazu-no-gomon
(
於上不葺御門
, roofless gate)
. The presence of the honorific
Mi-
or
Go-
makes it likely that by then their use was already associated with shrines.
- ^
The two names are simply different readings of the same characters.
- ^
Other ways of classifying
torii
exist, based for example on the presence or absence of the
shimaki
. See for example the site
Jinja Chishiki
.
- ^
This example is the main torii of Kashii Shrine,
Saga prefecture
- ^
At Kamakura's
Zeniarai Benten
Shrine
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
"Torii"
.
JAANUS
. 2001
. Retrieved
2 September
2023
.
- ^
Pearson, Patricia O'Connell; Holdren, John (May 2021).
World History: Our Human Story
. Versailles, Kentucky: Sheridan Kentucky. p. 294.
ISBN
978-1-60153-123-0
.
- ^
"Historical Items about Japan"
. Michelle Jarboe. 11 May 2007. Archived from
the original
on 6 January 2010
. Retrieved
10 February
2010
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"Torii"
.
Encyclopedia of Shinto
.
Kokugakuin University
. 2 June 2005. Archived from
the original
on 22 July 2011
. Retrieved
21 February
2010
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
Scheid, Bernhard.
"Torii"
.
Religion in Japan
(in German). University of Vienna
. Retrieved
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Bocking, Brian (30 September 2005).
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"Onrain Shoten BK1: Kyoboku to torizao Y?gaku S?sho"
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(
??苑
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.
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.
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"Torii no bunrui"
(in Japanese)
. Retrieved
25 February
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.
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"JAANUS"
.
Ise torii
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.
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"JAANUS"
.
Kasuga torii
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.
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"
mihashira torii 三柱鳥居
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- ^
Parent, Mary Neighbour.
"Ryoubu torii"
.
Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System
. Retrieved
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Hamashima, Masashi (1999).
Jisha Kenchiku no Kansh? Kiso Chishiki
(in Japanese). Tokyo: Shibund?. p. 88.
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"?佐神社の肥前鳥居が佐賀?重要文化財(建造物)に指定されました"
.
Shiroishi, Saga Official
. Retrieved
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.
External links
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edit
]
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Torii
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