Take a tour of Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, Japan – part of the World’s Greatest Attractions travel video series by GeoBeats.
One of the most spectacular shrines in the world is the Itsukushima Shinto Shrine in Miyajima, Japan.
This world-famous building is the dominating force on an island in the waters of Hiroshima Bay.
The current structure atop this island dates to the 16th century, though a shrine has stood on this hallowed ground since the 6th century.
The shrine is still in regular use and is commonly the site of rituals and ceremonial performances.
One such ritual, meant to maintain the temples everlasting purity, requires that no births or deaths be allowed to occur on or near the island.
One of the monument’s most iconic structures is the torii gate, which marks the entrance to the shrine, and at low tide becomes a site of prayer and wish making.
