The Gate & the Pagoda

The Otorii Gate and the Five-storied Pagoda are the two most obvious icons of Miyajima. The Otorii Gate guards the Itsukushima Shrine and stands up under its own weight - no piers into the ground. The two main pillars are made of camphor trees and this gate was built in 1875. The previous 11 were destroyed by either fire or typhoon. At high tide the water comes up around the shrine so we were lucky to be there at low tide so we could walk out around the gate. I took my deer with me for a lap of the gate.