Torii
A traditional Japanese gate that marks an entrance or boundary associated with a Shinto shrine.
Context
A torii often marks a transition between ordinary space and the sacred precincts of a shrine. Gates vary in material and shape, and some shrines have a sequence of them.
The boundary makes torii relevant to the idea of liminal space. The famous gate at Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima stands in the tidal waterfront.
Examples
- Passing under a torii can signal that a visitor is entering a shrine’s grounds.