They are usually either unpainted or painted vermilion with a black upper lintel. The torii, often painted bright red, demarcates the boundary between the sacred space of the shrine and ordinary space Torii also identify other sacred spots, such as a mountain or rock. Torii gates are symbolic gateways marking the entrance to sacred spaces in shinto shrines When passing through a torii, it signifies entering the spiritual realm For this reason, torii gates are important symbols of shinto faith and the cultural landscape of japan.
Have you ever been wondering what is a giant red gate which generally stands at the entrance of shinto shrines in japan It’s called torii (鳥居), which is recognized as a symbolic structure that can be found at most of the japanese shrines. A torii gate (torii (鳥居)) is a traditional japanese gate made of wood, often seen in front of shinto shrines and some buddhist temples It is a symbolic entrance to the sacred space of the shrine. There is perhaps no more iconic structure that screams ‘japan’ than the torii gate Hundreds of thousands of torii dot the landscape of japan’s islands, marking the boundary between the everyday and the sacred at shinto shrines, and more than a few buddhist temples too.
The torii symbolically marks the transition from the mundane world to a sacred realm, a place where kami (gods) are believed to be welcomed and pass through.
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