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Japan Shinto Shrine Gate - Small Wood Model Torii Tori
Description
Those who have visited Shinto (native religion of Japan) shrines in Japan may recall passing beneath one
or more large gates (mon) at the entrance to the shrine complex. These
distinctive structures are called torii in Japanese and are thought to
mark the boundary between the secular world and the sanctified grounds of the
shrine. In passing beneath a torii one is, in fact, making his or
her initial approach towards the inner sanctuary, and accordingly many Japanese
will first bow before stepping under the gate. Shinto shrines may include
multiple gates,
and paths within the shrine may be lined with dozens of closely set torii
which together create the effect of a long, enclosed corridor. Believers may use
their walk through such passages as an aid in helping to clear
their mind of worldly distractions and in preparation for making an appearance
before the enshrined deity. Torii gates are traditionally made of
wood though it is not uncommon to see gates made of metal, concrete, stone or other
durable
material. Many wooden torii are unpainted and over time will take
on a beautiful weathered appearance much in keeping with the shrine's natural-looking
landscape. Torii are often produced using local timber and
therefore shrines which are located in high mountain forests may feature torii
constructed simply from a few rough cut conifers. Such torii blend
in nicely with the surrounding forest and are emblematic of the Japanese love of
nature. Though the torii has become a symbol of Japan as a country it is nevertheless a very unique and
important part of the Shinto religious tradition.
About the Listed Item
Brand new, small size model Shinto torii wooden shrine gate.
Adhesive pads at the base of each of the gate's pillars allow the torii
to be secured in place when on display. This gate is held together through the use of old style wooden pegs and is made
of high quality Hinoki Japanese
cypress. This
is the prime variety of Japanese cypress and has been known and used in Japan
since ancient times. Its habitat extends from the mountainous reaches of
Fukushima prefecture on the Japanese island of Honshu,
south to the island of Shikoku. Hinoki is favored by Japanese
craftsmen who appreciate it's resilience and resistance to cracking, high
density and light weight. Hinoki woodcraft are normally left unfinished
in order that the fine straight grain and natural whiteness may be appreciated.
Hinoki has long been the preferred wood for the making of Shinto ceremonial objects. The Shinto religion
places great emphasis on purity, and the clean white appearance and pleasant
fragrance of freshly planed (Japanese craftsmen rarely use sandpaper) hinoki
make it perfect for the manufacture of religious implements. This
torii is suitable for use with small
kamidana god shelves or in any setting where one might wish to
impart the spirit and essence of Japan. Please click here to see
this same torii in red for use with kamidana dedicated to the
deity Inari.
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here
to see more torii gates!
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here
to see more Shinto items!
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here
to see additional treasures from Japan!
More about the Shinto religion
Shinto
is one of the two major religions of Japan (the other is Buddhism). Shinto
is often considered to be the native religion
of Japan, and is as old as Japan itself. The name Shinto means "the way
of the gods." Shinto is a pantheistic religion, in which many thousands
of major and minor gods are thought to exist. The Japanese have built
thousands
of shrines (jinja) throughout the country to honor and worship these gods. Some shrines
are huge and are devoted to important deities. Other shrines are small and may
be easily missed when strolling along roads in the countryside.
Shinto gods are called kami. Kami are thought to have
influence on human affairs, and for this reason many Japanese make regular
pilgrimage to community shrines in order to offer prayers to local kami.
The act of prayer involves approaching the shrine structure, passing through the
gate-like torii, cleansing the hands and mouth
with water and possibly ascending stairs to the main entrance of the shrine.
Usually without entering the shrine the worshipper will throw some coins into a
stone or wooden collection box and then rattle the suzu bell which is at
the top of a long hemp rope. The worshiper grabs hold of the rope and shakes it
back and forth causing the copper bell at the top to rattle. This is thought to
get the attention of the shrine god. The worshipper then bows twice, claps his
or her hands twice and then bows again. In addition, the worshipper may clasp
their hands together in silent prayer. Shintoism and Buddhism have managed to
find a comfortable coexistence in Japan. Evidence of this harmonious relationship is
found in the fact that that most Japanese are married in a Shinto shrine,
but buried by a Buddhist priest.
We really want you to be happy with your purchase! For this reason all
items include a 100% money back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied for any
reason, you may return your purchase immediately for a full refund. Your purchase
and all shipping costs will then be refunded to you after the item has been returned
to our office in Japan. Please see our Contact page if you need to reach us for any reason.
Please see our Shipping page for full details regarding shipping rates, available shipping methods and combined shipping discounts. All shipments are via Japan Post standard airmail or Express Mail Service (EMS) airmail. EMS airmail includes a tracking number and is typically faster than standard airmail. Please note that we do not use less secure shipping methods such as surface or SAL delivery due to the higher incidence of loss, damage and significant delay which we have previously encountered using these methods. Your understanding and consideration prior to bidding is greatly appreciated. We ship anywhere and happily combine orders to help you save money. We
carefully weigh and measure each item prior to listing in order to determine
that item's actual shipping cost. This allows us to then include a shipping quote
within each listing which is sufficient to cover postage and handling costs to
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shipped within 72 hours of receipt of payment though holidays and weekends may cause additional delay. Standard airmail delivery to addresses in
North America and Europe average one to three weeks with more or less time
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responsibility of the buyer. We self insure the full purchase value of
each order.
Shopping with us is easy. Buy one item or shop for several days. There is never any hurry and we are happy to hold purchases while you continue shopping. Within 24 hours of the close of each transaction you will be sent an invoice including instructions to help you complete your purchase. When you pay for your purchase we will begin the shipment process. Please do not make payments for any individual items you wish us to combine as we are unable to combine items once payment has been received. When you are all done shopping please just send us an email to let us know and we will combine your unpaid purchases into a single order and send you an invoice with combined shipping. PayPal and ProPay are our preferred methods of payment.
Please note that we frequently use photographic models with our listings. This means that when we create a new listing we will randomly select from
inventory a sample of the item for the purpose of photography. The item
you receive therefore may differ slightly from the sample shown in the listing
photos. Your satisfaction guarantee however is always in force and we will
promptly refund or replace the item if you are not pleased with your purchase. Please contact us to ask if a model was used with any listing you may be interested in.
Our family business is located in one of the most beautiful and historic
areas of Japan (Shizuoka) and we take great pleasure in sharing videos, stories, facts
and images from this exciting and interesting culture. Please consider
visiting our
About Japan page where you can read our exclusive articles about Japan,
Japanese culture and even our recommended travel itinerary for those considering
a visit to the land of the rising sun.
*The estimated delivery time is based on the seller's handling time, the shipping service selected, and when the seller receives cleared payment. Sellers are not responsible for shipping service transit times. Transit times may vary, particularly during peak periods.
We really want you to be happy with your purchase! For this reason all items include a 100% money back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase immediately for a full refund. Your purchase and all shipping costs will then be refunded to you after the item has been returned to our office in Japan.
The buyer is responsible for return shipping costs.