Mihashira-torii (三柱鳥居)
Mihashira-torii (literally, three-column shrine gate) is formed by coupling three torii (shrine gate). Because adjacent two trii share columns, the columns are not six but three. Mihashira-torii such as the one in Kijima-jinja Shrine (kaiko-no-yashiro (literally, silkworm shrine) in Kyoto City in Kyoto Prefecture) is famous.
The style of torii of mihashira-torii is shinmei-torii and, therefore, nuki (a lateral bar joining columns) is only set in the inner space of columns.
Main mihashira-torii
Kijima-jinja Shrine
Kijima-jinja Shrine is a shrine located in Uzumasa in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City. Mihashira-torii made of stone stands in 'Mototadasu-no-ike pond' in the precincts of the shrine.
Although the current mihashira-torii is the one which was constructed in 1831 after the original one, the one depicted in 'Sansai-torii' which is the 11th volume of 'Hokusai Manga' (a collection of Hokusai KATSUSHIKA's sketches) is made of wood.
Mikakoi-jinja Shrine
Mikakoi-jinja Shrine is a shrine located in Mukojima (Sumida Ward) in Sumida Ward, Tokyo. There is mihashira-torii made of stone in the shrine and a well is provided surrounded by the torii.
This mihashira-torii is worshipped as the guardian god of the Mitsui family and it is written on the shrine that 'A triangular stone torii. Moved from the Mitsui House. The original is located in Kijima-jinja Shrine in Uzumasa in Kyoto.'
Yamato-cho in Gifu Prefecture
Mihashira-torii located in Yamato-cho (Gifu Prefecture) is at a place at an altitude of about 1,000 m. The mihashira-torii is about two kilometers away from a road on which cars can run.
The mountain trails are not clear and, therefore, it is very difficult to reach the mihashira-torii.
There is only the mihashira-torii but no shrine. Returning to a woodland path leads you to Hakusan-jinja Shrine.