#hokora

Below is the natural garden area at the Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America. The small torii marks a tributary stream that runs through the shrine grounds to empty into the river that passes by the shrine.

As I'm sure everyone is likely to know by now, a torii gate marks the entrance to either a Shinto Shrine or a sacred space. Except when they don't. Torii are a symbol of Shinto, but can be found at Buddhist sites, and have become something of a secular symbol of Japan in the west.

Torii can be found all over Japan, sometimes in the strangest of locations, but they are seldom seen in a traditional Japanese garden. Typically the only time a torii will be found in a traditional Japanese garden is when a Hokora is present, or some other unique natural feature such as the stream that cuts through the Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America. The thing is, this is Shinto, there are no hard and fast rules, only tradition, and if we look long enough we are going to find exceptions.

Torii gates have been popping up all over the place in Japan as well, but not to mark sacred spaces. No, they are being used to discourage the dumping of trash and public urination. All I can say regarding this practice is that reviews are mixed at best. Many feel that this tactic is very inappropriate.

The garden torii has become rather ubiquitous within Western backyards and urban garden landscapes seeking that Oriental touch. Here's the thing, a Torii is for all practicality, a religious symbol. That's why it's being used to discourage public urination. You wouldn't pee on a cross would - oh who am I kidding. Never mind, forget I even brought that up we all know what would happen.

Here's the thing though, would you put a cross in your garden, or a star of David, or any of the other many religious symbols? Would you display them as curiosities, use them as garden trellises? Then again Buddhas and angelic beings seem to be fairly common in Western gardens as well. One trip to a garden store is evidence enough that people really don't think about what they are adding to their gardens. Or they just don't think. I recently ran across something where a person was saying we can build our own Shinto trellis. Um, sorry, no, there is no such thing.

The internet is loaded with do-it-yourself torii tutorials. And I'm not going to say don't display a torii gate in your garden. There are people who will say no, you shouldn't. If it only vaguely resembles a torii I'd say do it. Never mind the people calling it Orientalism and cultural appropriation. It's not a torii gate, it only sort of looks like one. If you are going to insist on an actual torii I will ask why? If you don't have a good answer perhaps reconsider and use a traditional garden gate. Finally, if you wish to have a torii as an expression of your beliefs, then do it. Make it a special space in the garden. Not a curiosity, not something exotic, but that place you can go to meditate and unwind. A place where you can talk to the Kami.