Nonomiya Shrine, Kyoto

Nonomiya was the shrine in Kyoto where Imperial princesses spent a year preparing to become High Priestess of the Grand Shrine of Ise. In The Tale of Genji, the Shining Prince meets the Rokujo Lady at Nonomiya.

Because the chosen princess was expected to serve as high priestess in remote Ise until the emperor abdicated or died, Nonomiya was associated with sadness and parting. The torii was made from a type of dark oak tree with the bark left on the posts.