The Saio's Sorrow and the Black Wood Torii Gate - Nonomiya Shrine (Sagano)
Kuroki torii gate and Saio's prayer: A quiet memory of farewell remains in Sagano
Beyond the bamboo forest of Sagano lies a place of prayer that transcends time. The black, rather than vermilion, torii gate tells a story of beginnings, not farewells.
Nonomiya Shrine - its name embodies the sacred memory of the Saio, an Imperial Princess who blackened herself on her way to Ise. The wooden torii gate is made from oak with the bark still intact, and is Japan's oldest remaining form. It is not a pared-down beauty, but a beauty that remains. Its appearance harbors a core strength within its stillness.
A moss garden spreads across the grounds, and the white sand and log bridge are arranged to symbolize the stormy mountain scenery. Kuromoji (black cypress) is used for the small fence, and the toothpicks used for Japanese sweets also contain this material, adding a delicate fragrance to the space.
In the Tale of Genji's "Kasagi no Maki" chapter, this place is depicted as the setting where Hikaru Genji and Rokujo no Miyasudokoro say their farewells.
It may not be possible to pass on the "beauty without reduction" that WABISUKE aims for. Rather than settling for something by giving it form, we should gently preserve what cannot be shaped. The black wood torii gate at Nonomiya Shrine asks us: "What is it that you want to protect?"
It is in silence that true beauty resides.
Beauty becomes someone's memory and is passed on to the future.