Kamosu Jinja'shonden and a granary at Toro

Taisha-zukuri orŌyashiro-zukuri (大社造) is an ancient Japanesearchitectural style and the oldestShinto shrinearchitectural style. Named afterIzumo Taisha'shonden (sanctuary), likeIse Grand Shrine'sshinmei-zukuri style it features a bark roof decorated with poles calledchigi andkatsuogi, plus archaic features like gable-end pillars and a single central pillar (shin no mihashira).^[1] Thehonden's floor is raised above the ground through the use of stilts (see photo).Like theshinmei-zukuri andsumiyoshi-zukuri styles, it predates the arrival ofBuddhism in Japan.

Ancientshrines were constructed according to the style of dwellings (Izumo Taisha)^[2][3] or storehouses (Ise Grand Shrine).^[2][4] The buildings hadgabled roofs, raised floors, plank walls, and werethatched with reed or covered withhinoki cypress bark.^[4] Such early shrines did not include a space for worship.^[2] Three important forms of ancient shrine architectural styles exist:taisha-zukuri,shinmei-zukuri andsumiyoshi-zukuri.^[5] They are exemplified byIzumo Taisha,Nishina Shinmei Shrine andSumiyoshi Taisha^[6] respectively and date to before 552.^[7] According to the tradition ofShikinen sengū-sai (式年遷宮祭), the buildings or shrines were faithfully rebuilt at regular intervals adhering to the original design. In this manner, ancient styles have been replicated through the centuries to the present day.

Izumo Taisha'shonden over time has gone through profound changes that have greatly decreased its size and changed its structure.^[8] In its present form, it is a gabled building 2x2ken^[9] in size, with an entrance on the gabled end (a characteristic calledtsumairi-zukuri (妻入造). Like Ise Grand Shrine's, it has purely ornamental poles calledchigi (vertical) andkatsuogi (horizontal) on a cypress bark-covered roof, plus archaic features like gable-end pillars and a single central pillar (shin no mihashira (心の御柱)).^[8] This pillar has a diameter of 10.9 cm, has no obvious structural role and is believed to have had a purely religious significance.^[10] The external stairway is covered by an independent bark-covered roof (see illustration in the gallery).

Thehonden's interior is a square divided into four identical sections, each covered by fifteentatami (straw mats). The floor plan has therefore the shape of the Chinese character for rice field (田), an element which suggests a possible connection with harvest propitiation rites.^[10]

Because its floor is raised above the ground, thehonden is believed to have its origin in raised-floor granaries like those found inToro,Shizuoka prefecture.^[10]

The oldest extant example oftaisha-zukuri is thehonden at Kamosu Shrine inMatsue, Shimane prefecture, built in 1582 and now declared aNational Treasure.^[8] Smaller than Izumo Taisha's, it nonetheless has thick supporting pillars. It is deeper, has a higher floor, and differs significantly from Izumo Taisha's. It probably represents an older style of construction.^[8]

• 
  Front and side view of Izumo Taisha'shonden
• 
  Thehonden is visible in the background
• 
  Roofs at Izumo Taisha

• History and Typology of Shrine Architecture, Encyclopedia of Shinto accessed on November 29, 2009
• Fujita Masaya, Koga Shūsaku, ed. (April 10, 1990).Nihon Kenchiku-shi (in Japanese) (September 30, 2008 ed.). Shōwa-dō.ISBN 4-8122-9805-9.
• Kishida, Hideto (2008).Japanese Architecture. READ BOOKS.ISBN 978-1-4437-7281-5. Retrieved2009-11-11.,
• Young, David; Young, Michiko (2007) [2004].The art of Japanese architecture. Architecture and Interior Design (illustrated, revised ed.). Tuttle Publishing.ISBN 978-0-8048-3838-2. Retrieved2009-11-11.

• Shinto architecture
• Izumo Grand Shrine
• Taisha-zukuri

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• Short description matches Wikidata
• Articles containing Japanese-language text
• CS1 Japanese-language sources (ja)