The oldest shrines were built in wood. The 'Daibutsu-den' from 'Tôdai-ji' in Nara is actually the bigest building in wood in the world
From VII° century the convent-shrines consist of a devoting room with a pagoda with many floors in the middle of a big yard surrounded by a covered gallery.
Fitting themselves to the relief they became the center of a natural park of which walks are decorated by lanterns.
Then, architecture evolves, separating them from the others.
'Torii' in 'Itsukushima' shrine,one of the three most beautiful landscape in Japan.
'Asakusa', bouddhic temple (Tokyo).
'Dai-Butsu', the big bouddha in 'Amakura' (1252).
Often protected by gods and devils
and always richly decorated inners
To enlarge, click on the picture