Torii are usually found in front of a Shinto shrine and mark the boundary of the sacred realm of the gods from that of the human world. Torii act as gates and entrances to the realm of the gods.  Although Torii can sometimes be found in mausoleums or temples, they usually symbolize Shintoism. There are a number of different theories as toToriis’ origins. One theory suggests that they originated from the simple act of placing a bird perch in front of a god. This theory is closely linked to the legend of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, who hid herself behind a rock and so caused an eclipse. Villagers placed all the town’s cockerels on a perch in front of the rock and the birds’ noise made the goddess curious enough to come out from her hiding place. Other theories take into account foreign influences:  for example the torana architectural style used in Hinduism and Buddhism in India, or the Chinese tradition of Kahyou or sotte. Whichever theory is correct, torii, as they are today, were first established around the 8th century.  The origin of the word “torii” is also disputed. One theory suggests it came from a chicken’s perch which is also pronounced “torii”. Another theory is that it is derived from the word “toriiru” which means “pass through”. It is also said that the word ‘torii’ may come from the word torana.  Torii have two basic styles: Shimei torii and Myoujin torii, with a number of variations further derived from these two styles. The basic structure of torii  usually consists of two cylindrical vertical posts topped by two crossbars;  the top crossbar is called sasagi and the crossbar below is called shimagi, a third crossbar (nuki) is placed farther down to support the posts.