This giant white concrete torii is the entrance to Terukuni Shrine honoring Shimazu Nariakira. It is also symbolic of his grand achievements in the local region and his influence on Japan’s modernization during the subsequent Meiji Resoration. This type of gateway is typical of a Shinto shrine in Japan except they are usually wooden and painted vermillion (red). The name torii means bird perch or bird abode. This explains the beautiful sculpted tree (topiary) of a bird with wide wings.
