UNIQUE Connections
Japanese Torii in Sault Ste. Marie's Government Park (Sault Ste. Marie)
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Japanese Torii |
The City of Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan's Upper Peninsula is home to the Soo Locks Government Park. Government Park plays host to numerous monuments of historical significance. One such monument is in fact a Japanese Torii gate, gifted to the city by former Governor of Michigan, Chase S. Osborn. Mr. Osborn had deep roots in Sault Ste. Marie and was widely known for being a world traveler. He arranged for the Torii to be sent to Sault Ste. Marie from Japan in the early 1900's.
Traditionally, Torii gates are used to adorn the entrance to Shinto shrines, serving as a point of transition from the outer world to the inner shrine. The Torii in Sault Ste. Marie was placed at the entrance of Government Park to welcome park visitors and to commemorate the Sister-City relationship between Sault Ste. Marie and Ryuoh Town in Japan's Shiga Prefecture, affiliated in 1974.
- Information about the Soo Locks Government Park may be found at the website: Soo Locks Park & Visitor Center.