sacred fence; shrine fence
A fence surrounding a shrine, imperial palace, or other sacred area. Often used in poetic or literary contexts.
The shrine's sacred fence demarcates the holy area.
Old waka poems often feature the sacred fence.
玉垣 is another term for a sacred fence, often used interchangeably with 瑞垣, but 瑞垣 may carry a more poetic or classical nuance.
Standard kanji form for this word.
Alternate kanji form, less common.
The word 瑞垣 (みずがき) is composed of 瑞 (みず), meaning 'auspicious' or 'fresh', and 垣 (かき), meaning 'fence'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it has been used since ancient times to refer to fences around sacred spaces.