Washinomiya Shrine, the Tokyo area's oldest shrine and a real-life backdrop for the Lucky Star anime series, faced an unfortunate loss on Sunday. The shrine's torii gate collapsed at around 10:40 a.m. on Sunday, crushing the trunk of a car passing underneath it. The gate was about six meters tall (about 19.5ft) and included a wooden piece that ran along the top. The wood was protected by a rainproof covering but seemingly had suffered water damage over the years until it had rotted, leading to the collapse.

No one was injured in the accident. The 49-year-old driver of the crushed car suffered a shock when the front end of his vehicle suddenly lifted into the air, but was otherwise unhurt.

The torii gate had previously been restored twice since it was initially erected in during the Meiji period. The shrine has drawn anime fans since 2007 after it was used as a backdrop for the Lucky Star anime series. Pilgrims have numbered in the 100,000s for New Year's Day celebrations.

Source: The Asahi Shimbun (高橋町彰), Images via Niyota84