The sacred Japanese island of Miyajima (Itsukushima), which lies off the coast near Hiroshima, is famous for its “floating” torii gate and shrines. However, Miyajima also has a 535m-high mountain, Mount Misen, that features small temples, a waterfall, and great views of the Inland Sea.
There are three routes up Mt Misen, with the one I chose to take being at the back of Daisho-in Temple, which lies at the foot of the mountain. If you don’t want to hike, you can take a cable car up. Daisho-in Temple is worth a visit as it boasts attractive halls, a cave shrine, and dozens of small stone Buddhas.
Once you get on the trail, it’s quite straightforward. Eventually, you’ll pass a waterfall that flows into a rocky stream. There are vantage points along the way where you can look down and see the floating torii gate, which will look very tiny. You will also realize the island is heavily forested, which isn’t surprising given the island’s population is only about 2,000 and there isn’t any heavy industry. More worryingly, you’ll encounter signs urging you to watch out for vipers or “mamushi – deadly poisonous snake.” There is also a notable manmade stone stream structure from where water flows out.
Near the top, there are a few diverging paths but just remember to stay on the main trail. There’s a temple hall where you can take a breather before going on the summit. There, you can enjoy fantastic views of the Inland Sea, the island, and the mainland. There is an observatory at the summit with benches and washrooms.
You can then choose to hike back down but I decided to take the cable car instead. The Shishiiwa cable car station is a little further away, about 15-20 minutes, and there are fine views there as well.
