Near the city of Hiroshima lies the holy island of Itsukushima (commonly known as Miyajima). Tiny and sparsely populated, Miyajima is one of Japan’s most well-known destinations and is also called the “Island of the Gods.” This is where the famous “floating” torii gate lies, in the waters just off the coast of Itsukushima Shrine.

You’ve probably seen this giant orange “floating” torii gate in photos or blogs, as I did before I came to the island. However, it is not the only reason to come to the island. Miyajima features several temples, in addition to Itsukushima Shrine, and a 500m-high mountain that provides great views of the surrounding area and the Inland Sea.

First, the big orange “floating” torii gate is probably among the first things you’ll notice when you come across on the ferry from the mainland. It certainly “floats” during the day when the water is at high tide, and you can get a closer view from the shore of Itsukushima Shrine. However, I only realized that in the late afternoon, the water recedes from the shore and allows you to walk right up to the torii gate. The low tide exposes the foundations of the torii gate, which are firmly rooted to the beach “floor,” hence it isn’t really floating (see below).

Torii gate aside, Itsukushima Shrine is an important temple. Dedicated to three daughters of a Shinto god, Itsukushima is considered so important that since 1878, no births or deaths have been permitted near the shrine. That means pregnant women on the island, as well as the very sick or elderly who are near death, are expected to leave for the mainland.

On the way from the ferry to Itsukushima Shrine is a street lined with shops and restaurants, as well as wild deer which wander all over the place. As with the city of Nara which is well-known for its deer park, the deer here are friendly and curious, walking up to people and letting themselves be fed. Along the coast is a tiny beach which was just a little bit wider than a sidewalk.

The most important temple is Daishō-in Temple,which is located in a pleasant complex on the lower slopes of Mt Misen. There are several halls as well as dozens of small stone statues and even a small cave hall.

At the back of the complex is the start of a hiking path to Mt Misen. I took this trail, which passes through a waterfall and a few small temples before reaching the top. I’ll write about the hike in a separate post.

I also enjoyed visiting Senjokaku (Toyokuni Shrine), a wooden temple with a large, open interior built in 1587. While it was dedicated to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan’s three great warlords that unified the nation, Senjokaku’s construction was stopped after Toyotomi died. But I think this state of incompletion adds to the charm of the temple. Its open roomless layout means it’s a good place to sit and enjoy the breeze while taking in the many paintings hung on the ceiling.

Next to Senjokaku is a five-storey pagoda that was built in 1407, making it older than Senjokaku.

How to get there: Take a ferry from the mainland to Miyajima, which takes 10 minutes. The ferry terminal on the mainland is a short walk from Miyajima-guchi train station. Miyajima-guchi station is a 25-minute train ride (some trains may take longer) from Hiroshima. There is also a direct ferry from Hiroshima to Miyajima.

Senjokakau ( Toyokuni Shrine) 
Inside Senjokaku

Entrance to Daishō-in Temple

Up close by the ” floating” torii gate  

On the ferry leaving Miyajima to the mainland