What is the first place to cross your mind when you hear about Japan? Tokyo? Osaka? Kyoto? The tropical beaches of Okinawa or the snowy land of Hokkaido? Very few countries around the world show as much diversity in terms of climate, culture, architecture and in culinary aspect as Japan. So it is no surprise that the land of the rising sun is full of hidden gems, which are little, if at all, known to the general public. Now I want to tell you about my experience on Miyajima Island and why it is well worth a visit.
Miyajima, also known as Itsukushima Island, is a small piece of land in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan, located right across Hiroshima. It takes about 10-15min by ferry to get there from the mainland. The ferry tickets cost 180¥ in one direction (which is about 1,40€) or if you have a Japan Rail-Pass, you can hop on the ferry for free.
If you make a travel itinerary and stick to it, you can visit Hiroshima and Miyajima in one day. That was the case when I visited- I left early in the morning from Osaka, where I was staying, and finished my joined Hiroshima and Miyajima trip at 9pm, when I got on the train back home. I traveled by shinkansen- the fast trains, and I only used my Japan Rail- Pass. This is a price worthy way to travel around Japan by train, especially if you want to cover more cities during your visit. Here you can find out more about what it covers and at what rates.
Now that we cleared the important issue of getting there, let’s focus our attention on the island itself and what makes it a place, which you should definitely put on your bucket list.
The Scenic Views of Miyajima
Miyajima belongs to the Three Views of Japan, as determined by Japanese poet and scholar Hayashi Gaho in 1643. This was a list of the three most scenic views in the whole Japan. Recognition like this for a country, which is internationally famous for its beauty, says a lot. Miyajima fills your eyes with forests, shrines, deer and the blue sea. It’s hard for me to find proper words for its beauty, so I’ll let my pictures of the place speak for me. Probably the most famous view is the floating torii gate of Itsukushima shrine. Torii gates usually mark the entrance to Shinto shrines and serve as a separator between the human world and the divine.
A Place of Worship for Buddhists and Shintoists
Although today most Japanese people consider themselves atheists, Japan has its own ancient religion, paying tribute to the natural forces and to nature in general. It is called Shinto and one of the most prominent Shinto shrines is namely the one in Miyajima- Itsukushima shrine. The shrine gives the name of the island itself, which is also popularly known as Itsukushima Island across Japan. Built in 12th century over water, the shrine is floating in high tide, which adds up to its beauty and to the feeling of harmony with nature.
But Shinto is not the only religion in Japan and Itsukushima is far from the only temple worth visiting on the island. If you want to further explore Miyajima, it’s worth leaving its shore and stepping deeper into the island, until you reach Daisho-in Temple. It is only a 5-min walk from Itsukushima shrine. Daisho-in is a Buddhist temple, which was built by one of the most famous monks for his time- Kukai, the founder of Shingon Buddhism. With its emergence in the year 806, the temple stands as the more ancient place of worship, compared to Itsukushima shrine. Once there, you would find yourself in a sea of stone statues, each and every one of them with a different face. In fact there are more than 500 of them and not even two of them share the same facial expression. It’s a bit of a surreal experience.
Both temples are World Cultural Heritage sites and entrance is free of charge. Just keep in mind that despite them being bustling tourist sites, they are also places of worship for the locals, so be respectful and keep your voice down when entering the buildings of the shrines.
The Deer in Miyajima
One thing I really enjoyed about the island was that there were free-walking deer everywhere on the streets. They are curious, quite accustomed to human presence and will even approach you, especially if you bring them treats. They are quite calm and let you pet them. I found this particularly astonishing, because usually deer are knows as timid creatures and will quickly run away if you try to get closer to them, but not on Miyajima. It’s no wonder the local Sika deer became an integral part of the island’s scenery- their presence there is well protected by law. Traditionally in Japanese folklore deer are seen as sacred messengers of the gods. Up until the 17th century, killing one was punishable by death. Although the punishments today are not as extreme, there are still strict rules to keep the deer population safe.
The Food
You’re probably already used to hearing people praise Japanese food in every documentary or travel guide out there, but there is a reason for that. If you have the chance, try some of the local cuisine, as every prefecture has their own specialties. In Miyajima, you won’t be wrong if you go for Hiroshima- style okonomiyaki, fresh oysters, Momiji Manju (maple leaf shaped cookies) or the local flavors of the Ramune soft drink- Momiji Manjyu or orange. The maple leaf cookies are traditionally filled with anko- a sweet bean paste, but you can find a variety of other flavors as well. They also make great souvenirs to take back home. As for Ramune- it’s a refreshing cold-served soft drink. It is a whole experience to open it. The neck of the bottle is plugged with a glass marble which you have to push in, so you can sip from the drink. The flavours are usually quite soft and with a pleasant aftertaste.
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