One of the top 3 places to see in Japan.
Miyajima is the site of possibly the most iconic image of Japan, the Otorii, the Great Torii. (A torii is the gate to a temple and a shrine)
In my latest trip to Japan I wanted to revisit all my favourite places and Miyajima was on that list. It's a pretty island (real name Itsukushima, Miyajima is its popular name and it means 'shrine island') situated in the Inland Sea near Hiroshima. Travelling to Miyajima involves catching the Shinkansen to Hiroshima, then at Hiroshima Station changing to a local train. It's all well sign posted and not difficult to find, the local train takes about 30 minutes to arrive at Miyajima-guchi station. From Miyajima-guchi station, it's a short stroll to the ferry terminal, again well sign posted, and with so many tourist now visiting the island, it was just a matter of 'follow the crowd'! The cost of the ferry is included in the JR Railpass, so no extra tickets are needed.
Looking back to the mainland from the ferry.
The ferry crossing takes about 10 minutes and there are views of the mainland or the island with the Otorii to be seen as you come closer.
Itsukushima (Miyajima island)
Once on the island the main attraction is the floating Itsukushima Shrine and the Otorii so the crowd all heads in that direction along the coastal path.
One thing I noticed on this trip was the huge increase of foreign tourists, domestic, as in Japanese tourists always loved these popular sites, but there were few non-Japanese, not anymore! The downside (besides the increase in crowds!) was that the main businesses you now see are either souvenir shops or restaurants, so it was nice to see an old traditional Japanese shop on the path to the floating shrine.
Coastal path with Japanese school girls on the beach, Miyajima is a popular school trip destination. There's always packs of Japanese students walking around, they're given quite a lot of freedom as the teachers don't herd them around. The students are given a time limit and a meeting point and then walk around on their own, well in friendship groups usually.
The island is famous for its tame deer, they just wander around, people are not allowed to feed them. There are signs everywhere and there are no rubbish bins as one of the locals explained to my Japanese friend the first time I went, as the deer would rummage in the bins for food. So they just removed all the bins. (However I did see bins in the park, but they were 'deer proof' ones with heavy metal lids)
The Otorii with a tourist boat sailing around it, these traditional boats are everywhere I found out, the canal in Kurashiki, the moat around Himeji Castle.
A tourist tip here. The tide around the island has huge variations, low tide just exposes the mud flats around the island and the Otorii isn't floating in the water, it's standing on mudflats! Having visited in the past during low tide, I checked this time when high tide was (it's all online and in English) so I could plan the day around the best views of the Otorii. High tide was in the morning so I went to Miyajima in the morning and then Peace Park in Hiroshima in the afternoon.
After visiting the shrine I went off to explore more of the island, I followed the sign for Momijidani Park. I hadn't been before and it was lovely, momiji is the Japanese word for maples.
Maples around Shinomiya Shrine, an orange/red torii can just be seen.
Japanese maples with red bridge! This is Japan!
Looking down from the bridge, a stream with stepping stones, there was a man by the side of the stream just sketching.
I sat down to have a quick bite to eat and felt a nudge behind me, it was this deer! It was trying to eat the apple I was having!
Momijidani Park was lovely and in November when the maples are red, it would be stunning. What I particularly liked about the park was the lack of people! There were crowds down by the coast but they didn't seem to venture inland, there were some tourists climbing up the hill to the park and to the Ropeway which takes you up to Mount Misen. But the park itself was peaceful and a nice retreat from urban Japan.
Upon leaving the park, I decided to brave the main shopping street, I needed to get a few souvenirs!
I love this symbol of Miyajima, it's a giant rice scoop, called a shamoji. The wooden rice scoop was invented by a monk living on Miyajima and supposedly it doesn't affect the taste of the rice. (I wonder what they used before!)
The main shopping street (with another school group!) it was far more crowded than this picture shows, I had to wait for a break in the crowd to get a picture with as few people as possible! The shopping street will take you back to the port.
Beside the rice scoop the other main symbol of Miyajima are the momiji manju, pastries in the shape of maple leaves. The traditional pastries have a filling of red bean paste, red bean paste is an acquired taste. It's one I never acquired! So I went for ones filled with custard, there are also chocolate filled ones for the chocaholics.
Momiji manju, they were absolutely delicious! Worth going to the island just for the pastries!
I only spent half a day on Miyajima but it's possible to spend a lot longer and explore more of the island. There are hotels as well as more traditional accomodation such as ryokans to stay in for those who want to explore Japan at a slower pace.
Miyajima is the site of possibly the most iconic image of Japan, the Otorii, the Great Torii. (A torii is the gate to a temple and a shrine)
In my latest trip to Japan I wanted to revisit all my favourite places and Miyajima was on that list. It's a pretty island (real name Itsukushima, Miyajima is its popular name and it means 'shrine island') situated in the Inland Sea near Hiroshima. Travelling to Miyajima involves catching the Shinkansen to Hiroshima, then at Hiroshima Station changing to a local train. It's all well sign posted and not difficult to find, the local train takes about 30 minutes to arrive at Miyajima-guchi station. From Miyajima-guchi station, it's a short stroll to the ferry terminal, again well sign posted, and with so many tourist now visiting the island, it was just a matter of 'follow the crowd'! The cost of the ferry is included in the JR Railpass, so no extra tickets are needed.
The ferry crossing takes about 10 minutes and there are views of the mainland or the island with the Otorii to be seen as you come closer.
Once on the island the main attraction is the floating Itsukushima Shrine and the Otorii so the crowd all heads in that direction along the coastal path.
One thing I noticed on this trip was the huge increase of foreign tourists, domestic, as in Japanese tourists always loved these popular sites, but there were few non-Japanese, not anymore! The downside (besides the increase in crowds!) was that the main businesses you now see are either souvenir shops or restaurants, so it was nice to see an old traditional Japanese shop on the path to the floating shrine.
Coastal path with Japanese school girls on the beach, Miyajima is a popular school trip destination. There's always packs of Japanese students walking around, they're given quite a lot of freedom as the teachers don't herd them around. The students are given a time limit and a meeting point and then walk around on their own, well in friendship groups usually.
The island is famous for its tame deer, they just wander around, people are not allowed to feed them. There are signs everywhere and there are no rubbish bins as one of the locals explained to my Japanese friend the first time I went, as the deer would rummage in the bins for food. So they just removed all the bins. (However I did see bins in the park, but they were 'deer proof' ones with heavy metal lids)
The Otorii with a tourist boat sailing around it, these traditional boats are everywhere I found out, the canal in Kurashiki, the moat around Himeji Castle.
A tourist tip here. The tide around the island has huge variations, low tide just exposes the mud flats around the island and the Otorii isn't floating in the water, it's standing on mudflats! Having visited in the past during low tide, I checked this time when high tide was (it's all online and in English) so I could plan the day around the best views of the Otorii. High tide was in the morning so I went to Miyajima in the morning and then Peace Park in Hiroshima in the afternoon.
After visiting the shrine I went off to explore more of the island, I followed the sign for Momijidani Park. I hadn't been before and it was lovely, momiji is the Japanese word for maples.
Maples around Shinomiya Shrine, an orange/red torii can just be seen.
Looking down from the bridge, a stream with stepping stones, there was a man by the side of the stream just sketching.
I sat down to have a quick bite to eat and felt a nudge behind me, it was this deer! It was trying to eat the apple I was having!
Momijidani Park was lovely and in November when the maples are red, it would be stunning. What I particularly liked about the park was the lack of people! There were crowds down by the coast but they didn't seem to venture inland, there were some tourists climbing up the hill to the park and to the Ropeway which takes you up to Mount Misen. But the park itself was peaceful and a nice retreat from urban Japan.
Upon leaving the park, I decided to brave the main shopping street, I needed to get a few souvenirs!
I love this symbol of Miyajima, it's a giant rice scoop, called a shamoji. The wooden rice scoop was invented by a monk living on Miyajima and supposedly it doesn't affect the taste of the rice. (I wonder what they used before!)
The main shopping street (with another school group!) it was far more crowded than this picture shows, I had to wait for a break in the crowd to get a picture with as few people as possible! The shopping street will take you back to the port.
Beside the rice scoop the other main symbol of Miyajima are the momiji manju, pastries in the shape of maple leaves. The traditional pastries have a filling of red bean paste, red bean paste is an acquired taste. It's one I never acquired! So I went for ones filled with custard, there are also chocolate filled ones for the chocaholics.
I only spent half a day on Miyajima but it's possible to spend a lot longer and explore more of the island. There are hotels as well as more traditional accomodation such as ryokans to stay in for those who want to explore Japan at a slower pace.
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