If you’re on your way to or from Kyushu (Japan’s southern
island) back towards Osaka or Kyoto, you’ll likely pass through Hiroshima, and
if you do, you should definitely make it a priority to detour to Miyajima. 
Miyajima is a small, mountainous island approximately 40
minutes away by tram from Hiroshima city centre. It is a very holy place in the
Shinto religion, and has been an important destination for religious visitors
since ancient times. To get there you need to take the 10-minute ferry ride
from the mainland to the island, which is a very scenic journey!
For me, there are three awesome attractions on this island.
Number one is the various shrines and religious iconography visible throughout
the (mostly uninhabited) island. These include a beautiful 5-storey pagoda
called Goju-no-To (五重の塔 – literally, “five-storey pagoda”!) built in the 1400s
in a skilful combination of Chinese and Japanese architecture styles of the
time:
At various points along the scenic route to view the island,
you may come across these fellas (see left image).These are called “komainu” (狛犬, literally “lion-dogs”) and you can see them guarding the entrances to many holy places throughout Asia. You can see that one of the pair has its mouth open and the other has its mouth closed. This is because one is saying “ah”, which in Buddhist thinking is the sound made at the beginning of the Universe, and one is saying “om”, which is the sound at the end of the Universe.
The second awesome thing about Miyajima is:
The torii (See right image), officially called Itsukushima Shrine. Torii are usually quite small, standing at the entrances to shrines, believed to mark the transition of outsiders from the world of the profane to the world of the sacred, but in ancient times so holy was the island of Miyajima that they built a huge one to protect the whole island. Today it is one of the most iconic artifacts in the whole of Japan, and each year thousands of people visit the gate. At high tide the base of the torii is hidden beneath the water, but at low tide you can walk underneath the gate for luck. Believe me, it is a lot bigger when you’re standing underneath it!
The final awesome thing about Miyajima is:
The extremely cute deer population! Deer, in Japanese
culture, are very holy because in the Shinto religion they are said to be
messengers of the gods. The deer on Miyajima are extremely tame and can be seen
anywhere and everywhere on the island, from the top of Mt. Misen to the town of
Miyajima itself. They will often approach you and gently butt you with their
heads, begging for food. In the island’s shops and various street stalls you
can buy shika senbei – deer crackers
– to feed the deer. They are adorable and very iconic of Miyajima. They can
gang up on tourists though, trapping them against walls to make sure they get
some food!
J. D is a freelance writer who loves to travel!
J. D is a freelance writer who loves to travel!
