Itsukushima shrine on Miyajima island

One of my main reasons for coming to Hiroshima was to visit Miyajima, as my previous visit here a few years ago was too short to do that. Miyajima is on every package tour to Hiroshima, and the wooden structure (called O-torii) shown above is one of the distinctive Japanese sights. The Itsukushima Shinto Shrine was declared a World Heritage Site in 1996. Several hundred years ago, in 1643, Miyajima was recognised as one of the “three most scenic spots in Japan” … so how could I resist?

It’s a short train ride and then an even shorter ferry ride to the island, and the island is close enough to the mainland that the O-torii can be seen before boarding the boat (although not in this snapshot of the boat). The island has several attractions, but this post is only about the shrine. (More posts to come later).

On arriving at the island, I was surprised to find that there is a very large deer population, wandering amongst the tourists. While not aggressive at all, they are of course looking for food, and are fond of paper, it seems. I didn’t see anyone molesting or molested by a deer. There were also some helpful signs in English (always appreciated), but some seemed a little unnecessary. Also lots of stone lanterns, and I imagine that a festival here (at night time) would look spectacular.

The shrine itself is painted a brilliant vermillion, as is the O-torii, apparently to ward off evil spirits. (The colour reminded me of the spectacular Fushima-Inari shrine just out of Kyoto that I visited years ago.) I spotted a couple of priests (not sure that’s the word) and lots of tourists enjoying walking the extensive shrine corridors – as did I. I was a little surprised to see the large collection of used sake bottles and sake casks, giving me the impression that the priests like a tipple (as for English monasteries). Maybe not; I’m not sure how to interpret such largesse.

The tides vary quite a bit here, and the best time to be here is high tide. (I had planned to do that, and tide tables are easy to find online, but I arrived early and then went exploring elsewhere on the island before the tide came in!). So there is no water lapping the shrine in these pictures, but you can see the mountainous island behind as well as the special wishes written on paper.

Tourists are interesting to observe too. They went out by the boatload, bedecked in conical hats, to get closer to the shrine (which must have irritated other tourists trying to photograph it!). Actually, it seemed to me that other tourists were mostly photographing themselves and their friends! The selfie-generation! I am always impressed with the capacity of Japanese people to queue politely and patiently, in this case, waiting to be photographed in front of the O-torii from a good vantage point.

As the tide was drifting in, it was good pickings for the local birds, herons I guess. And there were lovely photo opportunities of stone lanterns everywhere.

It’s a lovely spot and well worth a visit. I spent several hours on the island – longer than I expected – as you can see from my parting photo of the O-torii. Shinto shrines in Japan are easily found by their O-torii, but this is the only one located in water, I think. (Mathematics teachers like me cannot help but think of them as large Pi signs!) Sunset through the structure is especially lovely, and it is popular for people to actually stay at hotels on the island, no doubt partly to enjoy that experience.