JAPN Miyajima Island Guide: Floating Torii, Hiking and Oysters
Miyajima Island Guide: Floating Torii, Hiking and Oysters
Itsukushima Shrine and the Torii
The great torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine stands 16.6 meters tall in the tidal flats of Miyajima Island, appearing to float on water at high tide and standing on exposed sand at low tide when visitors can walk to its base. The current gate, built in 1875 from decay-resistant camphor wood, is the eighth iteration since the first was erected in the late 12th century by the warlord Taira no Kiyomori. The pillars sit on their own weight rather than being buried, with the crossbeams filled with stones for ballast.
The shrine itself extends over the tidal flat on wooden stilts connected by covered corridors, with a Noh stage built over the water where traditional performances take place during spring and autumn festivals. The corridor floors have gaps between boards to allow pressure from high tides and typhoon storm surges to pass through rather than lifting the structure. Admission costs 300 yen. The best time to photograph the torii floating is two to three hours before and after high tide, while walking out to its base requires timing your visit around low tide, checkable on tidal charts posted at the ferry terminal.
Mount Misen and Island Trails
Mount Misen rises 535 meters at the center of the island, reachable by the Miyajima Ropeway in two stages for 1,840 yen round trip, or on foot via three hiking trails of varying difficulty. The Momijidani Route, the most popular, starts from the maple valley behind the shrine and climbs steeply through forest for about 90 minutes. The Daisho-in Route from the temple of the same name is slightly longer but less steep with stone-paved sections. The Omoto Route from the west coast is the longest and least traveled.
The summit area contains several halls including the Reikado, where an eternal flame has reportedly burned since Kobo Daishi meditated here 1,200 years ago and was used to light the Flame of Peace in Hiroshima. Wild deer roam the summit plateau, and on clear days, views extend across the Seto Inland Sea to the Shikoku mountains. The forest is designated a UNESCO World Heritage natural site and contains specimens of unique flora adapted to the island’s mild maritime climate.
Food and Craft Culture
Miyajima is famous for two foods: momiji manju maple-leaf-shaped cakes and fresh oysters. The cakes were invented in 1906 and come in traditional red bean filling along with modern variations of custard, chocolate, cheese, and matcha, sold at dozens of shops along the main street for 100 to 150 yen each. Some shops offer freshly fried momiji manju with a crispy battered exterior. Oyster season runs from October through March, and street vendors grill them on the half shell for 200 to 400 yen each, plump and briny from the nutrient-rich Inland Sea waters.
Miyajima shamoji, the flat wooden rice paddles, originated as the island’s signature craft when a monk named Seishin reportedly had a vision of the goddess Benzaiten holding a biwa lute whose shape inspired the paddle design. The world’s largest shamoji, measuring 7.7 meters long, is displayed in Omotesando shopping street. Miyajima beer, brewed on the island, comes in several varieties including a red ale made with local fruits. The brewery’s taproom near the ferry terminal serves flights of four tasters.
Getting There and Timing
JR Sanyo Line from Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi takes 27 minutes, and the JR ferry from there to the island takes 10 minutes, both covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Alternatively, high-speed ferries operate directly from Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park to Miyajima in 45 minutes for 2,200 yen. The island has no cars for tourists, and walking covers all main sites within 30 minutes of the ferry terminal. Deer roam freely throughout the town, roughly 500 in total, calmer than Nara’s deer since no one sells deer crackers.
Autumn foliage in Momijidani maple valley peaks in mid to late November. The Kangen-sai Festival in July features traditional court music boats circling the shrine at night. New Year visits to Itsukushima draw large crowds. Staying overnight on the island, at one of the ryokan or hotels along the waterfront, allows you to experience the shrine and torii after day-trippers depart on the last ferry around 6 PM, when the illuminated gate reflects on the evening tide in near-solitude.
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