The Magical Island of Miyajima

About an hour outside of Hiroshima lies the island of Miyajima. We visited this beautiful island today, by train and by ferry.  It was a hike to get there, but the views were amazing.

Miyajima is a holy place in Japan, filled with Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. The island is supposed to be pure, so no one is allowed to give birth or to die on the island – instead they are shipped away if they are ill or pregnant. The island is amazingly well preserved, and is a nature lover's paradise. There are deer wandering through the parks, gorgeous green trees, views of nearby islands, and, of course, views of the surrounding sea.

James poses in the sun in front of some Miyajima palm trees.

Erin joins him for some tropical flavor.

One of the Miyajima temples that overlooks the water.

James and one of the wild deer that roam the island, stealing paper and food from tourists (the deer, not James)

In the bay, close to shore is the “floating torii,” which is the gate to the shrine behind it Itsukushima. The shrine and the torii were stunning.

Erin and James pose before Miyajima's floating Torii Gate.

The courtyard to Miyajima's Torii Gate shrine.

We also visited the Daisho-in temple, up in the hills. We witnessed a ceremony taking place – the monks were chanting, beating drums, and gonging away as we entered.



At the entrance to the temple are the Dai-hannyakyo Sutra, which are the golden prayer wheels that are said to bring enormous fortune to anyone who touches them.



Walking up to the Daisho-in temple.

Tabitha sits next to a shrine honoring the "year of the tiger."

Inside the Henjokutsu Cave, there are paper lanterns all along the ceiling - they gave an eerie feel to the temple.

We had plenty of time to explore the island, so we also hiked up the mountain and entered Momijidani Park. During our hike we saw amazing fall colors, and views of the water. We also walked through some of the tourist areas, and stopped at some of the shops to check out the local specialties.



Goju-no-to, a vermilion red Five-Storied Pagoda built in 1407AD.



Some of the mountain landscape surrounding Miyajima.

The island is known for its "Momiji manjū," which are small cakes made in the shape of a maple leaf.

James sampling some of the famous cookies.

Tabitha and Howard join Hello Kitty in celebrating Miyahima's beauty.

We left the island the same we came, by ferry and then by train. We returned to our hotel where we enjoyed lunch we bought from the grocery store on the way back. James spent some time using the internet, while Erin continued to walk around the city a bit. We later made a jaunt outside for dinner together and did some more exploring in Hiroshima. We enjoyed our time in this modern and vibrant city and were very glad we had the opportunity to visit and learn more about its history (the good and the bad).