Miyajima, the Sacred Island in Hiroshima Prefecture. The Great Torii Gate of Itsukushima Shrine is Amazing.

Foreign tourists love vermilion torii gates. Fushimi Inari Shrine’s “Thousand Torii Gates” in Kyoto’s Fushimi Ward is a hugely popular tourist spot.
Torii gates are a design unique to Japan, so photos taken with them instantly show you’re in Japan. The vermilion color also makes for great Instagram photos against the backdrop of traditional shrine buildings and greenery.

The Thousand Torii Gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine

The torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine are astonishing for their sheer number stretching endlessly, but it’s a single torii that draws tourists to Miyajima (Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture).
Until I turned 67, I had visited all three of Japan’s Three Scenic Views (Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture, Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture, and Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture) except Miyajima. This year, I finally had the chance to visit.

Miyajima is formally known as Itsukushima. It is the “island of the gods” where Itsukushima Shrine stands. It has a circumference of about 30 kilometers, with its highest point being the summit of Mount Misen at 535 meters. The shrine was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Cultural Heritage) in 1996, alongside the Atomic Bomb Dome in the same prefecture of Hiroshima.

Itsukushima Shrine appearing to float on the sea

It is said that a shrine was built on this island and worship began in 593, during the era of Prince Shotoku.
In the Heian period, the famous military commander Taira no Kiyomori (1118–1181), at the age of 29, became the governor of Aki Province, ruling the Seto Inland Sea region, and he deeply revered this shrine. It is said he then built a magnificent shrine in the shinden-zukuri style on the sea and erected a torii gate.

Before that, the island was uninhabited, and people apparently prayed toward the island from the Jigozen Shrine on the mainland across the sea.

Dawn over Miyajima as seen from Miyahama Onsen on the opposite shore

As Kiyomori’s status grew, so did the people’s devotion to the shrine, and priests began residing on the island. Commoners also came over to provide hospitality for visitors and supply daily necessities.
Today, about 1,500 people live there, but as a sacred island, it has no cemetery. When islanders pass away, funerals are held on the mainland opposite, and they are buried there. Childbirth also takes place on the mainland.

The ferry terminal for the island is directly connected to Miyajimaguchi Station on Hiroshima City’s streetcar line. From there, a 10-minute ferry ride takes you to the island. From the pier, the approach path stretches along the sea to the right, and soon the torii gate becomes visible ahead and to the right in the sea. When I crossed over around 8:30 AM on February 2nd, it was near high tide, and the torii appeared to be floating in the sea. Apparently, at low tide, you can walk right up to the torii.

Ferry to Miyajima

This torii stands 16.6 meters tall, with a ridge length of 24.2 meters and a circumference of the main pillars measuring 9.9 meters, making it the largest wooden torii in Japan. It is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

The pillars are not buried in the seabed; instead, approximately 4 tons of small stones are packed into the roof beams, bringing the total weight to about 60 tons, which keeps it upright. It remains stable due to a unique structure: supporting pillars (sodebashira) are erected in front of and behind the main pillars, connected by two horizontal beams, top and bottom, supported by a total of six pillars. It is a six-legged torii.

The Great Torii Gate of Itsukushima Shrine at nearly high tide

The current torii gate is the ninth generation since the time of Taira no Kiyomori, rebuilt in 1875. Though it undergoes gradual repairs, I heard it resists decay and insects because it’s made of camphor wood. Camphor wood has long been known for its insect resistance and durability, even serving as the raw material for the insect repellent “camphor.”

Walking past the torii on your right, you approach the shrine hall built in the shinden-zukuri style, floating above the sea. Walking around the corridor, you truly feel that this is a shrine floating on the ocean. The torii you passed earlier floats about 160 meters ahead.

The great torii gate viewed from the corridor

Deer roam all over the island. They’re leaner than the deer in Nara Park, but I felt they had a wildness about them. Left behind on the island when the Seto Inland Sea formed about 6,000 years ago, cutting Miyajima off from the mainland, they’ve evolved uniquely. This makes them the island’s masters, far older than Itsukushima Shrine.

The deer found throughout Miyajima

The classic souvenirs are food items like “momiji manju” and decorative or practical items like “shamoji rice paddles.” Our guide mentioned, “You can buy both elsewhere, but there’s something you can only eat on this island.” That something is tempura-fried momiji manju (Age Momiji -fried maple leaf pastries-).

Miyajima’s Famous Age Momiji (Fried Maple Leaves)

Maple leaf-shaped manju buns coated in tempura batter and fried crispy in 180°C oil. A sweet treat with a crispy exterior and chewy interior. Standard flavors include red bean paste, custard, and cheese. They come skewered, perfect for eating on the go.

Next time, I’ll time my visit for low tide. I want to touch the world’s greatest torii gate.

The Great Torii Gate of Itsukushima Shrine at Low Tide