Miyajima and Itsukushima Shrine: One of the Three Most Scenic Spots in Japan

A sure sign that autumn has come to Japan is the blooming of the Red Spider Lilies (higanbana) - you can read more about the name and superstitions surrounding the "flower of death" in this post. This summer was not the hottest on record but it has certainly been the wettest - and the rain shows no sign of abating. Typhoon Dujuan just passed us dropping record rainfall along the Pacific Coast while in mid-August parts of eastern Japan logged more than three times the rainfall typically seen across the entire month of August in a single 24-to-48-hour window, leading to level-5 emergency warnings and fatal landslides. This site details some of the reasons Japan has faced record rainfall this summer, specifically high ocean temperatures connected to global warming. 

Amidst the continuing rainy days the university term has begun in earnest and Britishprof is engaged in what the Japanese call "bicycle operations" (jitensha-sōgyō＝自転車操業) - furiously peddling just to stay afloat and keep up with the workload! Memories of travel earlier in the year keep me going, particularly an amazing trip to Miyajima (宮島), a sacred island in Japan's Seto Inland Sea famous for its giant "floating" vermillion torii gate. Miyajima is known as one of the three most scenic spots in Japan (Nihon sankei=日本三景), alongside Matsushima (松島) in Miyage and Amanohashidate (天橋立) in Kyoto. 

The best way to get to Miyajima is to take the JR Sanyo Line form Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi Station, a 25 minute trip, and then walk straight to ferry pier for the 10-minute crossing (ferries run non-stop). For those with a little more money to spare there is also a high-speed boat which leaves, very conveniently, from the pier next to the Motoyasu Bridge at Peace Memorial Park. Either way, approaching the island by sea with its towering peaks and the massive vermilion torii gate built over the water (so people would not defile the sacred ground) is an unforgettable sight.

Miyajima can get terribly crowded during the daytime so I strongly recommend staying overnight - we stayed in a place called Iwaso, an historic, luxury hot spring ryokan located at the foot of Mount Misen inside Momijidani Park just minutes from Itsukushima Shrine. The expansive grounds of Itsukushima are interconnected by a 108-room corridor, encompassing various shrines, a noh (能) theatre stage, and music rooms amongst other structures. Miyajima is a different place in the evening once all the tourists have gone, quiet and peaceful, allowing one to really appreciate the beauty of the shrine and torii gate, now gorgeously lit up. Hearing the sound of the waves lapping against the shore as one stares out over the water at night is a truly soothing and unforgettable experience. 

Taking the ropeway to the top of Mount Misen, you can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the Seto Inland Sea, surely one of the reasons why Miyajima earned its status as one of Japan’s Three Scenic Views. Note that the ropeway only takes you halfway up; after that, there is a 30-minute (1 km) walk to the summit. The mountain is sacred and has been a popular destination for religious pilgrims since it was visited in 806 by Kukai, a Japanese Buddhist monk, calligrapher, and poet who founded the Japanese branch of Vajrayana Buddhism. Be sure not to miss the eternal flame (消えずの火), the holy fire said to have been started by Kukai over 1,200 years ago and which was used to light the 'Flame of Peace' in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. If you'd like me to cover Hiroshima in the next blog post please let me know in the COMMENTS  section!