On the penultimate day before we head for Tokyo, we decided to make a trip to Hiroshima and the beautiful island of Miyajima, with its renowned Red Torii. This journey to Hiroshima and Miyajima would be the furthest south we would travel during our visit to Japan from our jumping off point in Osaka. From Shin-Osaka, we took the Shinkansen to Hiroshima. Because of the shorter daylight during winter, we decided to head for Miyajima which was our key sightseeing destination. Fortunately for us, the weather that morning was perfect except for the chilly breeze.
From Hiroshima, we switched to the JR Sanyo Line for Miyajima-guchi. From Miyajima-guchi Station, it was a short walk across to the ferry terminal. As we were on JR Pass, the ferry charges to Miyajima were covered.
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| Miyajima-guchi Station |
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| Looking out from Miyajima-guchi Station across to the ferry terminal |
When we arrived at the ferry terminal, there was already a queue forming.
The crossing was pleasant and we would see the commercial oyster cultivation in the waters near Miyajima, which the island is famous for.
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| Oyster breeding beds |
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| The Red Torii at high tide |
After a 10 minutes trip, we arrived at Miyajima. We quickly made our way for the Itsukushima Shrine. Along the way, we were greeted by the many deers and many food outlets lining the path to the shrine.
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| First stop - fresh oyster and the owner was kind enough to give us an extra |
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| Cylindrical fish cake |
Slowly but surely, the Red Torii came into sight. As we were there in the morning, the crowds have not really built up yet. Since we intend to return to Hiroshima in the afternoon, there was no opportunity to see the Torii closed up.
Of all the sites on the island, one that is not to be missed is definitely the Itsukushima Shrine, which was registered as a World Heritage site in 1996.
Following Itsukushima Shrine, we decided to make a loop back to the ferry terminal. At the exit of the shrine was a small walking street filled with souvenir shops selling wood curving as well as the wooden rice scoop which the island is famous for. After that, we stopped at the Five Storey Pagoda (Gojyuunodou in Japanese) just located behind Itsukushima. At the top of the hill, we came across another shrine, the Toyokuni (Senjokaku).
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| Shopping street outside exit of Itsukushima Shrine |
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| More Japanese snacks on sale |
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| Five Storey Pagoda |
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| Toyokuni Shrine |
From the top of the hill, you can see the surrounding residential buildings nestled on the slopes. On the way back to the ferry terminal, we walked through the shopping street which is lined with many eateries.
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| Grilled Oysters |
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| Preserved Oysters |
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| Giant Rice Scoop |
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| Yum - Oyster Croquette |
Before we headed back to Hiroshima, we decided to try one more recommended item, the grilled eel bento. This can be brought at a shop just outside the ferry terminal. On the whole, Miyajima is one tourist stop you should not miss if you are making a visit to Hiroshima. If you want to see all the sights, a one-day trip would be a better option.
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