From the moment you see the Great Torii from the Miyajima Ferry which carries you to the island of Itsukushima, your visit to this peaceful shrine island is a series of surprises and delights.
We were greeted at the exit from the Ferry terminal by the local inhabitants, the Sika deer. The deer were everywhere and with a quick look you’ll see a warning that these are wild animals, not pets. So, you shouldn’t pet them or feed them for their safety and yours.
It’s an easy walk from the ferry terminal along the seaside pedestrian road to one of the many hotels that look across the inland sea to Miyamaguchi. Even though we were pulling suitcases, the level street was no problem.
The shrine was closed for the day so we walked around to familiarize ourselves with the area and take some evening pictures of the shrine buildings and the Great Torii.
We stayed overnight on the island so we were able to get up early and walk the grounds around the shrine itself. It was so quiet and peaceful. Check out my article about the best time to take pictures around the shrine.
The shrine itself is a series of wooden buildings situated on the tidal zone of the island. At high tide, it is surrounded by water while at low tide, the water recedes leaving the shrine buildings standing on large wooden pillars.
The path into the shrine is spanned by a tall cement tori while the approach from the sea features the iconic Great Torii. The shrine includes several buildings all standing above the water and connected by walkways.
Even the ticket into the shrine is a souvenir itself. The shrine has ample space for reflection and prayer. There is also an area where you can purchase charms or calligraphy for good luck or just as a souvenir.
There is a beautiful but impractical barrel vault bridge exiting from the back of the shrine across the water to the land. The view from the shrine to the Great Torii is especially scenic.
Much of the shrine and surrounding buildings look timeless and there are small details everywhere that add to the character of this comfortable place.
Later in the day, at low tide, we walked out to get a close-up look at the Great Torii. It is surprisingly big. The trees they used to create the torii must have been many hundreds of years old to be so big around. It’s hard to imagine that this particular torii has been standing for over 140 years. Before this torii was built, there have been five others standing here over the course of 850 years.
I enjoyed my visit to Itsukushima and I would like to go back to this beautiful island for a longer period of time.ย Next time I will explore more of island away from the tourist areas but I think I will visit the Great Torii again.
Itsukushima Shrine
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