Visiting the Itsukushima Shrine on the island of Miyajima can be a nice side trip (half-day) from Hiroshima. We did it in the afternoon-evening after visiting the Peace Memorial Park in the morning. The tram takes you right up to Miyajima-guchi from where a short ferry ride lands you near the big 'Torii' gate, which I must admit is magnanimous.... More

This shrine was the first shrine that we saw in Japan. It was built to honor 3 goddesses. It sits over the water. The day that we were there it was raining and the tide was out so we didn't get the full effect of it beauty, but it was certainly worth the visit. The shrine looks out over the... More

April 29, 2012 Having spent a wonderful day at Miyajima in September 2011 I was really looking forward to sharing the place with my current travelling companion. I was shocked not to have picked up the fact that the magnificent Torii Gate at Itsukushima Shrine (reputedly the most photographed thing in Japan) is all wrapped up at the moment! Don't... More

This shrine is very famous and well-visited. At high tide it seems to float on the water. Also be sure to watch the Noh performance. More

If you're like me, you will see lots of shrines when you visit Japan. This one is so special that you won't get confused and lump it together with all the others. It's worth the trip. More

A fascinating place; it feels very special and holy. It overlooks the ocean too, the view is amazing. More

We walked all around the temple and took dozens of pictures. It was so special and beautiful that it is a must to see when you visit the island. More

I think you can explore miyajima and it's two temples in one day. Itsukushima it the lower (shinto) shrine and Daishouin is the Buddhist temple a short walk from the shrine. Deer wander freely around the island feeding of tourist tit bits. They can be quite aggressive if you encourage them. Note that sometimes the shrine may be closed, as... More

Took the trains from Hiroshima to the ferry that took us to Miyajima (about 40 min from the city.) The "floating" shrine is only a few minutes walk from the ferry station. The tide was out when we arrived which made it possible for us to walk all the way up the the giant shrine. It's worth the trip for... More