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Guide to visiting Island of Miyajima

Miyajima & Itsukushima Shrine

If you’re visiting Hiroshima, you should definitely visit the sacred island of Miyajima. It is one of the “Three Views of Japan” - a list of the country’s most celebrated scenic sights and are also designated “Special Places of Scenic Beauty”.

Formally known as Itsukushima, it is also called as the “Island of Shrines” popularly known as Miyajima it is located on the Seto Inland Sea. It is famous for its iconic “floating” Shinto torii gate. The Otorii looks as though it is floating on the sea. The 1st shrine was dedicated to the goddess of the sea and built in the 6th century.

Itsukushima Jinja is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and “Special Historic Site”. It is considered too as a holy place of Shintoism. Built in the Japanese tradition of Shinto shrines in which a natural object such as a mountain becomes the focus of the religious belief to be worshipped from a shrine. The Itsukushima shrine is distinct as it is the middle with Mt. Misen in the background and the Seto Inland Sea in the foreground.

Itsukushima’s vermillion shrine buildings are connected by a covered walkway and look like they are floating in the sea when the tides are high. The current shrine dates back to the 12th century.

The iconic gate Otorii gate is located 200 m from the main shrine and is 16.6 meters tall, as the large buddha statue in Nara. The main pillar made of natural camphor tree is approximately between 500-600 years old. The current one in built in 1875, is the 8th torii gate and took almost 20 years to find.

If you’d like to walk out to the O-Torii Gate, check the tide schedule so you can be there while the tides are low.

How to get there: From the pier, it’s a 5-10 minute walk to the shrine. You can walk on the shopping street or walk by the waterfront. The entrance to the shrine is by the water. You exit on the other side of the beach.

from the other side of the beach

WEBSITE: Itsukushima Shrine

ENTRANCE FEE: ADULT: Itsukushima Shrine : Y300 Treasure Hall : Y300 ; Combined Ticket : Y500

High School: Itsukushima Shrine : Y200 Treasure Hall : Y200 ; Combined Ticket : Y300

Children / Junior High School: Itsukushima Shrine : Y100 Treasure Hall : Y100 ; Combined Ticket : Y150

HOURS OF OPERATION: 6:30 AM - 5:30 (Jan to Feb, Oct 15 to Nov) ; 6:30-6 PM (March to Oct 14; 6:30 AM-5:00 PM (December)

5 Storey Pagoda

Goju-no-to, was originally built in 1407 and was restored in 1533. It stands at 27.6 meters high. The main deity enshrined is the Buddha of Medicine. You can visit the 5 storey pagoda by climbing the flight of stairs on the left side of the Itsukushima Shrine.

Momiji Park is especially beautiful in Autumn. You can walk from the exit of Itsukushima Shrine through the Momiji Park to reach the Miyajima Ropeway.

Miyajima Ropeway

You can also visit the Miyajima Ropeway while on the island to get a beautiful panoramic view. We were unable to go up the ropeway due to the limited time we had.

If you want to go up the ropeway and explore the island and shrine, allot a full day.

Website: Miyajima Ropeway

Entrance Fee: Adult: Y1800 (Roundtrip) Y1000 (one way); Child: Y900 (roundtrip); Y500 one wayHours of Operation: 9:00AM-4:30 /5:00 PM

How to get here: Walk for about 20-25 minutes from Miyajima Pier to Momijidani Park Entrance, You can also take the free bus shuttle (20 minute intervals) to Miyajima Ropeway Momijidani Station.

How to get to Miyajima: Take the #2 Tram to Hiroden Miyajima-guchi or take train to Miyajima-guchi station (30 mins from Hiroshima Station). It’s a 5-10 minute walk to the ferry terminal. Matsudai & JR Ferry terminal is beside each other. Take the 10 minute ferry on either the JR Miyajima ferry or Miyajima Matsudai Ferry

Hours of Operation : 7:00PM -8:35 PM (Matsudai) 6:25 - 8:42 (JR)

Y180 (one way) /Y360 (roundtrip) : Adult) - Price is the same for both companies

You can use your JR Pass or JR West, JR Hiroshima -Kansai Pass for the JR MIyajima Ferry.

Tip: Great Torii Ferry of the JR Miyajima ferry takes a route that gives you a closer view of the iconic gate. It would be on the right side of the ferry when facing the forward direction.

NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Miyajima-guchi

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Visting Hiroshima

This historical city of Hiroshima is definitely worth a visit. If short on time, it’s a possible day trip from Osaka or Kyoto but I would suggest staying a couple of days. Nearby Okunoshima Island and Miyajima Island are must-see places when you visit. It would be difficult to visit all three places in just a day. Hiroshima City must visit spots can be accomplished in a just a day though.

The best way to get around is with their several lines of street cars.

Known for being the first city to be destroyed by a nuclear bomb, Hiroshima has recovered from the devastation that infamous day. A modern city, there are several spots in the city that commemorates that event and are worth taking the time to pay respect and realize the magnitude of such an attack.

At 8:15 AM on August 6, 1945, during the 2nd World War, the US bomber “Enola Gay” dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. A vital military and industrial city, Hiroshima was devastated by 35 tons of pressure when the bomb exploded at the height of 600 m. The initial blast and exposure to it have killed 200,000. The extreme heat and pressure impact leveled most of the city and killing the people instantly especially 2-3 km radius from the hypocenter. The fireball of the blast reached 5,000 degrees vaporizing lives from where they stood or stand. The A-Bomb Dome or Genbaku dome was only one of the few building that remained standing after it hit.

It would take you about half a day to visit the Hiroshima Peace Park. Add an hour or two if you plan to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. I would suggest visiting at least the Memorial Hall for victims if you won’t be able to visit the museum. Although the thought of the day may be extremely saddening and shocking, it is worth taking the time to pay respect to the lives lost, get a better understanding of its impact, and is a great reminder that we should advocate for enduring peace.

HIROSHIMA MEMORIAL PEACE PARK

The Heiwa Kinen Koen was the political and commercial center of the city. To reach the park, you can take the street tram to Genbaku-Domu Mae Station. As you get off the tram, you’ll see the A-Bomb dome on the banks of the river you can start your visit from there

ATOMIC BOMB DOME

The Genbaku (Atomic Bomb in Japanese) Dome is a UNESCO World Heritage site that aims to remind us the horror of nuclear weapons and to appeal for peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons. Also known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, it is a stark reminder of the blast. Preserved in the state it was immediately after the blast, a walk around it gives you a small peak of the magnitude of the impact. The bent iron frame bars and destruction evident is what remains of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. It used to have a distinct green dome and was a beloved city landmark.

From there, I would suggest crossing the bridge on the main road to get across the river from here you will see the Peace Clock Tower and a better view of the A-Bomb dome as a whole.

The Peace Clock Tower chimes every 8:15 in the morning a prayer for perpetual peace.

CHILDREN’S MONUMENT

As you reach the next bridge, head to the Children’s Monument on your right. It’s right before the road. This monument built to commemorate Sadako Sasaki and all the thousands of children that suffered and perished due to the bomb. Originally inspired by the death of Sasaki, who at the age of 2 were exposed to the radiation of the bomb and died at 10 of Leukemia. She is known for folding thousands of paper cranes throughout her long illness.

The monument is 9 meters and features a girl in bronze holding up a golden paper crane. Around the monument, you will see many folded paper cranes. The thousand origami cranes also are known as Senbazuru is a Japanese legend that promises a wish granted to those who folds a thousand cranes. Throughout Japan, you will see many of these paper cranes held together with string in memorials and shrines.

Cross the street to head towards the Flame of Peace & Cenotaph.

Cenotaph & Flame of Peace

The Flame of Peace is a few steps from the Cenotaph and looks like 2 hands pressed together with palms facing the sky. Initially lit in 1964, the flame of peace will continue to burn as long as there are nuclear weapons in the world. It is a memorial that echoes the city’s prayer for a world without such weapons.

The Memorial Monument for the Hiroshima City of Peace or commonly known as the Cenotaph for Atomic Bomb Victims was designed by Pritzler price winning architect Kenzo Tange.

Below the arch, the stone vault is inscribed with the names of those that lost died due to the blast either due to the initial blast or due to the radiation exposure regardless of nationality. Every year names are added and currently, hold over 220,000 names. An inscription “Repose ye in peace, for the error, shall not be repeated” is found on the chest that looks like clay saddles found in ancient tombs.

Located on a 100-meter long pond in a direct line to the Genbaku Dome across the river. You will often see people in front of the cenotaph paying respect and praying for those that lost their lives. Also in front, there are inscriptions on tiles in the water in different languages that explain the monument.

If you continue on straight you will reach the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

The museum aims to convey the realities of the bomb at the same time advocating for world peace. There are shocking exhibits and have dioramas of wax figures that are not for the faint of heart. There are exhibits with everyday objects like twisted bottles and burnt clothing. The museum also explains the role the city had as a military headquarters. The entrance is through the East Building. Before you exit, there is a guest book and photographs of world leaders who have visited Hiroshima.

WEBSITE: Hiroshima Peace Museum

ENTRANCE FEE: Y200 adult; high school students & seniors *65+ Y100; children until junior high school - free
HOW TO GET HERE: Take the #1 or # 6 Tram to Genbaku-Domu Mae

NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Genbaku-Domu Mae

HOURS OF OPERATION: 8:30 AM -5PM

audio guide: Y200

Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims

We were unable to visit the museum on our visit due to the limited time. We, however, made a visit to the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims.

On the hall is easy to miss from the park, as it is below street level. There is a statue that depicts the time of impact surrounded by actual debris from the blast. The memorial hall is free to enter. As you walk along downward on the ramp there are descriptions on the wall that helps you get a picture of the events that led to and realities of that the fateful day.

You will reach a round room with a small clock like the water feature in the middle. The clock in the middle when you look closer reads the time of the impact. Take the time to take a brochure to get full details of the room. Take a seat on one of the stools or stand quietly as you take in the room.

At first, you may not see the great detail that was put in the room. Fortunately, I took the time to read the brochure as I sat in the room. The walls of the circular room depict Hiroshima as it had appeared after the blast. As you turn around the room, you have a little sense of what it may have been like to stand there around the rubble. The picture was reproduced with hundreds of tiles that represent each victim of the blast. Below the image are names of towns and are placed to signify their distance from the hypocenter.

Before you head out there is a screen that features photos, names, and ages of those that lost their lives. There are also computer screens on the side where people can look up names of victims in the registry.

The Peace Memorial Park is a testament to the incredible spirit of the city’s enduring grief that transcends hate and it’s continued yearning for enduring peace in the world.

Hiroshima Castle

If you have some extra time, you can also visit the Hiroshima Castle. Though if you’ll be visiting Osaka Castle or Himeji Castle, you can skip this. Hiroshima- Jo also known as the “Carp Castle” was originally built in 1589. The current structure was rebuilt in 1958 after it was destroyed by the Atomic bomb. Hiroshima originally was a castle town. The castle’s main keep is 5 stories high and is surrounded by a moat.

WEBSITE: http://www.rijo-castle.jp

ENTRANCE FEE: Y370 (main keep) grounds free
HOW TO GET HERE: 10 min walk from Shukkein or 15 min walk from the Peace Park
NEAREST TRAM STATION: Shukkeien or Kamiyacho-nishi or Kamiyacho-Higashi tram station. (10 min walk)

HOURS OF OPERATION: 9:00 - 6:00 PM (March to November; until 5 PM (Dec to Feb) & 9:00-7:00 Golden Week & Obon

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