Author: eshima

Temple and Shrine Tour in Miyajima

Itukushima Shrine is the icon of Miyajima BUT Miyajima is not only about Itukushima Shrine.
Miyajima is famous for Itukushima Shrine. Vermilion building in the ocean is surely beautiful. However, you will miss a lot if you came here just for Itukushima Shrine. In the island, there are many historical temples and shrines are waiting for you. Why don’t you visit other temples and shrines since you are here?

Let us start with neighborhood of Itukushima Shrine.
Introduce you to the temples and shrine easy to go.

■Toyokuni Shrine and Five-story Pagota

About 3 minutes walk from the entrance of Itukushima Shrine, there is Toyokuni shrine on a hill. This shrine is the biggest structure in the island. It got the name Senjyo-kaku because it seems to fit 1000 Tatami mat (190cmx90cm/tatami). Sen means 1000 in Japanese.

Senjyo-kaku is ordered by one of the most famous Samurai lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1587. But is was susupended by the sudden death of Hideyoshi and it is left incomplete since then. The view from the hill and the size of the building is worth trying.

Next to Senjyo-kaku, there is beautiful vermilion 5 story pagoda . It is built 600 years ago. During spring, you can see it with breath taking cherry blossom.
Senjyo-kaku and Five Story pagoda kept it status as a gathering place for the people for some hundred years. So please visit them.

【Information】
facility name ：Houkoku or Toyokuni Shrine 　Five Story Pagoda
Address：Miyajima- cho, Hatukaichi city, Hiroshima
Hours：8:30 am ~ 4 pm （open everyday)
Admission Fee： 16 years old and up 100 yen 7 to 15 years old 50 yen
religious information：Shinto
HP：http://www.miyajima.or.jp/sightseeing/ss_goju.html　（Miyajima Tourist Association website）

■Daigan-ji

You can see Daiganji right outside of the exit of Itukushima Shrine.
Daiganji is rebuild about 800 years ago and it has deep relationship with Itukushima Shrine.
Daiganji worship “Itukushima Ben Zai Ten” 　It will bring you good luck with money and art. Let’s visit here along with Itukushima Shrine.
【Information】
Facility name：Kikyo zan Houkou in Daiganji
Address：Kita-Ohnishimachi 3, Hatukaichi city Hiroshima
Open Hours：8:30 am ~5:00 pm （New year’s day midnight to 6 pm）
day: open everyday
Addmission Fee：none
Religious information： Buddhism
HP：http://www.miyajima.or.jp/sightseeing/ss_daiganji.html　（Miyajima Tourism Association website）

■Kiyomori Shrine

Walk out from Daigan-ji and go ahead along the coast, there is a small shrine. That is Kiyomori Shrine. It Worship Taira Kiyomori who built Itukushima Shrine. It is new shrine which was built 1954, but it is beautiful shrine surrounded by ocean and pine wood.

The path to Kiyomori Shrine, stone lantern is lining up and you can see Torii gate, Itukushima Shrine and Senjyou-kaku/ Five Story Pagoda behind it. Enjoy peaceful view different from touristy area.

【Information】
Facility name ：Kiyomori Shrine (Jinja)
Address: Nishi ohnishi-cho 28-1, Miyajima-cho, Hatukaichi city, Hiroshima
Open Hours：not specified
Open date : open everyday
admission Fee：none
Religious information：Shinto
HP：http://www.miyajima.or.jp/sightseeing/ss_goju.html　（Miyajima Tourist Association website）

■Daisho-In and Mt. Misen

Turn right from the exit of Itukushima Shrine, and go straight to the hill, you will see Daisho-in Temple. It is said to be the oldest temple in the island that has history of 1200 years. Inside the temple, there is different gods and goddesses are worshiped in different building. Each god and goddess has each special fortune. Enjoy the different atmosphere of temple　architecture.

When you hike up the Mt Misen, you can see “Kiezu no Hi(Sacred Fire of Oath)” in the Reika-Dou, and Misen Hondou which is worshiped by various Japanese great men.
Go and see the great view of Setouchi Island sea.

【Information】
Facility name：Miyajima Misen Daihonnzann Daisho-in
Address： nishi oonishi-cho 28-1, Miyajima-cho, Hatsukiaichi-city, Hiroshima
Ope Hours：8:00 am~ 5 pm(1st day of the month 5:30 am to 5pm New year’s day 0:00~)
close day：open everyday
admission Fee：none
religious information：Buddhism
TEL：main office　0829-44-0111 / Mt Misen　0829-44-2071
HP：https://daisho-in.com/index.html

■Tokuju-ji

About 5 minutes walk from the Miyajima Ferry Port, there is Tokuju-ji temple in the residential area of the island. The temple is famous for pregnancy. They are even offering Japanese Cultural Activities with kimono!
Enjoy Japanese Culture in the old temple!
【Information】
Facility Name：Tokuju-ji
address ：Miyajima cho 741-1, Hatsukaichi city Hiroshima
Open Hours： 10:00 am~ 4:00 Pm
Tel：0829-30-9888
HP： https://okeiko-japan.com/ja

Experience the history in Miyajima

Miyajima is known as religious island for a long time that there are lots of temples and shrines you can visit. Explore the island and enjoy every bit of Miyajima.

Direct ferry ride from Peace Memorial Park to Miyajima! Is Hiroshima Sekai Isan Kouro a good deal?

“Hiroshima Sekai Isan Kouro” is the high speed boat that connect The Peace Memorial Park (A-bomb doom) and Miyajima (Itukushima). it is the fastest transportation to go between 2 world cultural Heritage sights. Very convenient way of travelling without traffic jam but with good scenery.

Starting from Motoyasu bridge, it will take 45 minutes to Miyajima. We don’t have much chance to enjoy the cruise of the Setouchi inland sea while seeing the serene view. It is so soothing just to watch sparking ocean in sunny day. But if you are easily get seasickness, ferry from Miyajima-guchi is recommended.

The one way ticket is 2200 yen for adult, 1100 yen for children. For round trip, you will get 200 yen discount. 4000 yen per adult and 2000 yen for children.

It is a bit expensive compare to moving around with tram, but　you don’t have to worry about transfer. Enjoy the air condition and relax while you move. Short cruise that connect 2 World Cultural Heritage sights in canal city Hiroshima. Must take course to see both site in 1 day.

Chips before you ride the boat
* Need to book the ticket at least 1 day prior to the date. You can make reservation by phone or web. They will issue the ticket on the day you booked. Call [082-240-5955] to make reservation by phone.
* If you are using wheel chair, let them know when you make a reservation.
* You can have a seat if there is opening.
* Because of the tide situation, boat can be cancelled. Check the sight for that.
* Issue the ticket at least 15 minutes before the boarding time.
* The ferry port don’t have the toilet. Please use it in the Peace Memorial Park. The boat have a toilet.

This is the entrance sign of [Hiroshima Sekai Isan Kouro] ticket counter in Peace Park.

Inseide the building is waiting room. there are ticket counter and information counter inside.

After buying the ticket, exchange the ticket with numbered ticket. Don’t lose it.
Submit the numbered ticket when you board. The ceiling of the entrance is very low. Mind your head.

The seat is arranged with 3 to 4 seat per row. Outseide seat will be facing the window and middle seat facing inside that difficult to see the view. but there is a big screen inside that shows you the view..

When the boat approaching the bridge, they will show the name of the bridge, too.

You can enjoy the different speed when the boat travel river and ocean.

The ferry terminal when the boat launched to Miyajima .
]


ticket counter and waiting room

name Hiroshima Sekai Isan Kouro
address otemachi 1-9, Naka-ku, Hiroshima city, Hiroshima 730-0051
phone number 082-240-5955 (office hour 8 AM- 7 PM)

Fee

One way
Adult (13or up)2,200 yen 　child （6-12）1,100yen

round trip
adult (13 or up)4,000 yen 　　child (6-12)2,000 yen

website Japanese　http://www.aqua-net-h.co.jp/heritage/
English 　http://www.aqua-net-h.co.jp/en/heritage/

What is “Kiezu no hi” (Fire that never goes out)

Miyajima is said to be a power spot itself, and also there many power spots in the island.
One of them is “Eternal Flame”.

“Eternal Flame” is in the building called “Reikado” on the top of Mt. Misen.
It is said that the fire has been burning for 1200 years. People believe that one of the famous monks called Kukai burned this fire for his training here and it has been burning until now.

There is a big iron pot in Reikado and you can see the fire burning under the pot. You can drink the water boiled with the eternal flame. This boiled water is called “Reisui” and it is said that Reisui bring you the good health and fortune.

Eternal flame is band with eternal passion between couple, and it is said to bring you good relationship with your partner.

Visit Hiroshima Tourist Pass

If you are staying in Hiroshima for a few days, there’s a very useful pass to purchase even if you have a Japan Rail Pass. This ‘Visit Hiroshima Tourist Pass’ covers streetcar (tram), sightseeing loop bus and other buses, ferries to Miyajima and highway buses from the Bus Center as much as you like during the valid dates.
The pass will allow you to access not only the center of Hiroshima or Miyajima but Iwakuni and western and northern Hiroshima.
For example, the round trip to Sandankyo , where beautiful gorge is located, costs \2,960 but the pass for Middle Area costs \2,500 and it’s valid for 3 days. That means, After going to Sandankyo on the first day, you can use the same pass to go to Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima next day and Miyoshi Winery, the rabbit island or another place on the third day. Unfortunately, the ferry to the rabbit island is not covered though.
But the good thing is, the pass comes with a coupon book to get some discounts from various places such as museums, restaurants and other facilities. You can find okeikoJapan in the book as well!
I must say this pass is tremendously useful!

Area Price (incl. tax) Validity Accessible Area
Small ¥1,500 2 days Hiroshima City, Miyajima
Middle ¥2,500 3 days Western and Northern Hiroshima, Iwakuni
Wide ¥3,500 3 days Hiroshima prefecture, Iwakuni
Small with Airport Limousine Bus ¥4,500 4 days Small Area , Kure, Hiroshima Airport
Wide with Airport Limousine Bus ¥6,500 4 days Wide Area , Hiroshima Airport

※ Middle Area = Small Area + Iwakuni, Akiota, Kitahiroshima, Higashi Hiroshima, Takehara, Kure, Kumano, Kamagari, Miyoshi, Shobara, Tojyo
※ Wide Area = Middle Area + Sera, Fuchu, Onomichi, Innoshima, Fukuyama
※ The Rabbit Island is in Takehara.

Visit Hiroshima Tourist Pass Now on sale（訪日外国人観光客周遊乗車券の販売について） | 公益社団法人広島県バス協会

A paper fortune

When you go to temples or shrines, you will see a paper fortune.  As you know, A paper fortune is a paper written fortune whose a person drew it.

Go in good order,

大吉　　Best luck
吉　　　Good luck
中吉　　Fair luck
小吉　　A little luck
吉凶　　Bad luck

Let’s try a paper fortune. It costs 100 yen.

Pick a stick.
It says a number.

You’ll get a paper with the number.
The paper tells your fortune.

Daikichi means best luck, Kyo means bad luck.
You can keep a lucky paper in your purse.

How to pray at a shrine

Generally speaking, at the main shrine , first ,throw a coin into the offering box for an offering to the God.

If there is a bell at a shrine, ring the bell.

It’s the etiquette to pray to god from here.

Straighten your back and bow twice in front of offering box (toward the god).

Meet your both hands

and clap twice.

Then, pray silently.

After that bow once.

Then back a step and leave there.　

We have to wash our hands to purify ourselves before making a prayer.
Please look at 「how to clean your hands」

The manner of a rude person is paid no attention by the God.
Be careful! (>_<) This is just for your reference, there are different rules for Different places.

A lot of deer ins Miyajima island

You can see a lot of deer wandering around the island when you landed to the island.

on the road

river side

Gathered as a group. Horns are cut off, so it shouldn’t be dangerous, but it will eat everything, like papers and your snack. So watch out!

About Okonomiyaki

Everybody know that Hiroshima’s soul food is “Okonomiyaki”. If you travel to Hiroshima, you can’t miss okonomiyaki. By the way, how people started to eat okonomiyaki?

[History of Hiroshima style okonomiyaki]

Okonomiyaki is one of very popular Japanese cuisine regardless of the gender or age. We enjoy our original okonomiyaki with family at home, and we also enjoy the professional taste of the local restaurants.

Now, it is a Japanese food, but actually the origin of okonomiyaki is in China. About 2500 years ago, there was a food which mixed water and flour then bake flat. And that is considered an origin of okonomiyaki.

At that time, Sennorikyu who is a famous tea master brought this food from China, then he served this food as tea sweets. Then people started to eat them in Japan. Later this changed the form and became an origin of Chobo-yaki and by the Meiji era it became Monja-yaki.

After the World War Ⅱ, flour was provided by American and people started to eat more flour. At that time, “Issen-yosyoku”, a pancake with green onion, was very popular among the people in Hiroshima. Kids ate Issen-yosyoku as their treat. After a while, people started to use cabbage instead of green onion because cabbage was cheaper. Then, someone started to put noodles for the quantity. This is the base of present day Hiroshima style okonomiyaki.