Itsukushima Shrine (Miyajima)

The shrine itself is the network of vermilion corridors and decking built over the bay so that, at high tide, worshippers approached by boat through the great torii — which is exactly why the gate stands in the water. The current torii was rebuilt in 1875 and underwent a multi-year restoration that wrapped in 2022; it is now back to its full freestanding form, held down by its own weight and packed stones in the base.

Plan around the tide. High tide for the floating effect (best for photos, especially blue hour); low tide if you want to walk out to the torii’s base. The shrine grounds open ~6:30 a.m. and close in the late afternoon; the surrounding bay is photogenic well after closing. Pair with Daisho-in temple, the Mt. Misen ropeway/hike, or anago-meshi lunch at Ueno near the ferry pier.

The shrine was built in its current form by Taira no Kiyomori in 1168, in an aristocratic mansion style called shinden-zukuri. Miyajima was already a sacred island before this — ordinary people were historically forbidden from setting foot on it — so the genius of building over water was that worshippers could approach by boat and pray without touching the holy ground. The complex has 37 inner buildings and 19 outer buildings linked by 275 meters of covered corridor.

From Hiroshima, take the JR San’yo Line or Hiroden tram to Miyajimaguchi, then a 10-minute ferry (JR Pass holders ride free on the JR Ferry). Total journey from Hiroshima Station is about 40 minutes. The ¥100 visitor tax is levied at the island side of the ferry terminal. The shrine entry fee is modest — pay it and walk the corridor route rather than view from the shore; the architectural argument is only apparent from inside.

A 30-minute boat cruise around the bay costs ¥1,600 and passes beneath the torii gate — a worthwhile option for an elevated perspective on the structure from the water side, particularly at sunset when the gate is lit against the evening sky.