JR Pass Destination: Miyajima Island

If you are staying in Hiroshima and have the JR pass, a short train ride and a ferry will get you to the lush, picturesque, deer heaven that is Miyajima Island for free. Of course, you may still have to pay for the streetcar in Hiroshima…

A street trolley in Hiroshima, Japan

Miyajima Island is, according to the Japanese Government’s completely objective rating system, one of the ‘top 3 scenic spots in Japan’. They seem to do this type of thing a lot as my next destination, Okayama, has the ’3rd most beautiful garden’ in Japan. These designations may seem slightly silly, but they are important points of pride in the community where the landmarks exist.

In this case,  I would also have to agree that Miyajima Island is an amazingly beautiful place with a great feeling about it. The deep, dark forests that line the hillsides leading up to Mt. Misen are punctuated every now and then with bright green patches, and a light eternal mist seems to hang over many of the small valleys.

Miyajima Island view from the JR ferry

In the town, deer roam freely and act nearly like domesticated pets. They also have a hankering for anything edible, including tourist maps. I was lucky, this one only took a bite out of the ocean…

Maps are a staple of the Miyajima deer diet

The deer on Miyajima think they own the place. Then again, maybe they do.

The walk/hike route I chose wandered through town and up to the top of Mt. Misen. The first stop is the shopping street, a classic feeling small-town walkway covered by cloth to protect from the elements.

The main Miyajima Shopping Street

The further you get from the town and dock, the more sparse groups of schoolchildren and tourists become. Nature begins to take over from here on and Miyajima Island becomes a strangely intoxicating thing to see, feel, hear, and smell. In comparison to the number of people on the island at any one time, very few people actually hike to the mountain top, but the transitions from tourist town, to quiet village, to deep forest, to mountain top are just too incredible to miss out on.

Small canal makes its way from Mt. Misen to the ocean

A deer strolls lazily by the picturesque Itsukushima Shrine

My hiking buddies on the way up to Mt. Misen

A southern Miyajima Island view from Mt. Misen

Kana and Asami take in the view of Miyajima Island from Mt. Misen

Waterfall at Momijidani Park on Miyajima Island

One of the specialties of the island are handmade wooden rice spatulas. Cool to be sure, but lets face it, I was more interested in what you make with cooking utensils than the utensils themselves. I made my way straight for the Miyajima Steamed Buns, mine was filled with tender beef and sauce. On the way back down, I sampled some deep fried red-bean and custard cakes, called ‘Age Momiji’.

Delicious Miyajima Steamed Buns!

Fried Age Momiji comes with various fillings including sweet red bean paste and custard

Right on the other side of the shopping street is the famous floating tori or ‘gate’ and Itsukushima Shrine. The gate and shrine have been at the same site — in various incarnations — since 593 or thereabouts. The floating tori, is not actually floating, but standing upon the sea floor. Waiting around for low tide provides a full view of the tori, and often a more peaceful one as the island shops close up around 5pm and all of the tour and school groups pack up and head out.

The night brings a light drizzle of rain to Miyajima Island, Itsukushima Shrine is seen in the distance

Detail of the barnicles that cling to Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima

The 'floating' Itsukushima Shrine is revealed at low tide

I left the island just around dusk, when the lanterns that line the coast come to life, and only locals and a few scattered island hotel guests roam the streets.It’s mostly comforting to stand and take it in… well, except for the thought of the last ferry leaving!

One of the many lanterns that line the coast of Miyajima Island