Must-Try 1: Pilgrimage to Itsukushima Jinja Shrine on the Sea
Crossing Sea to Miyajima by Ferry
Going to Miyajima is a dramatic experience. When you board a ferry from the Miyajima terminal, you will see the large torii gate of Itsukushima Jinja Shrine, the symbol of Miyajima, in just a few minutes.
At high tide, it looks as if the large torii gate of the shrine is floating on the sea. The contrast between the vermilion color of the large torii gate and the blue color of the sea is beautiful. Miyajima is registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.
Miyajima is revered as an island of the gods, and the shrine buildings, the sea in front of it, and the primeval forest of Mt. Misen behind the shrine are registered as a World Heritage Site.
Itsukushima Jinja Shrine
Ootorii (the large torii gate)
Ootorii (the large torii gate) of Itsukushima Jinja Shrine is located approximately 160 meters (524ft) offshore from the shrine’s buildings. The main pillars are 9.9 meters (32ft) in circumference, 16.6 meters (54ft) in height, and 24.2 meters (79ft) in width, with a total weight of approximately 60 tons. It is considered the largest wooden torii gate in Japan and has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
The main pillars are supported by two side pillars. The top is box-shaped, and it is filled with approximately 4 tons of small stones, which provide the weight needed to keep it standing.
The large torii gate is the entrance to Itsukushima Jinja Shrine, but the ferry to Miyajima does not pass under it. If you want to walk through the large torii gate, try doing so at low tide.
However, the deer living on the island do not seem to mind the water at all and pass through the large torii gate!
Shinden-Zukuri
The architectural style of the main hall is called shinden-zukuri style. Shinden-zukuri was a style used in the residences of aristocrats of Heian period (794-1185)
. Buildings are arranged around the main hall, where the owner resides, in the east, west, north, and south, and they are connected to several corridors and Noh (traditional Japanese performing art) stages, by passageways.
The vermilion color pillars and beams, white walls, blue sea, and greenery of Mt. Misen in the background harmonize beautifully. It is characterized by its elegant beauty and sense of openness.
Noh-Stage
The Noh stage at Itsukushima Jinja Shrine is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Noh, a traditional Japanese performing art, is performed on the Noh stage.
On the Noh stage, actors with Noh masks and beautiful costumes perform dances to songs and music to tell a story. Unlike Kabuki, which is also a traditional performing art, Noh actors wear masks, so their facial expressions cannot be seen. The audience must imagine the characters’ emotions from the actors’ gestures.
Every April, a special Noh theater is held at Itsukushima Jinja Shrine, so if you plan to visit Miyajima during this season, be sure to check the schedule for that year’s Noh theater in advance to make your special memories in Miyajima.
Senjo-Kaku (Hokoku Jinja Shrine)
There is a shrine called Senjo-kaku in Miyajima. It is also called Hokoku Shrine. Senjo means 1,000 tatami mats. In reality, it is 857 tatami mats in size, but it is still very spacious.
It is with wooden floor and has many pillars, but there are almost no walls, providing an excellent view. Visitors can walk around inside and enjoy the scenery of Mt. Misen and Miyajima.
When you are inside the building, you feel as if the inside and outside are connected. Since ancient times, Japanese houses have been designed with the idea of being close to nature. Traditional Japanese architecture features shoji (paper sliding doors.), and just behind that thin paper door, there is a garden.
If you plan to visit Senjo-kaku, I recommend you to visit it in late autumn or winter when the ginkgo leaves turn yellow. The contrast between the dim interior and the yellow ginkgo leaves illuminated by the sunlight is beautiful. The wooden floor reflects the yellow ginkgo leaves like a mirror, creating a stunning scene. Spending time quietly in such a space allows you to forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life and feel your mind being cleansed.
Nagahama Jinja Shrine
Itsukushima Jinja Shrine and many other shrines and temples are concentrated on the right side of the pier facing the mountain. Therefore, if you have time, it is recommended to visit Nagahama Jinja Shrine, located to the left of the pier, before returning to the pier. There, you can see a small torii gate built by the sea. It is a vermilion torii gate, similar to the one at Itsukushima Jinja Shrine. Nagahama Jinja Shrine is a hidden good spot to take photos.
Ropeway
The entire island is revered as a sacred island in Miyajima, and the ropeway is the best way to enjoy a panoramic view of Miyajima. The view from the ropeway as you climb Mt. Misen during autumn leaf season is breathtaking.
When you reach the summit of the mountain, you can see the view you have never seen. The unobstructed 360° panoramic view from the summit of the mountain is magnificent, offering a sweeping view of the big torii gate of Miyajima, the city of Hiroshima on the opposite shore and the beautiful islands of the Seto Inland Sea.
Must-Try 2: Savor oyster okonomiyaki
Oysters in Miyajima
The sea around Miyajima is ideal for oyster farming. The primeval forest on Mount Misen is a forest that has remained virtually untouched by human hands for over 10,000 years. Miyajima is located in a sea area where mineral-rich water, polished by such forests, flows in.
The area is rich in phytoplankton, which serves as nutrition for oysters, creating an environment where oysters with a rich, intense flavor can thrive. Additionally, the sea around Miyajima is dotted with numerous islands, resulting in calm, gentle waves, making it an ideal environment for nurturing oysters to grow large, like a cradle.
For the oyster farming, ropes with oyster shells are used and they are sunk into the sea and secured to wooden rafts, which is called Kaki-ikada (oyster bed). The oyster larvae grow on the shells.
Grilled Oysters in the Shell
At Miyajima, you can enjoy grilled oysters. Grilled oysters are steamed in their shells. Raw oysters are delicious, of course, but when heated, the flavor becomes concentrated, and the rich taste spreads in your mouth the moment you take a bite. The combination of oysters with the scent of the sea and soy sauce is superb. The soup left in the shell, rich in flavor, should be enjoyed by using the oyster shell as a plate, making sure not to spill any.
There are also restaurants in Miyajima where you can enjoy grilled oysters while sipping sake, and I would definitely recommend you to try them.
Oyster Okonomiyaki
When visiting Miyajima, oyster okonomiyaki is a must-try dish. Hiroshima, where Miyajima is located, is famous for Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is made by cooking each ingredient separately and then layering them. The egg and wheat batter is thinly cooked, and the cabbage is piled high and layered on top. The layers are arranged in the following order from the top: egg, yakisoba (stir fried noodles), cabbage, and wheat batter.
The oysters themselves are delicious, having been raised in a high-quality environment, it’s quite a luxury to eat the oysters on top of the famous Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki.
To finish, a sweet sauce unique to Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is poured over the dish. The contrast between the plump texture of the oysters and the crispness of the cabbage is exquisite. The flavor of the oysters, which have been heated and concentrated, goes well with the sweetness of the cabbage. Some restaurants sell okonomiyaki with oysters that can be eaten while walking, for takeout.
By the way, talking about okonomiyaki, there is also Kansai-style okonomiyaki as well.
For more information about okonomiyaki, please check it from here: “8 Japanese Foods to Learn About” / “Okonomiyaki & Takoyaki”
Must-Try 3: Make your own original Japanese wooden spoon
A shamoji (Japanese wooden spoon) is a tool used to scoop rice and serve it into a bowl. Cooked rice is “meshi” and to scoop is ”toru” in Japanese. In other words, a shamoji is a tool to meshi-toru.
In ancient times, to summon and capture an enemy based on an official order was referred to as “meshi-toru”. Thus, a shamoji is a symbolic tool which has the meaning of winning a battle. Additionally, since a shamoji is used to scoop rice, it is said to symbolize the act of scooping up good fortune.
For these reasons, the shamoji has become a lucky charm used in situations where one wishes for certain victory, academic success, or business prosperity.
The shamoji used as a good luck charm on Miyajima Island was modeled after the biwa (Japanese short-necked lute) played by Benten, the goddess of music, performing arts, academic achievement, and economic prosperity, and the shamoji is also known as “Miyajima-san.”
Miyajima has the world’s largest shamoji on display. It is 7.7 meters (25ft) long, 2.7 meters (8ft) wide at its widest point, and weighs 2.5 tons. It is made from a 270-year-old Japanese zelkova tree. It is displayed at etto Miyajima Koryu-kan.
Shamoji is recommended as a souvenir from Miyajima, but if you’re going to buy one anyway, why not make your own original shamoji to take home with you?
At Shakushi-no-ie, you can make your own original shamoji strap. You can write your favorite words by hand at the store. What words would you like to write? You can also write your name. It’s perfect as a souvenir for yourself or as a surprise gift for close friends.
For more information about Shakushi-no-ie, please see the website of Shakushi-no-ie from here.
Advice ＆ Recommendations from a Native Japanese
Local Food in Hiroshima
Anago Meshi (Conger Eel Rice)
Alongside oyster okonomiyaki, another dish I would like you to try in Miyajima is anago meshi (Conger Eel Rice). Anago (conger eel) is a fish similar to eel that lives in the sandy mud bottoms of shallow seas. When oysters are raised on Kaki-ikada (oyster bed), the mud they produce accumulates on the seabed, providing food for small fish and crustaceans that serve as anago prey. Thus, the sea around Miyajima is ideal for anago to grow, resulting in a flavorful, tender meat with a high fat content.
Anago is skewered with sticks and grilled over charcoal, then coated with a sweet and savory sauce made with sugar, soy sauce, mirin (sweet sake) and sake, and grilled again until glossy. This way of cooking is called kabayaki. They are sometimes steamed or simmered in the sweet and savory sauce. They are then cut into pieces about 3 cm (1.2 inch) in size. These are served on top of rice cooked in a soy sauce-based broth. The degree of grilling, steaming, or simmering of the anago, as well as the method of preparing the rice, varies greatly depending on the restaurant.
Anago kabayaki is similar to unagi (eel) kabayaki, but anago has less fat and a milder flavor than eel.
For more information about unagi kabayaki, please check it from here: “3 Must-tries on Nagoya Castle & Unagi Kabayaki”/”Must Try 2: Savor unagi kabayaki by Hitsumabushi”
Shiru-Nashi-Tantanmen
Although it is not Miyajima itself, there is a famous dish in Hiroshima City called “shiru-nashi-tantanmen” noodles (tantanmen without soup). It is a type of ramen where boiled Chinese noodles are mixed with a spicy soy-sauce-based sauce. There is no soup. As it is a famous dish originating from Hiroshima, I would definitely like you to try it if you have the chance.
In Japan, when people think of tantanmen noodles, they typically imagine a spicy yet creamy soup made with soy sauce, sesame paste, and chili oil, topped with minced meat and bok choy (Chinese vegetable). In fact, the current version of tantanmen noodles was created by Chen Jian-min , a chef from Sichuan Province in China who came to Japan in the 1950s.
The original tantanmen noodles in China is a dish centered on the spiciness and sourness of chili peppers, and they do not have soup resembling shiru-nashi-tantanmen. The character “tan” means “to carry.” It is said that the dish got its name because it was carried with a balance pole and sold in Chengdu, Sichuan Province in China. If there is soup, it spills and is difficult to carry.
The first place to serve shiru-nasi-tantanmen noodles in Hiroshima was a ramen shop called “Kisaku,” which reportedly began selling them based on a recipe learned from Chinese exchange students.
The characteristics of shiru-nashi-tantanmen noodles ls that you can enjoy the rich flavor of ingredients directly, as the sauce clings firmly to the noodles.
For more information about ramen, please check it from here: “8 Japanese Foods to Learn About” / “Ramen”
Cooking of Oyster-Soy-Sauce Pasta at Home
Miyajima is known for its high-quality oysters, so there is oyster soy sauce made with oyster extract. There are some brands for oyster soy sauce and are available in Miyajima as well as in downtown Hiroshima. If you are interested, buy some oyster soy sauces and try making pasta at home. It’s very easy and tasty. Here is a recipe:
(Recipe for 1 person)
Boil the 100g (3.5oz) of pasta.
Cut the 40g (1.4oz) of bacon into 1 cm (1/3 inch) pieces.
Thinly slice 30g (1.1oz) of mushrooms.
Cut 30g (1.1oz) of spinach into bite-sized pieces.
Heat olive oil in a frying pan and fry the 3g (0.1oz) of minced garlic, and then cook the bacon, mushrooms and spinach.
Add 25g (1oz) of the pasta-cooking boiled water and mix.
Add the boiled pasta to the frying pan, add 11g (0.4oz) of oyster soy sauce and 10g (0.4oz) of butter.
Mix, and season it with appropriate amount of salt and pepper.
Access Information
To Go to Miyajima
Go to the ferry terminal for Miyajima which is 6 minutes from Miyajima-guchi Station of JR Line and take the ferry. It takes about 10 minutes from the ferry terminal to Miyajima.
