Miyajima is a small island near Hiroshima, Japan. Famed for Itsukushima Shrine and its floating torii, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and officially one of Japan's Top 3 Views, Miyajima is a very popular destination for Japanese and foreign tourists alike. The island including the waters around it (part of Seto Inland Sea), and are within Setonaikai National Park.
Miyajima has been considered a holy place for most of Japanese history. In 806 AD, the monk Kobo Daishi ascended Mt. Misen and opened the mountain as an ascetic site for the Shingon sect of Buddhism. In the years since then, Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines have maintained a close relationship on the island. The floating torii (or gate) of the shrine, standing in the bay in front of the shrine, is Miyajima's best known symbol. Whether the torii is "floating" or merely mired in mud depends on the tide
In the past, women were not allowed on the island and old people were shipped elsewhere to die, so that the ritual purity of the site would not be spoiled; in fact, the island's real name is Itsukushima, and Miyajima is just a popular nickname meaning "Shrine Island".
These days, strict measures are taken to ensure that the modern town retains a classically Japanese Edo-era look, very much a rarity in Japan and a large reason for the town's attractiveness. There are still a few bits of concrete warren that snuck in, but the seafront promenade is particularly attractive, especially later in the day when the rampaging tour groups head home and the stone lanterns are turned on. Deer wander freely in the streets and parks and are thought of as sacred in the native Shinto religion because they are considered messengers of the gods. While somewhat more restrained than their counterparts in Nara, they're still eager for a hand-out.
The peak of Mount Misen, at 535 m, is the highest point on the island. Miyajima Ropeway carries visitors to within a 30-minute hike to the top. There are several sites related to the historical Buddhist priest Kobo Daishi near the top. The island also contains the Miyajima Natural Botanical Garden. Miyajima's maple trees are renowned throughout Japan, and blanket the island in crimson in the autumn. As the island is seen as sacred, therefore the trees may not be cut for lumber.
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