Free Roaming Deer

Besides all the wonderful things I listed earlier, Miyajima is also known for the deer that roam around freely. I knew about this before visiting and honestly I was a little nervous about them. I had heard horror stories about the deer going after bags and nipping at people. I saw a handful of deer after getting off the boat, so I did my best to hide any loose bags and keep my distance. However, I noticed that they just walked right on past me, barely acknowledging my existence. The deer were actually very calm and just walked among the crowds. A lot of them hung out in front of the famous floating torii which made for great photos. I will admit, I quickly got used to their presence and eventually I was the one approaching them!

More than 1,000 deer live on the island of Miyajima, and are considered to be messengers of gods in Shinto religion. Up until 1637, killing one of these sacred animals was punishable by death. They are still protected by Japanese law, although not as extreme.

There were signs in multiple languages all over the island warning people to not touch the deer or feed them. Despite the signs, I did see some tourists touching and petting them. I was tempted to pet them, especially when a baby approached me, but I fought the urge. I only took photos and spoke to them in that voice everyone does when they see a cute animal. A few deer would creep up on people who had food, but they weren’t aggressive at all. The deer would just follow the person around until it understood it wasn’t going to be fed.

Zach and I did encounter one deer who wanted what was in our souvenir bag. We were both sitting on a bench admiring the view, when suddenly we hear a crinkle and a rip. We look over to see a curious deer nibbling at our bag. He managed to bite a small hole through it, but as soon as we stood up he walked away. At least he gave us a little something to remember him by!

Itsukushima Shrine

Itsukushima Shrine includes both the torii and the shrine complex. The complex consists of multiple areas such as a prayer hall, main hall, and theater stage which are all connected by boardwalks. It’s listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the entire shrine sits on the water. The tide changes every 6 hours which provides very different views and scenery.

I could’ve checked online to see when high and low tide would be, but I thought it’d be more fun for it to be a surprise. I was crossing my fingers for low tide, and sure enough, that’s exactly what I got. It was such a surreal experience to go down onto the shore and walk under the torii. As I approached it, I could really grasp the sheer size of it. I was able to appreciate the craftsmanship and detail up close, as well as the striking contrast between the blue sky and the torii’s bright red color.   

The island’s formal name is actually Itsukushima, but it’s popularly known as Miyajima. “Itsukushima” translates to “Island of Worship.” The entirety of Miyajima Island is considered to be a deity, so it’s worshipped as a god. Itsukushima shrine was built in the water because people were hesitant to build directly on sacred land. The shrine is dedicated to three ocean deities, who are goddesses of the sea and storms. They are believed to bring good fortune, safe travels, and successful fishing.

I think the most interesting part about this island is the fact that no deaths or births were allowed throughout much of its history. The island was (and still is) considered to be pure and sacred, and these things would only pollute the land. Pregnant women were expected to go to the mainland to have their baby. Terminally ill people were also expected to go to the mainland so they could pass on. I’ve heard that even to this day, people still do this to keep the land pure.

Miyajima Ropeway

Another major part of Miyajima is the ropeway that goes to the top of Mount Misen, where there are breathtaking views of the Seto Inland Sea and surrounding islands. The gorgeous, sweeping scenery is listed as one of the 3 greatest views of Japan, and once I saw it with my own eyes I was completely speechless.

It’s a small, 10 minute walk up to the ropeway that cuts through Momijidani Park. The name translates to “maple valley,” which is fitting due to the impressive colors of the maple leaves during the fall season. I really enjoyed the stroll through the park since there was still a bit of fall color left, even in December. There were also small bridges to cross, koi ponds, and of course, plenty of deer to keep Zach and I company. The signs along the way also had us laughing, indicating we were however many minutes away from the ropeway (but less if you run a little)!

For those who are willing, you can skip the ropeway entirely and hike Mount Misen from the very bottom all the way to the top. There are 3 different paths and each one offers different shrines and temples you can visit. Climbing to the top takes about 2-3 hours while climbing down takes about an hour. This isn’t recommended to those who are taking a day trip, since the last ferry leaves early in the evening and there’s so much to see on the island. However, it’s definitely doable if you’re staying in a hotel on Miyajima. Since Zach and I had limited time, we decided to do the ropeway.

After getting off the main ropeway, there was one more that brought us to the stunning views. This cable car was a lot bigger and was crammed with other tourists. After getting on and waiting a few minutes for the cable car to fill up, we started to move. As we ascended above the trees, the Seto Inland Sea came into view. There were about 12-15 other people on the car, and every single person gasped and exclaimed how beautiful it was. This moment will forever be ingrained in my memory because complete strangers were looking at each other in disbelief. The only thing I heard during the ride up was the clicking of cameras, quiet gasps, and people whispering “beautiful” under their breath.

After the short ride, we got off and climbed a few stairs to the viewing area. My jaw actually dropped when I first saw it, and I lost count of how many times I said “wow, this is crazy!” Zach and I kept exchanging glances because we just couldn’t believe our eyes. We were also incredibly grateful for the weather, considering our next two and a half days in Hiroshima were rainy and cold. It’s as if we used all of our luck on this day!

Oyster Farming

Oysters are one of the specialties of Miyajima Island and all throughout Hiroshima. I swear I saw oysters on the menu of almost every restaurant during my time in the prefecture. While I was admiring the views from the observatory, I noticed these long, wooden rafts floating in the water. I later found out that they’re used for farming oysters!

These platforms have ropes attached under them, and scallop shells are strung onto them by hand. After hatching, the oysters will anchor themselves onto these shells and grow. Each raft has about 400 lines of rope, and each line can hold roughly 300-500 oysters. I saw a ton of these rafts from the observatory and from the ferry to Miyajima, so I can’t even begin to imagine just how many oysters are collected. I talk more about how oysters are cooked and enjoyed over on my Cafes & Cuisine post.

Hiking to the Very Top

The second cable car brought us to some amazing views, but the true end is another 30 minute hike up the mountain. There was a signboard stating that the views after the hike are considered to be listed as one of Japan’s top 3 most scenic views, so Zach and I figured we absolutely had to see it while we were here.

I’ll admit, 30 minutes was actually 45 because this hike was extremely steep and required a lot of effort. I had to take multiple breaks since my lungs felt as if they were on fire and my legs were wobbly. Maybe this would be a walk in the park for those who are more fit or experienced with hiking. There were a few shrines on the way up which gave me a good excuse to take a break and learn more about them.

Despite the difficult climb and soreness I experienced the next day, I believe it was all worth it. The observatory itself was interesting as it was on a flat, rocky part of the mountain. It was covered, and there were places to relax and take in the views. I got to see a 360 view this time as well as more islands. It was truly breathtaking and such a memorable moment.

Omotesando Shopping Street

After climbing back down and taking the last cable car down the mountain, Zach and I decided to walk down Omotesando Street for food and to do some shopping. There are about 70 shops on this street that sell plenty of souvenirs, sweet snacks, and food such as oysters and sandwiches. One of the things that almost every shop had was momiji manju, which is a maple leaf shaped cake filled with sweet red bean. I go into more detail about this extremely popular specialty on my Cafes & Cuisine post!

There’s another huge torii to pass through to get to this street, then it’s all you can eat and shop till you drop for 350 meters. Zach and I actually spent a good amount of time here looking through souvenirs unique to Miyajima and getting our fill of momiji manju.

Thoughts

As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, Miyajima was spectacular and my favorite part of my Hiroshima trip. I saw some of the best views I’ve ever seen in Japan, walked through a UNESCO World Heritage Site, met some friendly deer, and ate incredible food. In addition, the weather was perfect and clear. However, despite taking the first ferry out and the last ferry back to the mainland, there was still so much more to see on the island. There were some temples and other prominent sights I missed due to lack of time. My only regret is not staying at a hotel on Miyajima, which would’ve given me more time to explore. Nevertheless, I was able to see the bigger, main parts of the island and I’m so delighted to cross this off of my bucket list!