Miyajima Island: Japan’s Shrine Island That Doesn’t Need Neon to Sparkle
In a country where the capital possesses a permanent neon blink and technology dangles at the end of every spare hand, taking the ferry out to Japan’s small island of Miyajima feels like a journey back in time.
Located less than an hour off the coast of Hiroshima in the Island Sea of Japan, Miyajima, (meaning ‘shrine island’ – the island’s formal name is Itsukushima), has been a location of religious significance since 809 A.D. when Kōbō Daishi, a Buddhist monk, visited the island.
Today, the pace of progress has been slow and the scenery seems the better for it with Edo period streets prevailing over development and herds of deer roaming free. Cars are rare and traffic lights simply not necessary, making a visit to the island the perfect antidote to the big cities that define much of Japan.
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Jo Fitzsimons 