Itsukushima

Itsukushima(厳島)is an island in the western part of theInland SeaofJapan, located in the northwest ofHiroshima Bay. It is popularly known asMiyajima(宮島), which in Japanese means "Shrine Island".The island is one ofHayashi Gahō'sThree Views of Japanspecified in 1643.Itsukushima is part of the city ofHatsukaichiinHiroshima Prefecture. The island was part of the former town ofMiyajimabefore the 2005 merger with Hatsukaichi.
Itsukushima is famous for theItsukushima Shrine, aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site.The shrine was considered a sacred site for a long time, it is possible that locals built a simple shrine on the site before the complex was built in593 AD. In1168 AD,Taira no kiyomori, a warrior-courtier, greatly contributed to giving the shrine its current form. In the 16th century,Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a famed Japanesewarlordandshogun, built a large building, the Senjō-kaku, on a hill above the shrine.
Itsukushima has a number of temples, including Toyokuni Shrine with a five-storied pagoda,and Daiganji Temple - one of the three most famousBenzaitentemples of Japan.The island is also famous for its upper hill side cherry blossoms and maple leaf autumn foliage.
The island of Itsukushima, including the waters around it (part of Seto Inland Sea), lies withinSetonaikai National Park. This sea is affected by strongtides. At low tide, the bottom of the sea is exposed past the island'storii. At high tide, the sea covers all the previously exposed seabed mud and fills areas underneath the shrine boardwalk.
Itsukushima is mountainous and sparsely settled. It has an elementary school and a middle school. There are no traffic signals. It is rural and mountainous, only 30.39 square kilometres (11.73 sq mi), and has a population of about 2000. There are no cities, only small towns with simple houses and privately owned shops. The islanders work hard to preserve the forests and respectnature.
Frequent ferry services, operated byJR West(JR Miyajima ferry) and byMiyajima Matsudai Tourist Ship, carry traffic between the island and the mainland at Miyajimaguchi. The trip takes about ten minutes.There is an hourly express passenger ferry to Hiroshima harbour.
Miyajima's maple trees are renowned throughout Japan and blanket the island in crimson in the autumn. Momijimanjū, pastries filled withazukijam or custard, are popular souvenirs and carry maple-leaf emblems. Many other varieties such as chocolate and cheese are available.Because the island is seen as sacred, trees may not be cut for lumber.Sika deerroam freely. Deer are thought of as sacred in the native Shinto religion because they are considered messengers of the gods. They walk the streets of the city, not afraid of the tourists.
Theshamoji, a style of wooden paddle used to serve cooked rice without impairing the taste, is said to have been invented by a monk who lived on the island. The shamoji is a popular souvenir, and there are some outsized examples around the shopping district.
The peak ofMount Misen, at 535 m, is the highest point on the island.Miyajima Ropewaycarries visitors to within a 30-minute hike to the top. There are several sites related to the historic Buddhist priest and founder ofShingon Buddhism,Kōbō Daishi(弘法大師)(774–835), includingDaishō-in, near the top.
The island contains theMiyajima Natural Botanical Garden(宮島自然植物実験所,Miyajima Shizen Shokubutsu Jikkensho)on its north coast.
People often take the short ferry ride from mainland Japan to pray at Miyajima's shrines and to marvel at the beauty of its forests. Shrines on the island include Senjokaku (Toyokuni Shrine), Five-storied Pagoda, Two-storied Pagoda, Kiyomori Shrine, and Omoto Shrine.
In Japan, the term "shrine" implies a Shinto religious structure and "temple" implies a Buddhist one.
Miyajima is famous for theItsukushima Shrine(厳島神社,Itsukushima-jinja)which is aShintoshrine. It is known for its "floating"toriigate.The historic shrine complex is listed as aUNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as one of theNational Treasuresby the Japanese government.
Next to the Itsukushima Shrine is Daiganji Temple, dedicated to GoddessBenzaitenas well as three Buddhas important toShingon Buddhism.Benzaiten Goddess in Japan has been traced to GoddessSaraswatiof Hinduism in India.She is the Goddess of eloquence, music, arts, wealth and knowledge. The three Buddha in the temple are Gautama Buddha, Wisdom Buddha and Mercy Buddha.
Daiganji Temple is one of the three most famous Benzaiten Temples in Japan, along with Enoshima Benzaiten (Kanagawa) and Chikubujima Benzaiten (Shiga). The Benzaiten is opened to the public only once every year on June 17. On this day, Miyajima holds a big festival, and people of the region visit the temple to offer their prayers.
The precise date for the first construction of Daiganji Benzaiten temple is unclear. It was reconstructed around 1200 AD in theKamakura period. The construction date of Itsukushima-jinja and Daiganji temple is estimated to be 6th century or later, and the existence of Itsukushima-jinja is confirmed by early 9th century by ancient Japanese texts. TheNihon Shokiconfirms the sacredness of these Miyajama structures during the Heian Period (794-1184).
Daishō-inis a historic Japanese temple onMount Misen, the holy mountain on the island. It is the 14th temple in theChūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimageand famous for the maple trees and theirautumn colors. It is also called "Suishō-ji". As the headquarters of the Omuro branch ofShingonBuddhism, it is the most important temple of Miyajima. The temple was the administrator of the Itsukushima shrine beforeMeiji Restorationforbade (Shinbutsu bunri) syncretism (Shinbutsu-shūgō) betweenShintoand Buddhism in 1868.
Senjokaku (lit. "pavilion of 1000 mats") is the largest structure at Miyajima Island as the name implies.Toyotomi Hideyoshistarted construction of Senjokaku as a Buddhist library in which the chanting of Senbu-kyo sutras could be held for fallen soldiers.Hideyoshi died in 1598 and the building was never fully completed. Originally,Amitabha Buddhaand two Buddhist saints,ĀnandaandMahākāśyapa, were enshrined in the structure until the Meiji reformation. Then, the structure was converted into a Shinto shrine dedicated to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Numerous votive picture tablets that had been hanging in the Itsukushima Shrine buildings until the Meiji era, have been hung on the walls inside the hall.
The nearby Five-storied Pagoda constructed in 1407 (thus predating Senjokaku) enshrined Yakushi Nyorai Zazo, the Buddha of Medicine said to have been made byKobo Daishihimself, accompanied by Fugen Bosatsu (Mercy Buddha) and Monju Bosatsu  (Wisdom Buddha). The three images were moved to the Daiganji Temple during the Meiji reformation.