TL;DR – I continue my time in Hiroshima by visiting Itsukushima.

Disclosure – I paid for my flights, accommodation, entry, and everything you see purchased in this article.

Exploring Japan –

I had always planned to go back to Japan one day, and had started making plans to go back in 2020. Then, well, 2020 happened. But late last year, I finally had the chance to put those plans back in motion as I flew out of Melbourne for Osaka, and thus my time in Japan began.  

After my morning in Hiroshima City visiting the Peace Memorial, I walked back to the tram station to take the leisurely trip through the city down to the ferry to Itsukushima. I think the train would have been quicker, but I like the vibe of the tram, getting to see different parts of the city as you drive through.

There is a lot you can say about Itsukushima, and I will here, but there is a sort of majesty that you feel, even on the boat ride over, as Itsukushima Jinja comes into view, that I have not felt very often in my life.

Much like Nara, across Itsukushima, or as it is sometimes more commonly known, Miyajima, you will find deer. But. These are not the chill, carefree Sika Deer that you find in Nara. Sure, they can be chill, but they will eat your food out of your hands without a second thought. For my Australian readers, think the boldness of an Ibis but the size of a deer. You need to be on the lookout, because they can sneak up on you.  

We all know that Mount Fuji is the symbol of Japan, but if there were a second, it would likely be the floating Torii Gate of Itsukushima Shrine. The stark orange juts out of the water, juxtaposing with the blues of the ocean and sky, and the greens of the mountains in the distance. It honestly takes your breath away.

Itsukushima Shrine itself is a fascinating floating wooden structure that sits in harmony with the water, while also being in constant battle with it. The sea and the salt are relentless in their path to wear away the structure, but in a manner that would make Theseus proud, every plank is prepped and ready to be replaced.

I had timed my day so that the tide was going out as I arrived at the shrine, which does give it a very distinct feel. The ebb and flow of life as the water reveals the sand below.

Working my way through the town, I was happy to see that my favourite sign in all of Japan was still there. Though I think 10 minutes is a very generous estimate, that may have just been because of the heat of the day.

I decided not to use the courtesy bus, but to instead take the walk up to the cable cars. It was a nice hike up the hill, but if I had known about how long the queue was at the top, I probably would have taken the bus.

It ended up being well over an hour’s wait to get to the top, but goodness, is that wait worth it, because the views just on the way up are majestic, and they are eclipsed by the top.

The view from the top across the Seto Inland Sea towards Hiroshima and out into the bay is just stunning. So striking that you may choose to climb up a rock to get a better look and then realise that you are not young anymore, and getting down is a lot harder than getting up. I did not break an ankle, but that would not have been a good slip. I mean, the view was kind of worth it. So, this is very much a ‘do what I say, not what I do’ situation. I did also have to wait to take my big panorama shot because I kept getting interrupted by the loudspeaker informing everyone when the last cable car would be. [This was not a complaint; it was important information, and trust me, they were probably repeating it as often as they needed to thanks to some acute past experiences]

I had wanted to make the trek further up the island to visit the shrines up top. Still, I had not factored in the wait time both going up and going down, and I did not want to get trapped up there after the cable cars stopped, so it was time to come back down, and this time I did take the courtesy bus down and bought several meat skewers at the bottom.

The tide was now so low that you could walk out to the Torii Gate, and I was tempted, but given I had already destroyed a pair of shoes, and I had only one left, I erred on the side of caution.

I sat watching the Torii Gate and the shrine for a while, but then the sun started to set, and it was time to get back to my hotel.

After grabbing some dinner, I headed back up to my room to see what was on TV. Now, I do not know why these gentlemen were taking their inflatable boat up the rapids to the sound of the Indiana Jones soundtrack. But it was very entertaining.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

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Credits – All images and content have been created by the author unless stated otherwise