VIARAMI logo
A deer standing on a stone wall in a bustling Japanese tourist street

Miyajima Part 1

Miyajima - Part 1

Japanese warrior statue with gold armor in front of modern building and landscaped garden

Itsukushima, more commonly known as Miyajima, is a small island located in Hiroshima Bay, Japan. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its natural beauty and historic landmarks. The island is considered sacred in Shintoism, Japan's indigenous religion, and is home to the revered Itsukushima Shrine.

The shrine, dedicated to the three daughters of the Shinto god of seas and storms, is built over water, creating a mesmerizing illusion of floating during high tide. Its most iconic feature is the 'floating' torii gate, a giant, vermillion structure that stands dramatically in the bay.

Beyond the shrine, Itsukushima offers lush forests, scenic walking trails, and an abundance of tame deer that freely roam the island. These Sika deer, considered sacred messengers in Shinto belief, add to the island's unique charm and are a delight for visitors. While they are accustomed to human interaction, visitors are advised to treat them with respect and not feed them inappropriate food.

Miyajima, Japan street scene with buildings and a security booth.
pile of fresh oyster shells with rough brown exteriors and pearly white interiors
Red and white passenger ferry docked at a pier with passengers boarding
White passenger ferry with red stripe sailing on open water near a mountainous coastline
White car seen from above on a green car ferry deck with white lane markings
Red and white passenger ferry on calm bay waters with a stone seawall, coastal mountains and town in the background
Two women standing at a stone seawall looking out over the sea toward mountains
Three young people eating ice cream under a wooden pergola near water
A deer walks across a paved plaza while tourists watch and take photos in Miyajima, Japan
A deer standing on a stone wall in a bustling Japanese tourist street
woman sitting on stone block using smartphone at japanese temple grounds
A sika deer grazing beneath a blooming cherry blossom tree in a rocky woodland setting
A sika deer foraging on gravelly ground in a park with cherry blossom trees in the background
Man crouching to take selfie with grazing deer on petal-covered path beside a stone curb
Tourists interact with a deer beneath blooming cherry blossom trees on a paved Japanese park path
Colorful Japanese ice cream shop storefront with soft-serve displays and menu signs on a wooden facade along a paved street
Young tourists walking on a Japanese street near cherry blossom trees and shops
Young girl in school uniform drinking from a cup walks beside a woman on a busy Japanese pedestrian street with traditional buildings
A young deer looks up at tourists holding food on a paved walkway beside a stone wall
young deer standing on a drainage grate beside a stone wall
Woman sitting on stone steps before a patterned stone wall with pine trees and a Japanese-style building
brown deer grazing in shallow coastal water with mountains and shoreline buildings in the background
brown deer standing in shallow ocean water eating grass with mountains and coastline in background
Black and white photo of a deer drinking from shallow water near a person cleaning seaweed from stone steps by the water's edge, with mountains in the background.
Two people foraging for shellfish on a wet sandy beach at low tide with mountains in the background
People foraging on a sandy beach at low tide with seaweed, a deer, mountains and a bay in the background
Large stone torii gate at a Japanese coastal shrine with bronze komainu statue and visitors walking a path toward the sea
Weathered bronze Japanese guardian lion statue seated on stone pedestal in a lush garden setting
Deer resting on a moss-covered stone wall amid white flowering shrubs
Tourists stroll through a Japanese town plaza past traditional shops while a rickshaw carries passengers in the foreground
A young deer holding a crumpled white paper napkin in its mouth on sandy ground in an outdoor animal park
Woman feeding a deer on a sandy path near a mossy stone wall
Tourists at a Japanese shrine on Miyajima Island, with stone lanterns along a wall and vermilion buildings at low tide
Traditional stone lantern with grazing deer beneath cherry blossom trees in a mossy Japanese garden
Rickshaw puller carrying tourists on a sandy path with a red torii gate and deer on Miyajima Island, Japan
Wide sandy beach with a large vermilion torii gate and forested mountains at Miyajima, Japan

Recommendations

Lit candles in ornate lotus-shaped metal holders inside a Thai Buddhist temple

Bangkok - Part 101

The Last Stop
Panoramic view of Tallinn, Estonia, featuring red rooftops, church steeples, and a body of water in the distance.

Tallinn

Tallinn is a city with a medieval flair on the Nordic coast.
Shanghai street scene with bare trees, people on scooters and bicycles, and buildings in the background.

Shanghai - Part 2

A Chinese city with a uncountable facets. – Far away from the dazzling skyline and the tall buildings, there is much to discover.
Narrow cobblestone alley with pastel buildings and teal shutters in an Italian town

Pallanza

Market day in Pallanza
Bronze statue of two women and a dog selling asparagus in a town square.

Schwetzingen

A German city with a beautiful palace, especially in Summer.
Musée des Augustins, Hazebrouck, France: Low-angle view of a brick building with a steeply pitched roof and a clock.

Hazebrouck

Small town in France which belonged centuries ago to Flanders.