Miyajima Island is a small island known as one of the World Heritage Site and spritual spot in Japan. The whole island is said to be spritual area, so visit Otorii (big gateway to a Shinto shrine), Yakushima Shrine and to take view of the breathtaking beauty of the scenery at perch. You can visit many attraction spots in this small island. There different view by seasons, so to visit there in Spring and Fall to see cherry blossom and Autumn leaves is one of the idea. There are many photograph spot through whole year, if you are not particular about the seasons, we recommend you spots whenever you visit, you will be moved.
1. Have a view of “Five-storied Pagoda” at Machiya street
Photo by cotaro70s
It takes 10min to Miyajima island by ferry, since you ride on, the trip has been started. If you ride on ferry in a season when to go outside of the room allowed, please try to go outside. You will see the Otorii, and as ferry gets closer to the island you are able to see Five-storied Pagoda too. After you arrived, take Pagoda as a landmark to get closer to find photograph spots would be good idea. One of the spot is a street called “Machiya-dori”, where you can find a photograph spot of Pagoda in old town as a background. In the street, number of people is less than other spots so it is chance to photograph.
2. Have a view of “Five-storied Pagoda” at Yakushima Shrine
The most famous spot is Yakushima Shrine as well as to photograph. A vermilion colors of the main building of the shrine and a blue color of the Seto ocean can been seen brilliantly. You will be excited if it’s a first time to walk on a corridora gallery. To go through the gallery to ocean side, there is a kyaku shrine (lite. Visitor Shrine) where Yakushima Shrine’s ceremony held is also a spot to photograph. Even it is on the route, you should often look back to check where the spot is.
3. Have a view of “Otorii” at Mikasanohama seashore
You will realize how big Otorii is as closer as you get, compared with a view of Otorii at ferry. People view the Otorii with honor, some of them pray and bow under the Otorii. To go through Otorii is possile when it is low tide, when it is high tide you can’t get even closer. If you visit Torii when it is low tide, you should photograph against the backgound of Otorii. If it is high tide, photograph the floating Otorii on the ocean, which is also mysterious.
4. Have a view of “Otorii” at the front of Yakushima Shrine Hitasaki
Photo by Marufish
It is one of the most famous spot to photograph Otorii against the backgound of Yakushima Shrine Hitasaki. Photos taken at this spot can be seen often on a guide book. There are a few photograph spots around there, so try to find out your own best angle of the Otorii. It would be nicer if it is high tide in this case. You could photograph like one of those famous postcard of Otorii floating on the ocean against the background of the Yakushima Shrine Hitasaki.
5. From magic hour to night-time
Yakushima Shrine and area around it illuminated everyday after 30min later of the sunset until 11pm. It is said that sky in the magic hour is the most beautiful moment, and it would be lucky if you have chance to photograph Torii against the background of the sky. The color of sky changes each day, so try to photograph it if you have chance. And illumination to night-time also is fantastic. You can see Yakushima Shrine with completely different of the atomosphere compared with day-time. In night-time, Torii clearly is reflected in the ocean that you can see Reversed Torii in the surface of the ocean.
Anyway there are many spots to photograph in Miyajima island. Besides introduced contents, when you arrived there, first you will see deers. They will get close to you but they don’t attack you, so don’t worry. But if you have any food, they try to eat them so please be careful. However you will surely take photo with deers, and climbing Misen Mountain would be good idea too. Momijidani Park also is enjoyable to see Autumn leaves in fall, and there are famous food Momiji manju (Japanese-style bun shaped like maple leaf and it is stuffed with adzuki-beab paste) and Oyster, so strolling around the area with those Japanese snacks also is good idea.
