Miyajima has several important Buddhist temples, including the 1201 Daigan-ji, which dates back to the Heian period and is dedicated to Benzaiten, the Japanese name for Saraswati (the Hindu goddess of good fortune). The seated image of Yakushi Nyorai here is said to have been carved by Buddhist saint Kōbō Daishi.
Daigan-ji
Miyajima
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
10.17 MILES
Hugged by rivers on both sides, Peace Memorial Park is a large, leafy space crisscrossed by walkways and dotted with memorials and tranquil spaces for…
0.1 MILES
With origins as far back as the late 6th century, Itsukushima-jinja gives Miyajima its real name. The shrine's unique and attractive pier-like…
10.38 MILES
Perhaps the starkest reminder of the destruction visited upon Hiroshima in WWII is the Atomic Bomb Dome. Built by a Czech architect in 1915, it was the…
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
10.13 MILES
The main building of Hiroshima's premier museum houses a collection of items salvaged from the aftermath of the atomic bomb. The displays are confronting…
0.13 MILES
This 16m-tall vermilion torii (shrine gate) is a symbol of Miyajima and the watery entrance to World Heritage shrine Itsukushima-jinja. At high tide, it…
0.24 MILES
Just south of town at the foot of Misen, Daishō-in is a worthwhile stopping point on the way up or down the mountain. This Shingon temple is crowded with…
0.98 MILES
Covered with primeval forest, the sacred, peaceful Misen is Miyajima's highest mountain (530m), and its ascent is the island's finest walk – especially in…
11.91 MILES
Iwakuni's chief claim to fame is this graceful bridge, built in 1673 during the rule of feudal lord Kikkawa Hiroyoshi. It has been restored several times…
Nearby Miyajima attractions
1. Miyajima History & Folklore Museum
0.05 MILES
Set in a fine garden, this museum combines a 19th-century merchant house with exhibitions on trade in the Edo period, as well as displays connected with…
0.06 MILES
On one side of Itsukushima-jinja is a floating nō stage, built by local lord Asano Tsunanaga in 1680 and still used for nō (stylised dance-drama)…
0.1 MILES
With origins as far back as the late 6th century, Itsukushima-jinja gives Miyajima its real name. The shrine's unique and attractive pier-like…
0.13 MILES
This 16m-tall vermilion torii (shrine gate) is a symbol of Miyajima and the watery entrance to World Heritage shrine Itsukushima-jinja. At high tide, it…
0.14 MILES
South of Itsukushima-jinja, stone steps (before you reach Miyajima History & Folklore Museum) lead up from the road to this picturesque pagoda. There's a…
0.17 MILES
Dominating the hill immediately to the north of Itsukushima-jinja is this huge pavilion, built in 1587 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The atmospheric hall is…
0.24 MILES
Just south of town at the foot of Misen, Daishō-in is a worthwhile stopping point on the way up or down the mountain. This Shingon temple is crowded with…
0.27 MILES
Momiji means 'maple', and their leaves come alive during autumn in this pretty park along the river.