The Island of the O-torii Gate...

O-torii Gate at high tide.

From Hiroshima, we were to make our way to the island of Miyajima to achieve one of this trips bucket list items, to see the famous O-torii Gate which is "one of Japan's three most scenic spots". It's just a local train ride, and a very short ferry trip to get there.

A wet day to for this portrait at O-torii Gate.

We were to discover that Miyajima is a tourist trap, crowded throughout the day with day-trippers who arrive the way we did, or by ferry direct from Hiroshima. This happens every day of the year, and it completely enlivens the tiny town's main shopping and cafe strip, Omotesando. Outside day-tripper hours, the town is very quiet - we imagine this is not quiet true in summer!

Ferries from two competing companies ply across the narrow strait.

These deer reportedly plague visitors to Miyajima, but we didn't find them too threatening.

The massive O-torii (nearly 17m tall) was first built 200m offshore (at high tide) in the Myojin style in 1168AD as a gate to the Itsukushima Shrine which was first located there in the 593AD. The present shrine dates back to 1550AD odd based on a design hundreds of years earlier.

The location of the gate in the water has very interesting provenance. The entire island was regarded as sacred and commoners were not allowed on shore, but pilgrims could approach through the gate in boats. While commoners (and even foreigners!) are now allowed on the island, purity of the shrine is maintained by permitting no births or deaths near the shrine. People facing such fates are transferred to the mainland.

The gate itself is built of various types of wood, camphor, cedar and cypress pine. It has no foundations but stands on six pillars, supported by its own weight, about 60t. Hollow sections are filled with stones. The gate (and the shrine) are in vermillion colour, which is excellent for keeping demons away.

The gate and the shrine are National Treasures of Japan, and are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1996).

JR ferries to Miyajima head directly towards the O-torii Gate to give arriving visitors a good view.

The best time to photograph the gate is at dusk and at high tide. Our planning was not up to this requirement - high tide for us was in the middle of the day. At low tide, visitors can keep their feet (fairly) dry and walk out to touch or embrace the gate. Coins are frequently poked into cracks and splits.

At low tide, visitors can walk around the base of the O'torii Gate.

In the hope of wealth, health and happiness, believers leave small tributes on the gate.

Not quite the shoes to wear on a muddy tidal flat.

Spectacular view of Miyajima from the ferry. Even the locals describe that skyline as something like an Easter Island maoi in profile.

Apart from the shrine and gate, there is plenty to see on Miyajima. We had a very enjoyable visit to the island's History and Folklore Museum, and walked all over. It's a very hilly town, and there are several car and pedestrian tunnels cut through steep ridges. The five-storeyed pagoda and next to it, the ancient Senjokaku library, are worth climbing a small hill to get close to, as is the Daishoin Temple, up an immense flight of stairs.

The five-storied pagoda dominates Mijyajima's shopping strip, Omotesando.

A combination of Chinese and Japanese styles, the five-storied pagoda dates to 1407.

Coffee and cake at the Sarasvati Cafe.

Dating back hundreds of years, but never quite finished, the Toyokuni Shrine (aka Senjokaku) is a huge library of Buddhist sutras.

Shop specialising in soy sauce.

In ancticipation of a Miyajima delicacy.

Traditional art and culture on display in Miyajima.

Three young ladies of Miyajima.

Recycling drink cans into wind decorations.

Many of 500 beanied figures at Daishoin Temple.

Fearsome demon-repelling guardian at the Daishaoin Temple.

Just another delightful water fountain, this one near Daishoin Temple.

Misty view of the Tahoto Pagoda.

Upper levels of the magnificent five storey pagoda.

Australia can't match this. The world's biggest rice paddle.

Miyajima's theme product (apart from rice paddles) seems to be Maple Leaf cookies, manufactured in many shops by these machines, and sold to every visitor.

Some intrepid visitors climb Mount Misen and do a number of so-called nature walks, but we didn't find the time or the energy to attempt these feats.

Bucketing rain for our evening cruise to O-torii Gate, with the Itsukushima Shrine in the background.

At high enough tides, boats can navigate the gate, but we never saw this happen in daytime.

Sodden tourists alighting from our night-time cruise vessel.

On Miyajima, we had our first experience of a ryokan, traditional Japanese style accommodation. We stayed at Ryokan Makoto as per Alan Gibson's recommendation. As per Alan's instructions, we rang the Makoto from the ferry terminal, and within 2 minutes they were there to pick us up. The Makoto proved to be a six storey inn, but the culture was traditional enough. We took our shoes off to enter our room and other places. Flooring was tatami matting made of woven rush grass which has a distinctive, pleasant smell. Our room had no beds, but futons were laid on the floor while we were at dinner. Old folks like us find it quite difficult to get out of a bed on the floor in the morning!

Our room at the top of the Ryokan Makoto, Miyajima.

Gorgeous decoration in the lobby of the Makoto.

Before we cluttered it up, this is our room at the Ryokan Makoto, in daytime mode.

Each of our three nights at the Makoto, we enjoyed a traditional Japanese kaiseki meal, a multi-course dinner where considerable effort is taken to make each course visually appealing. The front desk manager told us these meals were "expensive", but we don't know how much because they were included in our package. Anyway, they were delicious and varied, and looked very pretty. They featured local delicacies, so we had plenty of fish and oysters!

One course in one of our three kaiseki meals at Makoto.

Enjoying Alan Gibson's surprise ice-cream deliveries in our ryokan.

The ryokan had segregated public baths which we made good use of. We had been well briefed on bathhouse rules, in summary: (a) be naked, (b) wash thoroughly in the showers before you get in, (c) no soap or washing in the bath, (d) no towels or cloths in the water. The bathhouses at Makoto were spacious and not crowded, so easy and fun to use. And the bathroom in our room was excellent too - fabulous hot water and pressure - and the Japanese approach of sealing off the immediate shower/bath area is a great design strategy.

The Miyajima Museum of History and Folklore was a worthwhile visit.

Ancient well preserved at the Miyajima History and Folklore Museum.

Old photograph of a summer ritual, men cooperating to recover a prize on a wooden structure near the gate.

Historical engraving showing the Itsukushima Shrine and O-torii Gate.

Graphic depictions of the "Battle of Miyajima" in 1555, at the History & Folklore Museum.

Complex roofing detailing on old buildings.

Typical old house and furniture of Miyajima.

We leave Miyajima with fond memories and some reluctance. We could have spent more time here, and done a few of the obviously popular nature walks. A great place to relax, an entrancing tori gate that changes its appearance daily, and, we saw, everything from sunshine to heavy rain, clear skies to heavy fog. A tourist trap indeed, but no wonder it is so popular, and has been for so long.

Miyajima triptych in one of the Makoto banquet halls.

This rickshaw puller is not looking forward to the uphill sections with these two passengers.

Looking from Miyajima to Miyajimaguchi, we couldn't actually establish waht this most notable and modern looking edifice is.