Just ten minutes on the ferry from urban Hiroshima, it’s amazing how serene the island can be. The day I went seemed like it would be far from peaceful as I boarded the packed ship. As we drew nearer to Miajima I could see the famous floating ‘Torii’ (Shinto Shrine Gate) rising up from the shore ahead, bright red in the mid morning sun. When the ferry docked I negotiated my way through the crowds and wandering deer and headed towards renowned Itsukushima Shrine and a closer view of it’s ‘Torii’ gateway.
Originally built in the 6th century the beautiful red and white coloured shrine is on a pier and rises above the ocean at the entrance to the bay. Itsukushima was designed in this way because in ancient times the island itself was believed to be so holy that commoners were not permitted to set foot on its soil and had to approach by boat. Several hundred metres further out to sea you can see the shrine’s huge Torii gate which pilgrims would pass through to gain entry.
The process was a lot easier for me although I had somehow forgotten that the New Year is a religious time here. The crowds at the Shrine’s entrance were huge and I felt a little uncomfortable sightseeing at a holy place where others were worshipping. Before I could change my mind though I was welcomed by one of many robed staff who wished me a tentative ‘Happy New Year’, in English! As I walked earnestly through Itsukushima I was determined not to draw attention to myself as I had a feeling that amongst the throngs of people there I was definitely the only ‘Gaikokojin’ (foreign person) in attendance.
There was a real hum of activity around me as people, often in family groups, went about their ‘Sho Gatsu’ (New Year) rituals. Some of the things I saw were really fascinating. People first ladled their hands with holy water for purification before they entered. Many were praying outside these small wooden rooms where displays of traditional food like ‘Mochi’ (rice cake) were offered to the Japanese Gods. They would pray by clapping their hands together twice and bowing low. In other parts of the Shrine people were busy buying ‘Omamori’ (Good Luck Charms) like ceremonial arrows, or ‘Omikuji’ (Fortunes). They would read the ‘Omikuji’ and then tie the paper strips to horizontal strings which were hanging nearby, which I thought at the time was meant to ensure the fortune would come true. It was unusual for me to see all this money changing hands in a religious environment and all the chattering of people buying and selling, mixed with the voice of the priest chanting in the background created an unusual atmosphere. It certainly felt very foreign and I left unsure whether I had really visited a holy or commercial place; but it was beautiful nonetheless.
I followed my map up the hill towards Daishoin Buddhist Temple, which was built in the mountains of Miajima during the 12th Century. The place was huge and had so many different buildings and gardens it seemed like its own town. If I had felt like a fish out of water at Itsukishima it was nothing compared to Daishoin. As I watched all the unfamiliar rituals of the many worshippers here I felt like I was a visitor from another world.
First we all had to walk up a hundred stone steps where people were having turns ringing this enormous bell. As we reach the top I could smell the sweet aroma of incense burning nearby and hear priests chanting their holy mantras. There were so many amazing things to see I couldn’t stop taking photos and all I could do was hope no one would be offended and ask me to stop. There were hundreds of statues of different Buddas lining the walkways all with unique expressions and gestures and I could only wonder what it all meant. People would parade past each one putting coins on them which I think was meant to bring luck. On the steeper paths there were handrails for support but instead of ordinary metal handrails these had cylinders suspended vertically below them covered in golden ‘Kanji’ (Chinese characters) script. They were attached so they could be spun around when you touched them so everyone was spinning these cylinders as they walked around and of course I couldn’t help myself either. I found out later they represent the ‘Dai – Hanyakyo’ Holy Scripture and touching them is believed to bring fortune. On the higher ground there were many Buddha sculptures which were located in small wooden structures of their own. I saw several with what appeared to be offerings on each side of the statue. The interesting thing was the offerings were unopened cans of sliced pineapple! I couldn’t really believe the mix of ancient religion and modern culture; it was a very strange image.
Feeling euphoric at the unique experiences I had already enjoyed in Miajima, I continued walking up to a cable car which would arrive at Shissiwa station, 430 metres above sea level in hope of a good view. It was an absolutely glorious day and I could see many of Miajima’s surrounding islands stretched out below in the deep blue water. After a few photos I decided to climb towards the summit Mt Misen; the highest point of the island and another 100 metres above the ocean. The walk was very steep but on my way up many descending climbers greeted me with ‘Konnichiwa’ (Good Afternoon) or ‘Gunbate’ (Good Luck).
The sun was already high in the sky but as I walked up there were still some patches of snow on the path. The mountain has been an object of worship since ancient times and as I ascended I saw many seemingly very old stone tablets and rock-piles to the side of the track. I think many Buddhist brothers have been laid to rest on its peaceful slopes. I reached the top after about 45 minutes and enjoyed the stunning panoramic view before deciding to continue hiking towards some less frequented areas. After a while the track became rough and the forest grew thicker around me before I stumbled on some more holy sites. The humble mountain shrines and small temples I discovered were obviously very old. I read later they relate to an ancient Buddhist Priest called Kobo Daishi who lived in the 9th century. Constructed high on the mountain, often near steep cliffs overlooking the ocean hundreds of metres below it seemed a fitting place for the divine and these sites had a real sense of peace.
With the light fading I reluctantly headed down the mountain towards Shissiwa Station. Although I had an incredible day, wandering around through those isolated areas on Mt Misen was certainly my highlight. After the mad crowds at Itsukushima and Daishoin it was amazing to hike for an hour or two to silent places whose only visitors seemed to be deer and the occasional curious traveller. I felt like a real explorer up there alone trekking around holy places, experiencing something authentic and largely unchanged. Contemplating the simple beauty of those temples amidst the magnificence of the natural environment, at times I had an eerie sense that the island was really sacred.
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