Easy hikes and walks in the Chugoku Mountains

Itsukushima Shrine Otorii Gate 大鳥居 - One of Japan's landmarks The O-Torii (Great Torii Gate), which stands about 16.8 meters high in the sea, is one of the most famous structures of the Itsukushima Shrine. The current O-Torii construction is based on the Ryobu-torii style, a wooden Shinto gate design characterized by four supporting pillars. The roof is covered with Japanese cypress bark, and the entire body is coated with vermilion lacquer. The four-pillar torii style is said to have been adopted in 1547 when the torii was rebuilt. The main pillars are about 13.4 meters high and have a circumference of 9.9 meters, and the crossbeam is about 23.3 meters long. The O-torii is located about 212.7 meters from the Haiden (main hall of worship) and 173 meters. 4 meters from the Hitasaki (front lantern) and is supported by its own weight. The current torii, the ninth, was erected in 1875. Text / Source: miyajima.or.jp https://miyajima.or.jp/english/spot/spot_ootorii.html

Senjō-kaku / Toyokuni Shrine, is a significant historical site in Japan. Senjō-kaku, also known as Toyokuni Shrine, is a significant historical site in Japan. It was built in 1587 by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and serves as a place for reciting Buddhist sutras in honor of fallen soldiers. The hall is the largest building on Miyajima to this day and offers a unique insight into Japanese culture and history. The pagoda, which belongs to the Itsukushima Shrine, is one of the three most famous pagodas in Japan and is also a must-see for visitors. Text / Source: japan.travel/de https://www.japanwelt.de/blog/insel-miyajima-itsukushima-tipps

Senjō-kaku / Toyokuni Shrine is an important historical site in Japan. Senjō-kaku, also known as Toyokuni Shrine, is an important historical site in Japan. It was built in 1587 by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and serves as a place for reciting Buddhist sutras in honor of fallen soldiers. The hall is the largest building on Miyajima to this day and offers a unique insight into Japanese culture and history. The pagoda, which belongs to the Itsukushima Shrine, is one of the three most famous pagodas in Japan and is also a must-see for visitors. Text / Source: japan.travel/de https://www.japanwelt.de/blog/insel-miyajima-itsukushima-tipps

Tickets can be purchased at the museum. No advance booking is necessary. However, it's best to go when it's not too crowded... it can get very cramped and stuffy. The entire museum is wheelchair accessible.

Hondori is still a popular shopping destination in Hiroshima, although the newly developed area near the train station has significantly caught up.

The Mitaki-dera Temple, meaning "Three Waterfalls Temple," is a serene and historically significant Shingon Buddhist site founded in 809 A.D. Known for its tranquil, heavily forested location and three beautiful waterfalls (whose water is traditionally used in the annual Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony), the temple is a crucial spiritual retreat. Its two-story, crimson Tahōtō Pagoda was relocated here in 1951 specifically to console the souls of the atomic bomb victims, cementing its role as a quiet memorial and a symbol of peace and natural beauty amidst Hiroshima's mountains.

The Tahōtō (two-story pagoda) at Mitaki-dera Temple is a striking crimson structure located near the entrance of the complex. Its main significance in Hiroshima is as a memorial for the atomic bomb victims. Although the pagoda itself dates back to 1526 (Muromachi period) and is a Prefectural Important Cultural Property, it was relocated to Mitaki-dera in 1951 from the Hiro Hachiman Shrine in Wakayama Prefecture. The purpose of this relocation was specifically to soothe the spirits of those who perished in the 1945 bombing. Inside, it enshrines a wooden seated statue of Amida Nyorai, which is designated a National Important Cultural Property.

The Flame of Peace in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is a powerful symbol of the city’s commitment to nuclear abolition.Lit on August 1, 1964, the flame has been burning continuously ever since, with the pledge that it will remain lit until the very last nuclear weapon on Earth is destroyed. The pedestal, designed by Kenzō Tange, represents two hands joined and reaching skyward, offering comfort to the bomb victims who desperately cried out for water. Located on the central axis of the park, the flame is a stark and eternal reminder of the devastation of 1945 and a clear visual declaration of the global desire for permanent world peace.