Itsukushima Shrine

Attraction > Shrine

Itsukushima Shrine (in Japanese: 厳島神社 Itsukushima Jinja) is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (better known as Miyajima) in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The shrine is best known for the "Floating" Torii gate. The Torii here is one the top, well known images of Japan throughout the world and one of Japan's most popular tourist attractions. The shrine complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Japanese government has designated several buildings and possessions as National Treasures.　Itsukushima Shrine is extremely popular with Japanese and international tourists alike. From Hiroshima it can be reached quickly by a variety of transportation means (see below) within an hour. The Itsukushima torii appears to be floating ONLY at high tide. When the tide is low, sandbars make it possible to reach the Torii by foot.