03Cities and regions

On the inland sea

Hiroshima and Miyajima: a gate above the water

Hiroshima is the capital of its prefecture. Population was about 1,199,391 on 1 June 2019. The standout visit is Itsukushima Island, known as Miyajima, and the wooden gate architecture above the tide. The Itsukushima complex entered the World Heritage list in 1996. Access from the mainland is by ferry from Miyajimaguchi Station. The gate, mountain, forests, and sea view belong to one scene. Hiroshima Castle was first built in the 1590s; the present main keep is a reconstruction reopened in 1958 and serves as a museum of the city’s pre-modern history. A day for the island and gate, and half a day for the castle if time remains. Temples and shrines here are wood, water, and alignment with the horizon. Hiroshima differs in pace from Tokyo and Kyoto; its rhythm is ferry, island, and gate. The ferry is part of the visual experience, not mere transport. The gate changes with the tide, so arrival time changes the picture. The castle in the city completes the day if you return to the mainland early.

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Hiroshima population

1996

Heritage year

1958

Keep reconstruction