Itsukushima Shrine
A shrine built on stilts over the sea, with a sixteen-metre torii standing in the water. At high tide the whole thing appears to float.
Built over water, on purpose
The shrine dates in its current form to 1168 and was built on piles over the tidal flats because the island itself was too sacred to be walked on by ordinary pilgrims — they approached by boat, through the great torii. That gate stands about sixteen metres high and is held in place by its own weight rather than being driven into the seabed. At high water the corridors and the gate appear to float; at low water you can walk out across the flats and stand underneath it. Both are worth seeing and they are entirely different experiences.
Explore Itsukushima Shrine on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What to look for
A single connected structure, walked as a one-way circuit.
⛩ The great torii
- Around 16 metres, standing free on the seabed under its own weight
- Walk out to it at low tide; photograph it from the shore at high
🏛 The corridors
- Vermilion boardwalks connecting the halls over the water
- Gaps between the planks let the tide pass without lifting the structure
🎭 The stage
- A Noh stage over the water, the only one of its kind
- The five-storey pagoda on the rise behind the shrine
Getting to the shrine
A short walk from the Miyajima ferry pier along the shore.
⛴ To the island
- JR to Miyajimaguchi then the ferry, about an hour from Hiroshima
🚶 On the island
- 10 minutes on foot from the pier, along the waterfront
- Flat and step-free the whole way
🎫 Tickets
- A small entry fee for the shrine; the torii can be seen free from the shore
When to visit
The tide is the single most important variable, and it is entirely predictable.
🌊 High tide
- The floating effect that the shrine is famous for
- Best in the two hours either side of peak
🏖 Low tide
- Walk out across the flats to the base of the torii
- A completely different photograph, and popular with families
🌆 Dusk
- The torii is floodlit after dark and the crowds have gone
- The shrine itself closes earlier — check the seasonal hours
Visitor intelligence
Check the tide before anything else; everything here follows from it.
🌊 Tide tables
- Published at the ferry terminal and online — plan your ferry around it
- Arriving at the wrong tide is the commonest disappointment here
🗣 Language
- Bilingual signage throughout
- No guide needed, though the history rewards one
📷 Photography
- High tide from the shore; low tide from the flats beneath the gate
- Dusk floodlighting is the best of all and free from the shore
♿ Access
- The shrine corridors are step-free and boardwalked
- The tidal flats are uneven and slippery — proper shoes at low tide
Close by
Miyajima Island.
Frequently asked
Plan your journey
Our travel designers turn knowledge and inspiration into a journey crafted entirely around you.
Plan My Journey →