Check out all the information about Itsukushima Shrine, including visiting hours and admission fees! Simulated experience of the corridor with video clips!

厳島神社回廊アイキャッチ

Miyajima, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan. When you cross the island by boat, you will first see the vermilion-lacquered Otorii (Grand Gate) and then the vermilion-lacquered pavilions of Itsukushima Shrine.

At high tide, the entire shrine appears to float on the sea, creating a beautiful and fantastic sight. Some people describe it as if it were the Dragon’s Palace.

This article provides information on Itsukushima Shrine, including visiting hours, admission fees, and more.

廻廊1

It is said that Itsukushima Shrine was first built in 593 during the Asuka period (710-794), but it is well known that during the Heian period (794-1185), Taira no Kiyomori made the shrine as large as it is today and worshipped it.

Itsukushima’s “Itsuk” is officially written in the old Chinese character “嚴”, but due to concerns about garbled characters, it is written as “Itsukushima”.

Fees and times are as of July 2023 when this article was written. Please note that they may be subject to change.

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[Video] Walking along the corridor of Itsukushima Shrine

This is a video I took when I visited Itsukushima Shrine in the past (it is about 3 minutes and 20 seconds long).

It is a little shaky, but you can get a sense of the atmosphere of Itsukushima Shrine. Please enjoy the simulated experience of walking through the corridor! (^^)

Itsukushima Shrine Visiting Hours and Other Details

Here are the details of Itsukushima Shrine, including the hours of worship.

Please refer to the overall map below. To visit the shrine, follow the path marked in red in the direction of the arrow.

厳島神社の図これ

When can I visit Itsukushima Shrine?

Itsukushima Shrine

Itsukushima Shrine is open all year round, but the hours of worship vary slightly depending on the season.

The following times have been announced for the year 2023.

  • 1/1 0:00-18:30
  • 1/2 – 1/3 6:30 – 18:30
  • 1/4~2/28 6:30~17:30
  • 3/1~10/14 6:30~18:00
  • 10/15~11/30 6:30~17:30
  • 12/1~12/31 6:30~17:00

The following is the schedule for the museum.

Treasure House

All year round 8:00-17:00

Sentamikaku (pavilion)

8:30-16:30 throughout the year

How long does it take to visit the temple?

If you walk slowly along the corridor and visit the main shrine on the way, it will take about 20 minutes to reach the exit.

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What is the entrance fee?

Officially, the fee is called “Ascension Fee.
Adults 300 yen / High school students 200 yen / Elementary and junior high school students 100 yen.

(For groups of 50 or more, the fees are 250 yen for adults, 150 yen for high school students, and 70 yen for elementary and junior high school students.
The fee for the physically disabled is 100 yen upon presentation of a physical disability certificate.)

If you wish to visit the Treasure House as well as the Main Hall, the combined price is as follows
Adults: 500 yen, high school students: 300 yen, elementary and junior high school students: 150 yen. (If you wish to visit only the Treasure House, the fee is the same as the entrance fee to the shrine.)

The Treasure House is located near the exit after crossing the entire corridor. If you have time, please visit here as well.

Features of the corridor and the floorboard system

The corridor connects the main hall with the Noh stage and other buildings, and is characterized by its vermilion-painted pillars and railings, except for the floorboards.

The corridor is approximately 4 m wide and 275 m long in front.

The floorboards are made up of hundreds of 30-cm wide boards, each with a slight gap between them.
This is called “mezukashi,” or “watermarking,” and it is a mechanism to disperse the force of seawater pushing up from below during high tides.

The gaps in the corridor may cause the heels of high heels to get caught in the water. Women are recommended to wear non-heeled footwear if possible. If you are wearing high heels, please be careful not to get your heels caught.

Can I get a red seal?

Yes, you can. There is a ticket office a little further on from the main shrine building, where two staff members will write red seals for you. The fee is 300 yen.

This is what they actually wrote.

厳島神社ご朱印

There is also an original red seal book available here. I bought one before. I asked if they would write my name on it, but unfortunately they did not.

厳島神社ご朱印帳

If possible, visit the shrine at high tide!

Itsukushima Shrine is beautiful when it seems to be floating on the sea. If possible, it would be better to visit the shrine at high tide, so that you can see the shrine in a more impressive way.

The time of high tide changes daily, so please refer to the chart provided by the Miyajima Tourist Association.

Miyajima Tourist Association Tide Tide Table

Sightseeing spots near Itsukushima Shrine are

There are many old temples and shrines on Miyajima. Please visit the following places near Itsukushima Shrine as well.

周辺図
  • Toyokuni Shrine (Sengokaku) [Important Cultural Property]… It is said to have been built in 1587 by Hideyoshi Toyotomi as a memorial to those who died in battle. Visitors can enter the large space, said to be 857 tatami mats in size, and see the ceiling paintings.
  • Five-story pagoda [Important Cultural Property]: Located next to Senjo-kaku. You cannot enter the pagoda, but the vermilion-lacquered pillars and cypress bark roof are very beautiful.
  • Daigan-ji Temple… This is an old Shingon sect temple and is the center of temples in this area. The temple houses a seated statue of Yakushi Nyorai, the oldest existing Buddhist statue on Miyajima, and many other Buddhist statues.
  • Itsukushima Shrine Treasure House… Exhibits valuable items from the Heian and Kamakura periods, including the Heike Nokyo Sutra (a national treasure), bugaku masks (an important cultural property), armor, and swords. (Exhibits change according to the season.)

Access to Miyajima

Take a ferry from Miyajimaguchi Station on the JR Sanyo Main Line or Miyajimaguchi Station on the Hiroshima Electric Railway Line to Miyajima Pier, which takes about 10 minutes. The fare is 180 yen one way.

There are also direct routes to Miyajima from Hiroshima Port and Peace Park. For details, please refer to another article. ↓

By the way, it takes about 15 minutes on foot from Miyajima Pier to Itsukushima Shrine.

Macckey

Please visit Itsukushima Shrine and see the shrine pavilions floating on the sea. It will be a wonderful memory for you!


We have written many articles about sightseeing in Hiroshima on this blog. The “Hiroshima Sightseeing Articles” section is a compilation of these articles, and you can jump to each article to see a list of all the sightseeing spots in Hiroshima, including Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima Castle, Mazda Stadium, Miyajima, and other Hiroshima-related articles. Please take a look if you like.

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