Best Places to See the Cherry Blossoms in Hiroshima! A Guide to Viewing Cherry Blossoms at Miyajima

1. What is Miyajima?

Miyajima is an island that’s known as one of Japan\'s three most famous scenic spots, together with Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture and Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture. There are many shrines and temples on the island, including the famous World Heritage Site, Itsukushima Shrine, with its beautiful crimson building, and the Great Torii gate that stands out in the sea.
It is a popular spot to view cherry blossoms, with 1,900 cherry trees in parks, shrine grounds, and along the streets of the island. There is a wide variety of cherry trees, such as Yamazakura, Someiyoshino, and weeping cherries.

Best time of the year for viewing cherry blossoms: Late March - Early April

2. Tahoto Pagoda: A Classic Viewing Spot

The area around Tahoto Pagoda, which was built almost 500 years ago, is the island\'s top spot for appreciating and photographing cherry blossoms. When you get close, you\'ll see wonderful scenery created by the 15.6m high traditional Japanese-style pagoda and cherry blossoms. It is also popular to view it from afar, as you can see the Tahoto Pagoda surrounded by cherry blossoms in the foreground, with the blue Seto Inland Sea and vermilion Great Torii in the background.

3. The Five-storied Pagoda is Another Great Photo Spot

The Five-storied Pagoda is a pagoda near Toyokuni Shrine (Senjokaku). It was built in 1407 and is a beautiful crimson building that fuses Japanese and Chinese styles together. There are many cherry trees in the area, so you can enjoy the combination of cherry blossoms and the pagoda from various vantage points. The view of the pagoda with the weeping cherry tree near the entrance of Itsukushima Shrine is particularly popular.
The 27.6m high pagoda is also picturesque when seen from afar. The standard location to see it from is in front of Komyo-in Temple, where you can enjoy the contrast of the pagoda with the cherry blossoms and the sea.

4. View the Cherry Blossoms From a Cruise Boat!

One of the attractions of Miyajima is that you can enjoy cherry blossoms not only from land, but also from the sea. You can see them from the ferry that goes back and forth between Miyajima and the mainland, but if you want to leisurely enjoy them, the cruise boats are recommended. They will pass close to the Great Torii.

Sample price (Aqua-net Hiroshima): Adult (junior high school and older): 1,000 JPY, Child (elementary school): 500 JPY, Pre-school: Free
*They may stop running if there’s bad weather. Please refer to their official homepage for more details.

5. The Island is Lit Up at Night

The island of Miyajima is beautifully illuminated every evening (from 30 minutes after sundown to 11:00 pm), including Itsukushima Shrine, the Great Torii, Five-storied Pagoda, and the Tahoto Pagoda. The entire island transforms into a mystical scene, with fantastic views of cherry blossoms that are vividly lit up in the night.

6. Still Many More Places for Viewing the Blossoms!

There are many more spots on Miyajima that are recommended for seeing cherry blossoms. The rows of cherry trees in Tanigahara along the Uguisu Walking Path is one of the island\'s top eight scenic spots, and at Yamabe Alley, you can take in a beautiful sight created by stone walls, cherry blossoms, and tiled roofs. If you want to avoid the crowds, Omoto Park is a hidden gem. It is a quiet park beyond Miyajima Aquarium, but it has long been a famous spot for cherry blossoms. There are many benches, so you can sit down and enjoy the blossoms.

*The image is an example of other spots where you can view cherry blossoms.

Make sure to refer to this article if you are planning to visit Miyajima during the cherry blossom season!