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There are so many places to enjoy autumn leaves in Japan, so you may have trouble deciding where to go. Hiroshima is an excellent option, easily reachable from Osaka by Shinkansen. The prefecture has famous sightseeing spots, including the Atomic Bomb Dome (a World Heritage Site), Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and Itsukushima Island, also known as Miyajima. The city of Onomichi is a gateway to the Setouchi Shimanami Kaido, an expressway that connects the prefectures of Hiroshima and Ehime, and offers a number of picturesque sights.
Miyajima in Aki: a famous view of autumn leaves
Itsukushima is an island located in the Seto Inland Sea, and part of Hiroshima Prefecture. It is known locally as the “Miyajima of Aki,” or the Shrine Island of Aki Province. Aki was a province that comprised the western part of what is today Hiroshima, and a homonym of the Japanese word for autumn. Accordingly, Itsukushima Island attracts visitors with its magnificent autumn views. One of the island’s most iconic sights is its red torii shrine gate standing in the sea off the shore. It is part of Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main shrine building is vermilion-lacquered and blends beautifully with the red autumn leaves.
Photo copyright: Shintani
In Momijidani Park on the island, some 700 maple trees turn crimson in autumn. At the end of the season, the ground is covered with red fallen leaves, creating a calm and elegant atmosphere.
Itsukushima Shrine
Address: 1-1 Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi-shi, Hiroshima-ken
Access: From Hiroshima Station, take a train (approximately 30 minutes) to Miyajimaguchi Station. From there, walk to Miyajima Port (approximately 6 minutes) and take a ferry (approximately 10 minutes)
Tourist facilities that are ready to welcome Muslim visitors
Miyajima Omotesando Shopping Street is located on the approach to Itsukushima Shrine. Here you can enjoy local specialties such as oyster dishes and buy craft goods such as Miyajima shakushi rice scoopers. The Japanese phrase for “scooping rice” is a homonym for “beating the enemy.” Accordingly, the shakushi is considered a lucky charm. Miyajima is known for producing shakushi.
You can also buy traditional sweets, such as packs of 10 halal-certified momiji-manju at Yamadaya, one of the shops along the street.
A momiji-manju is a maple-leaf-shaped castella sponge cake with a smooth and fluffy texture, filled with sweet bean-paste.
Another local specialty is shakushi-senbei, crackers shaped like shakushi rice scoopers. Yamadaya's shakushi-senbei are halal-certified, so you can eat them without worries.
The shops along Miyajima Omotesando Shopping Street are ready to welcome and entertain all visitors.
In addition, there is a building named TOTO Miyajima Omotenashi Restroom, which has a tourist information center on the first floor and restrooms equipped with bidets. The rest area on the second floor includes a multi-purpose room that can be used for praying. Let the staff know if you want to use the room.
Yamadaya
Address: 835-1 Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi-shi, Hiroshima-ken
Access: From Miyajima Port, approximately 6 minutes by foot
TOTO Miyajima Omotenashi Restroom
Address: 536-1 Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi-shi, Hiroshima-ken
Access: From Miyajima Port, approximately 6 minutes by foot
Delicious and Muslim-friendly dishes in Hiroshima
For a taste of authentic Hiroshima cuisine, try Yamaichi Bekkan, a restaurant and hotel located near Miyajima Port. A number of their menu items are prepared with Muslim-friendly ingredients and kitchenware separate from those used for non-Muslim customers. The restaurant offers a wide range of choices, from seafood to chicken and beef dishes. Try Hiroshima’s local specialties such as anago don (a bowl of rice topped with conger eel), and oyster dishes.
The restaurant-hotel has a prayer space and a prayer mat.
Okonomiyaki is a famous Hiroshima specialty. It is something like a savory pancake, filled with tasty ingredients. If you want to try okonomiyaki, you should return to the city of Hiroshima and visit OKOSTA. At this cooking studio, you can experience making okonomiyaki by yourself using Muslim-friendly ingredients. Although okonomiyaki often contains pork, you can use squid and shrimp instead. The sauce topping for the okonomiyaki is also made without pork or alcohol. A chef will assist you and give you useful tips to make delicious okonomiyaki, so you can enjoy the experience even as a first-timer. Reservation required at least 2 days in advance.
Yamaichi-Bekkan
Address: 1162-4 Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi-shi, Hiroshima-ken
Access: From Miyajima Port, approximately 1 minute by foot
Yamaichi Bekkan
OKOSTA
Address: ekie, 1-2 Matsubara-cho, Minami-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima-ken
Access: From Hiroshima Station, approximately 2 minutes by foot
OKOSTA
More ways to enjoy your trip to Itsukushima Island
There are many more things to do on Itsukushima Island. You can ride the ropeway on Mt. Misen and look down on the autumn leaves around the mountain or take a rickshaw tour of the island. You can even see wild deer roaming around the island. Itsukushima Island is the perfect place to visit in autumn, and worth considering for your Japan trip.
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