What Not to Miss at Daishoin Temple, Miyajima

While the ‘floating’ torii gate on the island of Miyajima gets all the tourist love, a short walk into the island brings you to Daishoin. Do not miss this Buddhist temple. It’s amazing, with lots of quirky touches. Here’s what to look out for when you visit.

Daishoin is actually Miyajima’s oldest temple, established in 806. It’s one of three great temples in Japan, believed to have the highest ability to ward off evil and bring good luck, and it’s full of what the Japanese call Power Spots that do just that.

It turned out to be my favourite of the best things to do in Miyajima. I spent about 90 minutes here, but you could easily spend another hour exploring every corner.

So, what should you look out for… I’ll divide the shrine into six areas, starting at the main gate, walking north to the back of the shrine, then returning to the reason I wanted to visit the temple in the first place.

1. The Entrance and Steps

You enter Daishoin by walking through the carved wooden Niomon gate – look out for the carvings on the sides and on the roof.

The Sutra Steps

The temple is accessed via a steep set of around 200 steps.

There is a thick gold rail in the middle of these, but it’s not just handy for helping you climb upwards; underneath the rail are what appear to be a row of gold tubes.

These are engraved with the Prajnaparamita Sutra, and it’s said that gently spinning them as you go up the stairs will bestow you with blessings.

The Anpanman Jizo

There are hundreds of statues in the grounds of Daishoin, and some of them come in surprising shapes for a place of worship – starting now with this jizo-style statue with the face of Ampanan.

Ampanman is a famous cartoon character in Japan. It’s not the first time I’ve found Anpanman at a temple in Japan; there’s also an Anpanman statue outside one of Kanazawa’s interesting shrines.

The Century Bell and Wishing Balls

A little bit past him, you’ll come to this huge bell – and, next to that, you’ll find a box of balls. Wishing Balls.

If you pay your 300 yen to buy these, you’ll head a little bit further up the steps, where you’ll find an area in which you can throw the balls toward a clay pot. Get your aim right and your wishes will come true.

The Three Wise Monkeys

Keep walking up the stairs with your eyes peeled – if you’re lucky, you’ll spot statues of the Three Wise Monkeys and even a tanuki hiding along the edges.

Meet the Ruler of Hell

You might also want to smile at this guy – he’s Enma Daio, the ruler of the Japanese version of hell. He has a scroll listing all your good and bad deeds, and he decides where you’re spending the afterlife. And, if you haven’t been good, he’s in charge of torturing you.

The good news is that, despite his fearsome face, he actually doesn’t want people to end up in hell, and he weighs things up pretty carefully – so a smile in his direction probably isn’t going to go amiss.

See, you’re only just at the top of the stairs, and already it’s fun in here.

2. The Kannondo Hall Area

Once you’ve made your way up the steps, you’ll see the temple shop on your left and the wooden building housing Kannonodo Hall on the right-hand side.

This has four main things to investigate.

The Kaidan Meguri

Make your way down the stairs to the Kaidan Meguri and you will see, erm, absolutely nothing! And that’s the point.

This dark tunnel, located beneath the main prayer hall, is a space to walk through and contemplate one’s life. If you can find and touch the key located on one of the walls, it’s said that you will reach enlightenment. 

To walk the Kaidan Meguri properly, extend your left hand to touch the wall and walk slowly while chanting “Namu Daiji Daihi Kannon Bodhisattva” with all your heart.

Obviously, this is not one for the claustrophobic, but don’t worry, there’s plenty to look at outside here if your companions walk through the short tunnel without you.

Sunamandara

This brightly coloured sand mandala was created by a Tibetan monk in 2006 and took around three weeks to complete.

Typically, sand mandalas are created but then wiped away; however, this one, like the one at Zennkoji temple in Nagano, has been preserved.

It’s full of intricate patterns and colour mixes that are beautiful to see, and the level of detail is fascinating to behold, considering it’s drawn with sand.

The Statue of Eleven Faces

Located inside the building, this two-metre-tall statue is one of the most important religious icons in Daishoin-ji. This was initially located at Itsukushima Shrine but was moved here in 1868 when the Government ordered that Shinto imagery and Buddhist imagery should not appear in the same shrine.

This entire hall was built to house it, although the building you see isn’t the original. It was built in 1937 after a fire destroyed the original.

The Pain-Curing Statue

This statue of the monk Binzurusonjya, is said to be able to cure pain if you rub the part of its body where your own pain is located.

I tried it and no longer have pains in my hip. Okay, so I also had major surgery two weeks after my visit, but hey – it works!

Judging by the particularly worn areas of the statue, it appears that most visitors are experiencing pain in their shoulders, knees, or headaches.

There are a few other statues around here, including a Blind Daruma, a small Bodhisattva that was relocated from a small town, as no one was left to care for it, and a blue tanuki monk. They all offer the chance to pray for luck in some way.

3. Chokugando Hall

This is the main hall temple, where the famous feudal lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi used to pray to keep his soldiers safe in battle.

The statue inside here is of Namikiri Fudo Myo-o, and it’s said to protect travelers visiting Miyajima.

Legend has it that Kukai, the priest considered the founder of Daishoin, was sailing back to Japan from China, where he had been studying, when a storm developed. As the sea got rougher around him, Kukai carved a likeness of Fudo Myo-o out of a sacred piece of wood. The deity immediately calmed the waves, allowing Kukai to return home safely.

As travellers to Miyajima must also cross the sea to visit it, it’s said that this statue looks over them and ensures a safe crossing.

Also, look out for the Shaka Nehan Do.

This life-size statue of the Buddha, surrounded by 16 disciples, is another important religious icon in the temple. Beneath it, you’ll see some footprints and a spot containing earth from the eight most important Buddhas in India.

But also look out for…

The Guchik-jizo

Feet sore, travel companion snoring too loudly for you to sleep, spent too much money on Gachapon and now have regrets? This is the guy you moan to.

He is a Guchiku-jizo – or, in English, a Complaint Jizo. Characterised by their hands cupping a large ear, unburden your woes to him, he’ll listen but won’t judge, and you’ll feel better.

You’ll find this guy around Chokugando Hall if you feel you need a chat. Look out for them at other temples on your travels, as there are a few Guchiku-jizo around.

The Goshinkyo Mirror

On your way to the hall, look for the Magic Mirror. It’s said that this reflects your heart, and if the mind is impure, it will show in the mirror!

Does anyone else think that’s a bit of a scary thought? What does an impure mind look like? Should kids walk past this? Who knows what they might see!

Thankfully, I couldn’t see anything too untoward in my reflection, so I must be pure in mind! That or the camera is blocking it all.

Wish-Making Jizo

Each of the little flags these guys are holding represents a different wish – they include things like safety for my family, success in business, and finding a good match in love.

It costs 500 yen to buy a jizo and pick your own little flag – you’ll need to use Google Translate to work out what they mean.

4. Maniden Hall

A little north of Chokugano, you’ll see a set of steps on your right.

At the top of the steps is Maniden Hall, another of Daishoin’s main buildings. It might surprise you to hear that the fellow worshipped here is actually a demon. Misensankidaigongen, the guardian of Miyajima. He is thought to bring people happiness and a long life.

Turn the Maniguruma

To the right of Chokugando, you’ll see a set of steps, and lining the middle of these steps, a row of what appear to be canisters with writing on them. These are prayer wheels, and each is engraved with a Buddhist Prayer (sutra).

In this case, it’s the Heart Sutra, which is said to encompass Buddhist philosophy in a few short lines (the Heart Sutra is also the script that you copy out if you visit Kyoto’s Saihoji moss temple)

It’s said that turning the wheels as you climb the stairs gives you the same blessings as repeating the sutra. Spin them gently, it’s not something you whizz around.

Find the Vjara

From here, you’ll wind your way around the temple’s many pathways up the hill. As you walk, you’ll pass numerous different statues, icons, and even this five-pronged vjara, a giant gold staff.

In Buddhism, holding a vjara is said to be like holding lightning in one hand and a diamond in the other. It symbolises enlightenment and great strength. You can see the image of Buddha behind it holding a vjara. It’s usually used by priests in Buddhist rituals, but this one is on display for everyone to see.

You might be working out now that there are so many small things to see here; it’s amazing.

As you explore, take the time to translate the signs and writings on the statues and artefacts, as this will help you understand them far more. For example, each of these tiny statues below is wishing for something different for the person they are dedicated to.

This page on the Daishoin website explains the meaning, or benefits of praying to, some of the more interesting or important statues in the temple.

Look for Ichigan Daishi

You’ll spot this statue surrounded by Daruma prayer plaques. Apparently, he has the power to grant your dearest wish.

Write it on the ema (prayer plaque) and leave it here for him to work his magic.

6. Henjokutsu Cave

This cave at the back of the temple is a must-see.

When you walk inside, you’ll be distracted by the lights and the gold statues, but instead, look down at the floor. You’ll see glass panels filled with dirt and sand.

There are 88 of these, and each of them is a sample of the ground from the 88 temples on the Shikoku Pilgrimage.

This walk normally takes at least 42 days to complete, but it’s said that stepping on each of the panels on the floor in this cave gives the same blessings as making the multi-day walk.

Walk Back Toward the Entrance

The Henjokutsu Cave is at the back of Daishoin temple, but it’s not the last thing you’re going to see here. So, now walk back toward the entrance staircase of the shrine – again, keeping your eyes peeled as you go.

You might spot a pretty garden, a cute statue that looks like it belongs in the Avengers and who knows what else as you head back to the entrance.

Collect a Goushuin

Daishoin is renowned for its ornate goushuin, which is annoying as I didn’t have my book with me.

If you’re collecting these beautiful temple stamps, be sure to pick one up in the office before heading down to our last stop.

As you approach the steps, look for a path to the right. This will take you to the final stop at Daisho-in – the winding path filled with 500 statues.

7. The Path of 500 Rakan

This was the main reason I wanted to visit Daishoin – all of the above were glorious surprises that I found once I arrived.

These 500 statues are all different – and some of them are very, very cute.

Each of them is dedicated to a person, family or, even in one case, a village.

As with everything in this temple, there are more details than you can possibly take in during one visit – so, just enjoy walking the path and finding your favourite

Once you’re done, head back out the impressive Niomon gate and back into the streets of Miyajima below.

Related Read: If you love these statues, don’t miss the fantastic Choan-ji temple in Hakone.

How to Get to Daishoin

There is no public transport on Miyajima, so you’ll walk to Daishoin. It’s about a 20-minute walk from the ferry terminal, or 5-10 minutes from Itsukushima Shrine, depending on the route you take.

You can also walk to and from the summit of Mount Misen from the temple. This takes between 90-120 minutes. You can then get the Mount Misen ropeway in the opposite direction.

The site is open from 8am to 5pm seven days a week. It is open every day of the year. Entry is free, but any offerings you make during your visit – for example, buying the wishing balls or a jizo go toward maintaining the temple.

Daishoin also hosts special events throughout the year, including an evening light-up when the autumn leaves are at their most beautiful and an annual firewalking festival. Setsubun is also celebrated here.

These events will attract larger crowds than usual to the temple, so please factor that into your visit if you’re planning to attend one of these. You can find the dates of special events on the temple’s website.

Accessibility

While the main halls of the temple have a road leading to them, most of the site requires climbing up and down sets of stairs, making it not entirely wheelchair accessible.

If you have limited mobility, also be aware that some of the smaller sets of steps don’t have handrails. I had to ask to hold onto someone at one point to feel secure enough to walk down them, as I was limping at the time. Just be aware that you might need to double back occasionally to ‘safer ground.’

You will need to take your shoes off to go inside many of the buildings in Daishoin, so wear something can you easily remove and slip back on.

So, there’s my guide to Daishoin – and some of the things to look out for while you’re there. While writing this, I also discovered that there are daily fire rituals at the shrine. I saw one of these in Tokyo, and it was one of the most memorable moments I’ve had in Japan. If it’s happening while you’re there, make sure you take time to view it – no photos are allowed.

You can also book experiences like sutra copying, making prayer beads and zazen meditation lessons. Visit the Experience section of the temple website for details of timings, prices, and to apply for a space. These experiences are likely to be in Japanese, but if you have an understanding of Buddhism, they could be a lovely way to spend a little more time in this fantastic temple.

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