Daisho-in Temple, Miyajima

A beautiful Buddhist temple nestled atop Mount Misen

Chantelle Silva Jul 20, 2013 - 1 min read

The main staircase leading up to the temple

To the left of the steps leading up the temple you will find a path which winds through a multitude of jizo statues

The further you go, the more jizos you will meet

Peering through the trees to find more beautiful buildings around the temple

Colorful displays brighten up a dark room in the temple

Daisho-in is a place of peace, both inside and outside

Early morning incense masks the smell of the rain

Enscribed on the prayer wheels leading up the stairs are Buddhist sutras. It is said that spinning them is the same as reading the sutras themselves!

Colorful offerings of flowers rest in front of these statues

Visitors to the temple can buy wooden ornaments, write their own prayers and hang them here

The silence, the incense and the glowing lanterns in this temple make for one magical experience

Intricate wooden carvings leap from the temple into the trees

The natural beauty which surrounds Daisho-in Temple is simply phenomenal

Tranquil, serene, beautiful, sacred and historic - Daisho-in Temple is an enchanting place which can make the visitor consider adopting the life of a Buddhist monk. I visited the temple right as its doors opened and found myself the only foreigner, amongst local monks and morning worshippers. The smell of incense floated through the air and the sound of drums and the chanting of prayers echoed through the mountain. The shrines, statues and offerings are reminders that you are standing on sacred ground and seem to cast a calming spell over you. Daisho-in is over 1,200 years old. Stone paths weave up the mountain, leading you through a number of different shrines and showing off the stunning natural beauty of the temple's surroundings.

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Chantelle Silva @chantelle.silva

My first encounter with Japan was in June 2013, when I spent a month in Tokyo/Hiroshima interning for Japan Travel. I knew from the moment that I set foot in this mesmerising country that one month would not nearly be enough time to enjoy what Japan has to offer. So here I am back in Japan, this ...