Daishō-in
大聖院 (宮島)
A Buddhist temple built for quiet — halls, gardens and incense smoke.
What this place is
Daishō-in or Daisyō-in (大聖院; lit. 'Great Holy Temple'), also called Suishō-ji (水精寺; lit. 'Crystal Temple'), is a Japanese Buddhist temple complex with many temples and statues on Mount Misen, the holy mountain on the island of Itsukushima, off the coast of Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, Japan. It is the 14th temple in the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage and famous for the maple trees and their autumn colors. Including Mt. Misen, Daishō-in is within the World Heritage Area of Itsukushima Shrine. The temple's Reikado Hall (霊火堂) housed a flame which is said to have been burning since its foundation in the 9th century CE. The hall collapsed in a fire in 2026. The administrators of the temple stated they had "salvaged" the fire and would work to rebuild the hall.
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Why it is worth the trip
- Main halls housing Buddhist statuary, some of it designated National Treasure or Important Cultural Property.
- Gardens designed to be looked at rather than walked through — raked gravel, moss, borrowed mountain scenery.
- Wooden architecture with deep eaves and joinery assembled without nails, often rebuilt over many centuries.
What you can do here
- Light incense at the burner and waft the smoke over yourself before entering the main hall.
- Sit on the veranda facing the garden — that is the intended way to see it, and it costs nothing extra.
- Receive a goshuin seal, or try a short zazen / sutra-copying session where offered.
- Walk the temple's pagoda, bell tower and sub-temples; many stay open later than the main hall.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.
Getting there by public transport
Good to know before you go
- Remove your shoes where indicated and carry them in the plastic bag provided.
- Keep voices low inside halls; photography of the principal image is often prohibited.
- Autumn foliage and spring blossom seasons bring long queues — go right at opening.
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