Fodor's Expert Review O-torii Gate

Miyajima's O-torii gate stands nearly 50 feet tall at the entrance to the cove where the ancient Shinto shrine is. This, the 18th version, was built in 1875, and has become one of the nation's most recognizable symbols. Hotels and ferry operators have tide charts so you can maximize your photo opportunities. At low tide, though, you can walk over the sand flats to admire the gate up close. From June 2019 to December 2022 the torii gate was covered in scaffolding for structural repairs.

If you stay overnight on the island, and if the weather cooperates, you're guaranteed to get some photos to die for, because the gate is lighted up in spectacular fashion at night. The nearby five-story pagoda and the shrine are also illuminated.