# Daisho-in Temple, Hiroshima > Daisho-in is the oldest temple on Miyajima, at the foot of Mount Misen, founded by tradition by the monk Kukai in 806. Prayer wheels inscribed with sutras line its steps, Jizo statues in knitted caps stand everywhere, and a cave holds 88 icons. Entry is free, open 8:00–17:00. It's 5 minutes on foot from Itsukushima Shrine. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/daisho-in - City: [Hiroshima](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima), Japan - YesGo score: 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 45 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Hours: Roughly 8:00–17:00 - Closed: Open every day - Highlights: Prayer wheels, Jizo, a cave of 88 icons - Trail: The climb up Mount Misen starts here, 1.5–2 hours - Getting there: 5 minutes from Itsukushima, 15 minutes from the ferry - Coordinates: 34.29195, 132.31848 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **806** — the temple's founding by Kukai, by tradition (source: en.wikipedia) - **Shingon** — the Buddhist school founded by Kukai (source: japan-guide.com) - **Oldest** — temple on Miyajima (source: en.wikipedia) - **88** — icons in the cave — one per Shikoku pilgrimage temple (source: japan-guide.com) - **Prayer wheels** — inscribed with sutras along the steps (source: japan-guide.com) - **Free** — entry to the temple (source: japan-guide.com) - **1.5–2 hours** — climb up Mount Misen by the temple trail (source: japan-guide.com) - **5 minutes** — on foot from Itsukushima Shrine (source: japan-guide.com) ## What is Daisho-in? **Daisho-in** is one of the most important temples of **Shingon** Buddhism and **the oldest temple on Miyajima**. It stands at the foot of sacred **Mount Misen**, where, by tradition, the school's founder, the monk **Kukai** (Kobo Daishi), began Buddhist practice on the island in **806**. The temple climbs the slope in tiers, each with something of its own: the Kannon-do and **Maniden** halls, hundreds of small **Jizo** statues in red knitted caps, a sand mandala made by Tibetan monks, and the **Henjokutsu** cave, where lanterns glow in the half-dark before 88 icons. > **Spin the prayer wheels** Rows of metal wheels engraved with sutras line the main staircase. Run your hand along them as you climb: spinning them is believed to equal reading the sutras. You can do it without knowing a word of Japanese or Sanskrit. ## Entry and hours According to guides, entry to Daisho-in is **free**, and the temple opens roughly **8:00 to 17:00** every day. Unlike Itsukushima Shrine, no ticket is needed, and it's usually less crowded. The **Henjokutsu** cave is an underground hall beneath the main temple. It holds 88 icons, each standing for one of the 88 temples of the famous pilgrimage round Shikoku island. Walking through the cave is said to equal completing the whole pilgrimage. ## What to see - **Prayer wheels** along the staircase. - **Jizo statues** in knitted caps. - **The Henjokutsu cave** with 88 icons. - **Maniden hall** — with a view down the slope. - **The sand mandala** by Tibetan monks. - **Maples** on the slope — in November. ## How to get to Daisho-in 1. **From Itsukushima Shrine** — about 5 minutes on foot up the slope. 2. **From the ferry pier** — about 15 minutes on foot. 3. **To the island** — JR to Miyajimaguchi, about 30 minutes from Hiroshima, then a 10-minute ferry. 4. **Up Mount Misen** — the Daisho-in trail starts by the temple. 5. **To the ropeway** — about 15 minutes on foot through Momijidani Park. ## Daisho-in or Itsukushima | | Daisho-in | Itsukushima | | --- | --- | --- | | Religion | Buddhist temple | Shinto shrine | | Highlights | Prayer wheels, Jizo, a cave | A gate in the sea | | Entry | Free | ¥300 | | Crowds | Fewer | Many | ## How long do you need? About **45 minutes** is enough: climb the staircase of prayer wheels, walk round the halls and go down into the cave. If you're hiking up Mount Misen, the temple is a handy starting point for the trail. Daisho-in fits easily into a day on the island: Itsukushima Shrine in the morning, then the temple, then Mount Misen by trail or ropeway. In autumn the slope around the temple turns red with maples. Children enjoy it too: Jizo figures with different faces and caps, wheels to spin and a dark cave full of lanterns. There are good-luck charms and small figurines at the temple shop as well. ## Is Daisho-in worth visiting? Yes: it's one of Japan's most atmospheric temples — free, and five minutes from the island's main shrine. The YesGo take: many tourists stop at the gate in the sea and leave without reaching the temple. That's a mistake — it's quieter, more interesting and free. The steps are a bit steep but short. Give it at least half an hour. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Comfortable shoes — steps - [ ] Prayer wheels — spin on the way - [ ] The Henjokutsu cave - [ ] Time for Mount Misen - [ ] Itsukushima nearby ## Temples and shrines: compare and choose Temples and shrines rated by YesGo. - [Itsukushima Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/itsukushima-shrine) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥300 - [Daisho-in Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/daisho-in) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free - [Mount Misen](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/mount-misen) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · trails free; ropeway ≈ ¥2,000 return ## Miyajima in a day Itsukushima Shrine and the gate in the sea in the morning, Daisho-in temple at midday, and the ropeway up Mount Misen in the afternoon. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Itsukushima Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/itsukushima-shrine) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥300 2. [Daisho-in Temple](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/daisho-in) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free 3. [Mount Misen](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/mount-misen) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · trails free; ropeway ≈ ¥2,000 return ## Good to know Daisho-in on Miyajima is not the temples of the same name in other Japanese cities. It is also written Daishoin. ## Tips - Entry is free. - Spin the prayer wheels on the way up. - Go down into the cave of 88 icons. - The Misen trail starts here. - Nearby: [Itsukushima Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/itsukushima-shrine). ## Questions ### How much is entry to Daisho-in? Entry is free. ### What are the opening hours? Roughly 8:00–17:00, every day. ### When was the temple founded? By tradition, by the monk Kukai in 806. ### What are the wheels on the stairs? They're engraved with sutras; spinning them equals reading them. ### How do I get there? 5 minutes on foot from Itsukushima Shrine. ### How long do you need? About 45 minutes. ### Can I climb Mount Misen from here? Yes, the trail starts at the temple, 1.5–2 hours. ### What is in the cave? 88 icons — one for each temple of the Shikoku pilgrimage. ## How we checked Halls, prayer wheels, the cave, hours and entry are from japan-guide.com; hours are marked 'being checked'. The founding year is from Wikipedia (the Mount Misen article). Time needed is the YesGo estimate. ## Sources - japan-guide.com — school, halls, prayer wheels, cave, hours, free entry, access, trail (via curl 09.11.2026; unofficial) - English Wikipedia: Mount Misen — founding by Kukai in 806 - Wikidata Q3012169 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.