The Japanese Archipelago in Miniature

Miyajima has been a place of worship for an extremely long time and the whole area has been protected.

The original nature of the Seto Inland Sea has been preserved up to present. It is like a miniature of the entire Japanese archipelago, and a balanced ecological system connects the area from under the water to the top of the mountains.

In spite of the geographical closeness to the main island, such valuable plants as Trochodendro Aralioides can be seen.

Dr. Engler visited Miyajima in 1913 and saw naturally growing primitive cangiospermal such as Schisandraceae and Trachiodendro Aralioides and said, “I would like to live here and die here”. This episode is well known.

Yabutsubaki (Camelia)

Yamatsubaki represents Miyajima.

They are a type of evergreen tree that bloom in December at the ealiest, and the following June at the latest.

Hamagō – Vitex Rotundifolia (Verbenaceae)

This blooms bright purple by the beach areas during hot summers.

Mimizubai - Symplocos (Symplocaceae)

This blooms during the middle of summer and in autumn (November to December).

After two and a half years, the fruit yield will ripen.

Matsu busa

Matsubusa is known to have a primitive plant shape.

The fruit grows in bunches like grapes, and if the stalk is cut, then it smells like pine trees.

The name came from both grapes and pine trees.

Yamaguruma

It has tracheid and is a primivite cangiospermal.

It is also called a living fossil.

The flowers bloom in early summer and have neither petals nor calyx sepal.

Pieris japonica (flower of Town of Miyajima)

Season　：　From the end of February to the middle of April
Place　：　Asebi promenade and many other places

It is one of the most popular plants in Miyajima. It flowers from the beginning of February to the end of April. It was set as former town of Miyajima.

Pieris japonica is "馬酔木" in Kanji which means a tree which makes a horse drunk.

Since a deer does not eat them because of toxicity, it remains everywhere along promenades in early spring and can please you.

Yamazakura (Prunus yamasakura)

Season : From the middle of March to the end

Place : Dotted in the island

Somei-Yoshino

Season : Beginning of April
Place : Around the five-storied pagoda, Hiramatsu Park, around the Treasure tower, Omoto Park and others

There are about 1,900 cherry trees in Miyajima. Many of them are planted Yoshino cherry tree. Alternatively, it is Prunus jamasakura, Cerasus jamasakura, Cerasus spachiana and Prunus speciosa.

They are in full bloom at the beginning of April. Noted places of cherry blossoms are from the treasure tower to the Park Omoto and from the wisteria pergola to Daishoin Temple.

Cerasus spachiana blooming near the treasury along Momijidani River and at the library under the Senjo kaku are very beautiful.

Shidarezakura (Cerasus spachiana)

Season : Beginning of April
Place : Around bank of Mitarai River

Kobanomitsubatsutsuji (Rhododendron reticulatum)

Season : Beginning of April

Place : Dotted in mountains in the island

Yamafuji (Wisteria brachybotrys)

Season : From the end of April to the beginning of May

Place : Omoto Park, in front of the pier and the Tsutsumigaura Natural Park

Fresh green

Season : May
Place : The whole mountain

When cherry blossoms are gone and their young leaves begin to come out, other young leaves also begin to grow up in spring.
Acer palmatum, Corylopsis gotoana, Illicium anisatum, Cleyera japonica and Symplocos prunifolia etc.

Autumn leaf color

Season : From the middle of November to the end
Place : Momijidani Park, around Daishoin Temple and others

Acer palmatum is seen mainly in Miyajima, and there are also Acer palmatum var. matsumurae and Acer amoenum.

In Momijidani Park, there are about 200 trees of Acer palmatum and Acer amoenum.

Many trees begin to turn red and yellow from the middle of November, and the peak period of colored leaves is around the 20th. The colored leaves season depends on the climate and it usually lasts around two weeks.