Aoshima-jinja Shrine 青島神社

Accessible only by bridge over clear ocean waters, Aoshima-jinja is an island shrine. Wake up before dawn and take postcard-perfect photos of the shrine gate's silhouette, and you may even see a Shinto wedding ceremony.

The shrine is about 20 minutes drive south of Miyazaki. To get to Miyazaki itself, most people fly or drive, since there is no bullet train.

To get to Aoshima-jinja from Miyazaki, you can use train, bus, or car. Trains run once or twice an hour on the Nichinan Line, depending on the time of day. Once you exit Aoshima Station, walk straight for 10 minutes.

Buses run once or twice an hour from Miyazaki. By car, take Route 220 and head south for 20 minutes to the Aoshima turnoff just after the Kaeda River bridge. There's a free carpark along the main Aoshima road.

Aoshima-jinja is located on an island about 100 meters from land. The shrine itself is impossible to see from the beach as it sits within thick, tropical jungle.

Whether you're walking down from the station or taking a stroll along the beach, the first thing you'll see is the shrine gate. You can take great photos from the sand, the bridge, or near the gate itself.

Before you go up the steps into the main shrine area, you'll see dragons and some bowls on the left side. Wash your hands there by following the cartoon instructions and pictures above the dragons.

On weekends, Aoshima-jinja Shrine is very popular for weddings, so if you're lucky, you might see a bride and groom dressed in traditional Shinto regalia.

Explore the areas off to the side of the main shrine. On the right side, you'll walk through a tunnel of hanging wooden blocks with wishes written on them. That path will take you to some smaller shrines deep in lush forest.

Whilst Aoshima-jinja is the main attraction, the island itself is also quite beautiful. Give yourself an extra 20 minutes for a leisurely walk around the whole island and even head out to the lighthouse during low tide.