G7 Leaders Immerse in Rich Culture of Miyajima Island

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:31 JST, May 20, 2023

HIROSHIMA — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden, along with other leaders of the Group of Seven, visited Miyajima Island in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, on Friday night.

In the serene setting of Itsukushima Shrine, a World Heritage site, and with the soothing sounds of gagaku traditional Japanese court music in the background, the leaders absorbed the history of the revered area presented by the shrine’s chief priest. The leaders took a commemorative photo with the shrine’s giant torii gate as a dramatic backdrop.

As the evening progressed, they moved to the historic Iwaso ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn located in Miyajima, known for hosting notable figures such as Japan’s first prime minister Hirobumi Ito and author Soseki Natsume. Here, they convened for a working dinner.

The journey to Miyajima from the summit’s main venue, the Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima located in Minami Ward in Hiroshima City, offered a unique experience. Excluding Biden, the leaders boarded a chartered boat from a pier near the hotel, and enjoyed a scenic cruise through the Seto Inland Sea. Biden traveled aboard the presidential helicopter.