Imagine a place so sacred that life itself is seen as a guest and death as an intruder.
That place exists. It is called Itsukushima, better known to travelers as Miyajima Island, in Japan’s Hiroshima Prefecture.
From a distance, it looks like a postcard — lush green hills, calm blue waters, and the world-famous floating Torii gate rising out of the sea. Tourists visit by ferry, clicking pictures and whispering about how peaceful it feels. But few realize that Miyajima holds one of the most mysterious rules in the world: you are not allowed to die or be born here.
The origins of this belief go back over a thousand years. The island has always been considered the dwelling place of gods. The local Shinto priests believed that both birth and death, being deeply human processes, would bring impurity to the divine land. To preserve its spiritual purity, the rule was created — no births, no deaths, and no burials.
Even today, the tradition continues quietly. Pregnant women and those nearing the end of their lives are respectfully moved to the mainland. There are no hospitals or cemeteries on the island. The people who live here accept it not as a restriction, but as a way of honoring the sacredness of their home.
Visitors often describe an almost unreal calm on Miyajima. The air feels cleaner, the silence deeper. Gentle deer wander through the narrow streets as if they belong to another world. Monks in orange robes chant softly in the background, their voices mixing with the sound of the waves hitting the shore.
When you stand before the great Torii gate at high tide, it looks as if it is floating on the water a doorway between two realms, the human and the divine.
There is something humbling about being on an island where even death has to wait outside. It makes you pause and think about how sacred life can feel when it is surrounded by peace.
Maybe Miyajima’s rule is not just about purity. Maybe it is a reminder that while life and death are both natural, there is a space in between where stillness and faith can coexist forever.