An expert overview to help you experience the island of Miyajima
Photo Source: Shutterstock
Overview
Miyajima Island is the most popular attraction in Hiroshima. It's mostly famous for the Itsukushima Shrine and its torii gate, which looks as if it's floating on the water during high tide. The island is also home to friendly deer that roam the streets, some cool temples, market stalls offering cocktails and craft beer, some awesome street food, and Mt. Misen which offers a fun and easy hike with gorgeous views and interesting terrain.
Table of Contents
The Best Things To Do In Miyajima
Itsukushima Shrine & Torii Gate
Hike Mt. Misen
Sample the market stalls, bars, and restaurants
Check out the Tahoto Pagoda
Location & Access
Miyajima can be accessed either directly from the Peace Park in Hiroshima City or from the port at Miyajima-guchi Station. The ferry from the Peace Park takes 45 minutes and costs 2200, with departures every 30 minutes, while the ferry from Miyajima-guchi takes 10 minutes and costs only 200, with departures every 15 minutes. The Shinkansen to Hiroshima from Kyoto & Osaka takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes and costs around ¥13,000.
The Peace Park Ferry
🕗 Operating Hours
8:30am - 5:30pm
📍 Location
💴 Price & Tickets
¥2200 per person, one-way
The Miyajima-guchi Ferry
🕗 Operating Hours
6am - 10pm
📍 Location
💴 Price & Tickets
¥200 per person, one-way
Can only be purchased in person at the ferry terminal
Seasons
Image Copyright: Ollie Ronin
Miyajima is very expressive during spring, summer, and autumn. The island is plentiful in both cherry blossoms and maple leaves, creating some lovely views during spring and autumn. Summer is also very beautiful with the landscape becoming lush and green, reminiscent of a tropical island. Winter is less visually captivating, however, it's much more peaceful with significantly fewer tourists, it's also the cheapest time of year as hotel rates are often more than half price. We wrote this article to showcase the best hotels in Hiroshima based on customer reviews and convenient locations, check it out here: The Best Hotels in Hiroshima.
🌸 Cherry Blossoms
Late March to early April
🍁 Autumn Leaves
The autumn leaves in Miyajima usually reach their peak at the end of November
☀️ Summer
June - August
Lush and green environment
Average temp. 32°C
❄️ Winter
December - February
Snowfall: None
Offpeak: Cheap hotels and fewer tourists
Is it worth getting a tour guide in Miyajima?
Miyajima is an amazing island filled with hidden gems, incredible restaurants, and a rich history. If you want to take the burden out of planning, gain a deeper understanding of the various attractions, and maximise your time here, then a tour guide is the best option. A lot of tours combine Hiroshima and Miyajima, which is great if you want to save time on planning the ferry to Miyajima. Early bookings are essential if you're travelling during the cherry blossom or autumn leaf period.
The 5 Best Things To Do In Arashiyama
1. Itsukushima Shrine & The Torii Gate
Photo Source: Shutterstock
Itsukushima Shrine is the main attraction on Miyajima, easily accessed with a leisurely 12-minute walk from the ferry terminal. The walk takes you past the Omotesando shopping streets which are filled with lovely street food, market stalls, unique bars, and wonderful restaurants. Itsukushima Shrine features numerous buildings all connected by elevated walkways that hover above the water during high tide. During low tide, visitors can walk out onto the sand to get a closer look at the torii gate, although it's more photogenic during high tide.
Itsukushima Shrine
Opening Hours: 6:30am - 5pm
Cost: ¥300
2. Hike Mt. Misen
Photo Copyright: Ollie Ronin
One of the most overlooked highlights of Miyajima is the amazing hike up Mt. Misen (pronounced "mee-sen"), the highest peak on the island. It's an easy hike that will only take about 90 minutes to reach the top, but there's also a ropeway if you're not in the mood for the hiking trail. The views at the top are stunning with a panorama of the ocean, the surrounding islands, and Hiroshima Bay. You can read a complete guide for the hike on our Mt. Misen hiking page.
The Mt. Misen Hike
The Hike: Free
The Ropeway: ¥1,100 one-way
Ropeway Hours: 9am - 4pm
3. Sample the markets, bars, and restaurants
One of the first things you encounter when you depart the ferry a walk towards Itsukushima Shrine are the Omotesando shopping streets. These streets are filled with unique Miyajima cuisine such as oysters or the Momiji Manju - custard filled mini cakes shaped like a maple leaf. You'll also come across various bars and restaurants serving unique cocktails and craft beer, such as the Miyajima Brewery pictured above. It's worth staying for dinner, the shrine is illuminated at night and becomes much more peaceful when the crowds have left.
The Omotesando Shopping Street
Cost: ¥1000 - ¥3000
Opening Hours: 10am - 6pm (Dinner restaurants are open until around 9-10 pm)
4. Visit Daisho-in Temple
Image source: Hyakkei
Daisho-in Temple is a beautiful 1200-year-old Buddhist temple famous for its lush foliage and vibrant autumn leaves. It features a 100-year-old temple bell, a 1200-year-old flame of peace, a tea room, and a sand mandala made by visiting monks from Tibet. Daisho-in is about a 5-minute walk from Itsukushima Shrine and also serves as the entrance for one of the trailheads for hiking Mt. Misen.
Daisho-in Temple
Opening Hours: 8am - 5pm
Cost: Free (Autumn Illumination ¥1000)
5. Check out the Senjokaku Pavilion & Pagoda
Image source: Official Website
The Senjokaku Pavilion (or Hokoku Shrine) and its 5-story pagoda are an impressive sight located on a small hill right next to the Itsukushima Shrine, providing a nice view of the area. The Senjokaku pavilion is a uniquely large building with an expansive open-air hall the size of 857 tatami mats. The hall was built in 1587 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the 3 great unifiers of Japan. It's a nice place to chill and take in some views and the architecture is quite unique.
The Senjokaku Pavilion and 5-story pagoda
Opening Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Cost: ¥100
