If you already started planning your itinerary for Japan, you have certainly come across some information about Miyajima island and the famous Itsukushima Torii (the huge red gate that’s floating on the water). It usually takes at least 40 minutes to get to the island and, therefore, is normal for you to wonder if it is worth the visit or if you should spend the time exploring Hiroshima a little more. If this is your first trip to Japan, don’t ignore Miyajima.
Miyajima is worth at least a full-day visit. Depending on how much visitors are willing to explore or hike the area, Miyajima is also worth an overnight stay. For those willing to see one of the top three scenic views of Japan, Miyajima is undeniably a must-visit.
Now let’s take a look at all the things that make this island so famous (for foreign tourists, but also for the Japanese), how you get there, and how much time should you plan to spend on the island.
By the way, if you’re taking a long train ride to get to Miyajima, it is better to buy a Japan Rail Pass to save some money.
Why is Miyajima famous?
The first thing to keep in mind is that Miyajima is the number one destination for those visiting Hiroshima. And there are good reasons for that. If you offer yourself the gift of visiting the sacred island of Miyajima, you will have an unforgettable experience.
Miyajima means “shrine island” in Japanese and it’s one of Japan’s top 3 scenic sites. However, the island’s native name is actually Itsukushima.
Itsukushima Shrine and Torii
The Itsukushima shrine has been designated as a World Heritage Site since 1996. It is an incredible structure built on the water and it’s amazing to walk through the corridors and decks. From the shrine, you can take amazing pictures from the floating gate, which is right in front of it.
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The huge red gate (torii) is an Important Cultural Property and it is also built on the water. During high tide, the gate seems to be floating on the water, making it a one-of-a-kind view. During low tide, it is possible to see the torii really close. All the water disappears and you can walk right next to the gate. People usually wait for this moment and walk towards the gate as the water steps back (that’s what I did!).
Personally, I think the view of the floating gate on the water is much better. There’s something magical to it. However, it was also interesting to walk on the soaked ground to reach the torii. It is quite impressive to stand near an almost 17-meter gate only supported by its weight.
Wild Deer
Miyajima Island is also known for the wild deer roaming on the island. At the moment, around 500 deer are living on Miyajima and you will see them while walking around the island.
Notice that deer are wild animals so you must behave accordingly. That means you should never disturb the animals or try to grab them. Some deer are certainly used to humans and will approach you naturally to see if you have food. Others are more shy and might run away.
If you carry food with you, be careful because some deer might try to steal it from you. Those that aren’t scared of humans might even follow you insistently. People usually feel a little overwhelmed when a group of deer gathers around them.
The Miyajima’s deer don’t seem to be like those in Nara, and there aren’t as many as in Nara either. If you’re curious about Nara’s deer, check out my post about Nara.
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Omotesando Shopping Street
Omotesando is a shopping street with 350 meters long that has around 70 shops. It has souvenir shops and lots of small restaurants on both sides where you can try the local specialties. This is a lovely street where you can find lots of wooden crafts, a common souvenir of Miyajima.
If you were to visit only one street in Miyajima, this would be the one. You are probably going to explore this street, especially to try the delicious foods you can find there.
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Food specialties
You can try lots of things at Miyajima, but there are at least two you shouldn’t miss: grilled oysters and maple leaf-shaped cakes.
Grilled oysters are a food you’ll see a lot in Miyajima because it is one of their specialties. The region has some of the best oysters in Japan, so these grilled oysters might be worth the try. You can even see the Japanese grill the oysters in front of you in the small corner shops.
For those who are not into oysters (like me!), you can taste an absolutely delicious cake known as Momiji Manju. It has the shape of a maple leaf and it is usually filled with a sort of bean paste. It is the most popular sweet in Miyajima and you will find it everywhere (and it tastes really good!).
Besides these two famous specialties, you can also try a dish called Anago-meshi. It’s a sort of broiled conger eel on top of a bowl of rice. There is also the famous Okonomiyaki, a Japanese pancake that is unquestionably delicious. Some say the best Okonomiyaki are from the Hiroshima region, so make sure you try those from Miyajima island.
Momoji Bridge
The Momiji Bridge is located in Momijidani Park and it is one of the scenic landmarks of Miyajima. This incredible wooden bridge is painted in red and surrounded by nature everywhere, making it an excellent place for sightseeing. If you visit during spring or summer, you will see the contrast between the red bridge and the green trees all around. During autumn, the bridge beautifully camouflages itself with the orange and red-color leaves.
Daisho-in Temple
The Daisho-in temple is the oldest temple in Miyajima and it is worth the visit. It has several amazing buildings and gates to admire. I enjoyed particularly the Hensho Cave, a room where the ceiling is filled with lanterns that are quite a sight.
At the base of the temple, there’s also an impressive trail of statues (around 500 of them). The temple grounds are vast so make sure you allow some time to explore the area. We did it in a hurry because we went near the closing time. However, this temple really deserves a more paced visit.
More information about the temple on the official website >>
Mount Misen
Mount Misen is a sacred mountain that rises 535 meters above sea level. It is known to have the best views. Here you’ll find kiezu-no-hi, the eternal flame that still burns since 806. The founder of Daishoin temple, Kobo Daishi, used it for its religious training. This flame was also used for the flame of peace in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. (If you don’t know if you should visit Hiroshima, you can read my article to help you decide)
There are three hiking paths to get to the top of Mount Misen. They take between 1,5 hours and 2,5 hours, with lots of things to see and explore on the way. If you’re going to spend some extra time on the island, this might be a good experience. However, be careful with Japanese venomous pit viper and hornets. I didn’t see any when we went there, but we saw lots of warnings along the path.
If you don’t feel like hiking the mountain, the easiest and fastest way is to take the cable car from Momijidani station. This takes around 10 minutes. There are free shuttle buses that take you to Momijidani station if you don’t feel like walking.
Now that you have an idea of the best places to see in Miyajima, you can take a look at this useful map of the area from the Miyajima Tourist Association website.
How do you get to Miyajima?
Getting to Miyajima couldn’t be easier, and there aren’t lots of transfers, so you shouldn’t have any problems finding your way.
You can take the JR Sanyo Line from Hiroshima Station to Miyajima-guchi, which takes about 25–30 minutes. Then walk for less than 5 minutes to the ferry port. The ferry ride takes around 10 minutes to arrive at Miyajima.
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Two companies (JR and Matsudai) offer the ferry service, and there’s almost no difference between them. If you’ve got a Japan Rail Pass, you should pick up the JR ferry because it’s included in the pass.
Otherwise, if you pick up the Matsudai ferry, you will have to pay around 180 yen each way. It’s not expensive, but if you have the JR Pass, you can avoid that extra cost. Also, the JR ferries between 9 am and 16 pm don’t use the regular route straight to the ferry terminal. Instead, they pass much closer to the floating gate.
Keep in mind that Miyajima Island implemented a visitor tax (100 yen) in October 2023. Even if you have a JR Pass, you still need a ticket from the vending machine to pay this tax. It was not expensive, but it made us miss the ferry, and we had to wait for the next one. There was a significant line to pay the visitor tax. However, the Japanese are very efficient, and there were staff helping everyone.
If you don’t know what a Japan Rail Pass is or when and how to buy it, here are a few posts I wrote on the subject that will help you:
How long do you need in Miyajima?
Miyajima is easily a full-day trip, as we saw before. This is a small island, but there are many things to see and do. You won’t regret spending your time here, and it will probably be one of the highlights of your trip to Japan.
If you’re short on time, you can get away with a half-day trip. You can check out the shrine and go to Mount Misen using the cable car (not hiking). Then, finish with a stroll around Omotesando Street to do some shopping, and grab something to eat before you leave. It’s a shame not to enjoy everything the island has to offer, but at least you’ll get a glimpse of it. You can always go back on a future trip to Japan.
Yet, if you really want to have a complete experience, plan on staying all day and maybe even staying overnight. An overnight stay at Miyajima is a unique event. It’s the perfect time to see the difference between the lovely Miyajima during the day and the magical Miyajima during the night. Also, most of the tourists don’t stay at Miyajima for now. You will be able to see the lively island become quiet and mystical.
If you stay the night, or after sunset, you will see a huge difference in the amount of people. Plus, you will get the chance to see the shrine and the surrounding lanterns illuminated. As a general rule, the shrine is illuminated 30 minutes after sunset and until 11 p.m.
Is it better to stay in Hiroshima or Miyajima?
This decision really depends on what you want to do, but it is better to stay at Miyajima. The day visitors will be gone and the island will retrieve its peaceful atmosphere. The only problem is that it will cost you more than staying in Hiroshima.
Hiroshima is a big city, so you probably won’t find anything different from what you already saw in cities like Tokyo. On the other hand, Miyajima is a small island, which gets pretty calm when all the day visitors are gone. Most people say that if they were to do the trip again they would stay in Miyajima. I couldn’t agree more.
If you’re a night owl and you’re looking to experience nightlife then you probably should stay at Hiroshima. You will find lots of places to go at night. Staying at Miyajima is for people who want to experience the zen atmosphere; or get up early to get some cool pictures of the sunrise.
Either way, both places are amazing, but I have a special preference for Miyajima for sure.
