Is Miyajima part of Hiroshima?

It is in Hiroshima Prefecture but not in Hiroshima city: Miyajima belongs to Hatsukaichi city. It is about an hour from central Hiroshima by train or streetcar to Miyajimaguchi and a 10-minute ferry, and most people visit it from a Hiroshima hotel.

How long should I spend on Miyajima?

Half a day covers Itsukushima Shrine, Omotesando and the waterfront. A full day lets you add Mount Misen, which takes about 2.5 to 3 hours with the ropeway, or stay into the evening for the lit shrine and torii. Staying overnight gives you the island after the day-trip crowds leave.

Can I see Hiroshima and Miyajima in one day?

Yes, if you limit each. A common plan is the Peace Memorial Park, Museum and Atomic Bomb Dome in the morning, then Miyajima for Itsukushima Shrine and the town in the afternoon. That leaves no time for Mount Misen, whose ropeway's last ride up is at 4:00 PM.

How much does it cost to visit Miyajima Island?

The JR ferry costs 200 yen each way for adults and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Visitors also pay a 100 yen island visitor tax on arrival. Itsukushima Shrine itself charges a separate small admission fee.

Is the ferry included in the Japan Rail Pass?

Yes. The JR Miyajima Ferry is covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

Can you walk to the torii gate?

Yes, at low tide, across the sand in front of Itsukushima Shrine. The walking times change every day; the [Itsukushima Shrine guide](/destinations/hiroshima/itsukushima-shrine) explains how to check them.

Can you hike Mount Misen?

Yes. Three trails climb from the town in about 1.5 to 2 hours, or you can ride the Miyajima Ropeway most of the way and walk about 30 minutes to the summit. The [Mount Misen guide](/destinations/hiroshima/mount-misen) compares the options.

Can you feed the deer on Miyajima?

No. Hatsukaichi city asks visitors not to feed the deer, unlike Nara, where deer crackers are sold. Keep food and paper out of their reach.

Can you stay overnight on Miyajima?

Yes. The island has traditional ryokan inns, hotels, and guesthouses. Overnight stays allow visitors to experience the island after daytime crowds leave.

What food is Miyajima famous for?

Miyajima is known for fresh oysters and momiji manju, a maple leaf-shaped sweet filled with various fillings.

Is Miyajima worth visiting in the rain?

Light rain is manageable: the shrine's corridors are roofed and the town is compact. The Mount Misen ropeway stops in strong wind and thunder, and the trails become slippery, so Misen is the part to drop.

Is Miyajima Island wheelchair accessible?

The ferry, the waterfront and Omotesando shopping street are mostly flat. Itsukushima Shrine does not publish detailed wheelchair guidance, and wheelchairs cannot board the Miyajima Ropeway's gondolas, so check the shrine and Mount Misen guides before planning around either.

Miyajima Island

ExploreJapanDaily Editorial Team · Last updated: October 3, 2026 · Facts verified: October 3, 2026

Miyajima (宮島), officially Itsukushima, is an island in Hatsukaichi city, Hiroshima Prefecture, about an hour from central Hiroshima by train and a 10-minute ferry. Most visits are built around two places: Itsukushima Shrine and its Great Torii on the shore, and Mount Misen, the 535-meter peak behind it. Half a day covers the shrine and the town; Misen turns it into a full day. Ferries run from early morning until late evening, so staying into the evening, or overnight, is easy.

Quick Answer

Getting There

JR or Hiroden to Miyajimaguchi, then a 10-minute ferry

Admission

JR ferry 200 yen each way; 100 yen visitor tax

Visit Duration

Half a day for the shrine and town; a full day with Mount Misen

Shrine

300 yen; closes 5:00 to 6:30 PM by season

Mount Misen

Ropeway last ride up 4:00 PM

Evening

Torii and shrine lit after dark until 11:00 PM

Itsukushima Shrine torii gate and traditional shrine buildings at low tide with mountains behind, Miyajima Island Japan

Area: Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture
Nearest Station: Miyajimaguchi (JR Sanyo Line or Hiroden Line 2), then a 10-minute ferry
Best Time: An early ferry for a full day; time Itsukushima Shrine to the tide you want
Hours: The island is always open. JR ferries from Miyajimaguchi run from about 6:25 AM to 10:40 PM. Itsukushima Shrine opens at 6:30 AM and closes between 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM depending on the season.
Best For: Day Trip, Culture, Photography
Nearby: Itsukushima Shrine · Mount Misen

Planning a day on Miyajima

Miyajima has been treated as sacred for centuries, and Itsukushima Shrine was built over the water of a tidal bay rather than on the island itself. The shrine, the Great Torii standing in the sea in front of it and the primeval forest of Mount Misen behind are together a World Heritage Site. The town is small: a waterfront path and the Omotesando shopping street lead from the ferry terminal to the shrine in about 12 minutes on foot.

Itsukushima torii gate standing in shallow water with forested mountains in the background, Miyajima Island Japan

The main planning question is how much of the day to give the island. Itsukushima Shrine takes 30 minutes to an hour inside, but the tide decides what you see: at high tide the shrine and torii stand in water, and at low tide you can walk out to the base of the torii. Mount Misen adds about 2.5 to 3 hours with the ropeway, and the ropeway's last ride up is at 4:00 PM, so it needs an early start. Check the day's tides and the ropeway's operating page before you choose a train.

Itsukushima torii gate framed by pine tree branches with stone lantern and blue sky, Miyajima Island Japan

Between the two, the island is a place to walk and eat. Deer wander the town and the waterfront; Hatsukaichi city asks visitors not to feed them. Grilled oysters and momiji manju, maple-leaf cakes filled with bean paste or custard, are sold along Omotesando.

Itsukushima Shrine main hall on stilts with five-storey pagoda visible through the trees, Miyajima Island Japan

Most people come from Hiroshima as a day trip. Staying on the island, at one of its ryokan or hotels, gives you the shrine early in the morning and the lit torii after dark without watching the clock for the last ferry.

What to do on Miyajima

How to Get to Miyajima Island

Miyajima is in the Seto Inland Sea southwest of central Hiroshima. Everyone arrives by boat, usually the 10-minute ferry from Miyajimaguchi on the mainland.

💡Good to Know

•The JR ferry is covered by the Japan Rail Pass; the Hiroden streetcar and the Matsudai ferry are not.
•Everyone pays the 100 yen Miyajima visitor tax in addition to the ferry fare.
•Itsukushima Shrine is about 12 minutes on foot from the ferry terminal, and the Mount Misen ropeway station about 25 minutes.

For IC cards, tickets, and full transit basics for Hiroshima, see the complete transportation guide.

Getting Around Hiroshima →

Map

Best Time to Visit Miyajima Island

Best time to visit Miyajima Island: An early ferry for a full day; time Itsukushima Shrine to the tide you want. Weekday mornings are generally quieter than weekends and public holidays.

💡Good to Know

•Arrive early: midday ferries and Omotesando are busiest, and the ropeway's last ride up is at 4:00 PM.
•Check the day's tides first; they decide whether the shrine stands in water or the torii can be reached on foot.
•Spring cherry blossoms and the autumn maples around Momijidani Park, from about mid-November, are the busiest seasons.

Cherry Blossom (Spring)

Late March to early April

Cherry trees bloom around the shrine grounds and the lower slopes of Mount Misen.

Autumn Foliage

Mid-November to early December

The maples of Momijidani Park, where the Mount Misen ropeway starts, are the island's best-known autumn sight, and weekends are crowded.

Winter

December to February

The quietest months and oyster season. The Mount Misen ropeway closes for maintenance for a period around February.

Entry Fee & Hours

🎟️

Admission

Ferry: 200 yen each way (JR ferry); island visitor tax: 100 yen

⏰

Hours

The island is always open. JR ferries from Miyajimaguchi run from about 6:25 AM to 10:40 PM. Itsukushima Shrine opens at 6:30 AM and closes between 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM depending on the season.

💡Good to Know

•The ferry crossing, waterfront promenade, and Omotesando shopping street are flat and accessible by wheelchair and stroller. Itsukushima Shrine does not publish detailed wheelchair guidance, and Mount Misen's ropeway and trails are not wheelchair accessible.

Nearby Attractions

Combine with Miyajima Island on the same day

Miyajima, Hatsukaichi

📍Nearby

•Itsukushima Shrine (About 12 minutes on foot from the ferry terminal): The World Heritage shrine on Miyajima, built over a tidal bay with the Great Torii standing offshore. Entry is 300 yen, hours change by season, and the tide decides whether the torii stands in water or can be reached on foot.
•Mount Misen (Ropeway station about 25 minutes on foot from the ferry terminal): The 535-meter peak at the center of Miyajima, reached by three hiking trails or the Miyajima Ropeway plus a 30-minute summit walk. Views across the Seto Inland Sea, temple halls near the top, and a flame said to have burned for 1,200 years.
•Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (About 45 minutes by direct boat, or by train and ferry): The free, always-open memorial park in central Hiroshima, with the Cenotaph, the Peace Flame, the Children's Peace Monument and the National Peace Memorial Hall. The Atomic Bomb Dome stands across the river and the ticketed museum at its southern end.

A full day on Miyajima

This plan assumes an early start from Hiroshima and clear weather for Mount Misen. Swap the morning and afternoon if the tide you want falls later.

Shrine, Mount Misen, then the town

Morning
Train and ferry from Hiroshima, then Itsukushima Shrine and the Great Torii at the tide you prefer
Late morning
Ropeway up Mount Misen and the walk to the summit, about 2.5 to 3 hours in all
Afternoon
Omotesando for oysters and momiji manju, then Daisho-in or Nishi-matsubara
Evening
The lit torii from the shore, then the ferry back or a night on the island

See the full Off the Beaten Path: 14 Days Beyond the Golden Route itinerary →