Miyajima is one of the must visit locations in Japan and the perfect day trip from Hiroshima

Miyajima Day Trip Itinerary: Exploring Hiroshima’s Iconic Island

Miyajima is the perfect day trip from Hiroshima and it ended up being one of my favourite places in Japan. Located less than an hour from Hiroshima, Miyajima has much to discover. Between the famous floating torii gate and shrine, the stunning Daishoin Temple, and the rewarding views after hiking up Mount Misen, Miyajima has something for everyone.

The wildlife of Miyajima Island won’t disappoint you either. Deer roam the beaches and forests so you are bound to encounter some as you explore the island. The shallow waters under the floating shrine are perfect for spotting pufferfish or crabs at low tide.

During my two weeks in Japan, visiting Miyajima was my favourite day trip. It surpassed a day trip to Mount Fuji, Nara, and Kamakura. Don’t get me wrong, all of these day trips were amazing experiences. What sets Miyajima apart is the magical harmony between culture and the natural landscape of the sea.

While the common name is Miyajima Island because of the town’s name, the island is officially known as Itsukushima Island. So, if you come across the name Itsukushima on maps, don’t panic, you’re in the right spot!

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Planning Your Trip to Miyajima lAST mINUTE?

Planning your trip to Miyajima? Below are some places to stay, things to do, and more.

Best Tours and Experiences on Miyajima
  1. Aquanet Direct Ferry (Quickest way to get to Miyajima!)
  2. Hiroshima: Peace Memorial and Miyajima Tour (Everything in one day trip!)
  3. From Osaka/Kyoto: Hiroshima and Miyajima Tour (if you’re short on time!)
Top Hotels Near Miyajima
  1. The Knot, Hiroshima (I stayed here, amazing location, great rooms)
  2. Iwaso, Miyajima (Traditional Ryokan)
High tide at Miyajima Island with the famous floating torii gate and the mountains behind it over teal water and a sandy beach

Getting to Miyajima from Hiroshima

From Hiroshima, there are two main ferry routes that you can take to Miyajima Island. If you are leaving from the Peace Park area I recommend the fast ferry and if you are leaving from Hiroshima Station I recommend the JR ferry from Miyajimaguchi.

From Peace Park: To get to Miyajima as early as possible, I recommend taking the Aquanet Direct Ferry that departs from Hiroshima Peace Park. The boat gets you there in only 45 minutes. This will be the most convenient option if you stay near Peace Park in Hiroshima. The ship leaves from near Motoyasu bridge and I was able to buy tickets on site.

The only reason I didn’t do roundtrip with the boat is because the last boat leaves Miyajima around 5:30 pm and I knew I would want to stay longer to see the island at night.

From Miyajimaguchi: The JR Ferry leaves from Miyajimaguchi. It’s a short ferry ride with frequent departures. If you have Japan Rail Pass it is included in the pass. From Peace Park you will have to take a streetcar and switch to a train to get to Miyajimaguchi, it takes about 1 hour 15 minutes total to get to Miyajima.

If you are arriving early to Hiroshima and going directly to Miyajima from Hiroshima Station, the ferry from Miyajimaguchi is going to be your fastest option as you can get on a train to Miyajimaguchi and be at Miyajima in about 45 minutes.

Itsukushima Gate with the temple and Misen Mountain in the background at low tide in Miyajima near Hiroshima, Japan
Itsukushima Gate at low tide

Spending a Day on Miyajima Island, Japan

Try to start your day on Miyajima as early as possible. Even though many people combine Miyajima with sightseeing in Hiroshima there is enough on Miyajima to keep you busy for the entire day. If you prefer tours or are short on time, this tour from Hiroshima includes the main sights of Hiroshima including the museum, transportation and the highlights of Miyajima Island all in one day.

For me, I wanted to see Itsukushima Shrine at both low and high tide so I timed my arrival to see high tide and didn’t leave until after watching the tide come after low tide. You can check Miyajima tide timetables here.

Even if Hiroshima doesn’t fit into your Japan itinerary as an overnight destination, it is still possible to visit Miyajima. You can visit Hiroshima and Miyajima in a single day as a day trip from Osaka, Kyoto, or Fukuoka. Hiroshima and Miyajima were an amazing experience for me so if all you can spare is a day, I would still recommend it even though it will be a long day trip.

Woman walking away from a camera wearing a purple backpack along a lantern lined road on the island of Miyajima in Japan with the famous floating torii gate in the background.
Walking in Miyajima, Japan

Arriving to Miyajima and Itsukushima Gate

When you arrive to the ferry dock in Miyajima, you are just a short walk away from seeing the famous Itsukushima Gate which looks like it’s floating on the sea. Take in some views of the gate at high tide and the beautiful teal water at high tide. It’s hard to believe, but you can walk out under the gate during low tide.

A deer in front of Itsukushima Gate at high tide
A deer in front of Itsukushima Gate

Itsukushima Shrine

After seeing Itsukushima Gate, head to Itsukushima Shrine. It isn’t the only floating shrine in Japan, but is the most famous. Built over the water on stilts, the shrine is quite compact and doesn’t take too long to visit.

Itsukushima Shrine at high tide in Miyajima that gives it the effect it is floating over the green water with a 5 story pagoda in the background
Itsukushima Shrine

The highlights of Itsukushima Shrine for me were the great views of the Torii gate as well as views of the five-story pagoda that sits above it. The contrast between the vermillion shrine and the clear teal sea creates some interesting views and is one of the more beautiful and unique shrines I visited while in Japan.

Keep a lookout at the water around the shrine, I was lucky to spot a puffer fish swimming in the water here.

Lunch in Miyajima

After visiting Itsukushima Shrine, I recommend stopping for lunch as you will be leaving the area with restaurants. I had lunch at Cafe Lente which was next to the water so it offered up great views of the Torii gate. Service was fast and the food was delicious, with vegetarian options available. It’s not traditional Japanese food but it was a nice change of pace.

It’s also very popular to eat oysters when visiting Miyajima because of all the oyster farms in the surrounding Seto Inland Sea. There are many oyster places to choose from but some are cash-only.

Cherry blossoms in front of a sanmon gate near Daigan-ji in Miyajima, Japan
Sakura blossoms in front of Daigan-ji in Miyajima

Daishoin Temple

After lunch, head to Daishoin Temple. Make sure you have at least 1 hour set aside as this temple complex is quite large and there is a lot to explore. It ended up being my favourite thing I did on this day trip to Miyajima. Overall, it’s one of the most interesting temples I visited while spending 2 weeks in Japan, and I visited a lot of temples!

A small Buddha lays on a pig with a red knit scarf and a red hat. One of the 500 Rakan Statues at Daishoin Temple in Miyajima
One of the 500 Rakan Statues you can see at Daishoin Temple

One of the highlights at Daishoin for me was the 500 Rakan Statues in the garden. There are many small statues here, many wearing red caps. After exploring the garden, the buildings here offer up interesting art. Each building here is worth thoroughly investigating as you will find beautiful floral ceilings, a dark passageway underneath the temple, interesting statues and dragons, and of course, the beautiful lanterns of the Henjokutsu Cave.

To top it all off, Daishoin Temple often has special goshuin stamps. When I visited, one of the options was a two-page goshuin that featured the sand mandala you can see in the Kannon-do Hall here.

Hiking Mount Misen

After your time at Daishoin Temple, if you are up for a lot of stairs and have the time, hiking Mount Misen is well worth it. If you aren’t up for the hike, head to the Miyajima Ropeway instead so you can get views over the sea. If you plan on using the ropeway, check the timetable but in general, the last descent is at 4:30 pm.

Start your hike from Daishoin Temple. From here it takes about 90 minutes to the top of the mountain. For this hike, hike up the Daishoin Course and down the Momijidani Course. You can also take the ropeway down instead of completing the hike. The Daishoin Course is steeper than the Momijidani Course but I think the scenery here is more rewarding. I was there during March and even at that time I needed a lot of water so if you are here in a warmer time of year, make sure you have adequate supplies.

View from Satomichaya Observatory over Hiroshima Bay and the Itsukushima Gate as the tide starts to lower and people walk underneath the gate.
View from Satomichaya Observatory on the Daishoin Course

One of the first stops at Satomichaya Observatory gives you a beautiful view over the Itsukushima Gate. It was my favourite view of the gate. Afterwards, with more hiking upward, you come to Niou Gate with its two guardians.

A warrior statue at the Niou Gate on Mount Misen
Niou Gate on Mount Misen

After Niou Gate, you will start to walk among large boulders. There is one here that is name Kujira-iwa or Whale Rock, as it resembles a whale’s head.

A large boulder hangs over stone steps that go underneath it on the path to Mount Misen Observatory on a day trip to Miyajima from Hiroshima
Large boulders near Mount Misen Observatory

Prior to reaching the very top of the mountain, there are a couple of temples you can stop at. They are quite small to explore and shouldn’t take long. Afterwards, walk through the large boulders up to Mount Misen Observatory. From here you get the best views of the Seto Inland Sea and the oyster farms that dot it. Afterwards, either head to the ropeway to go down the mountain or walk down the Momijidani Course.

View over the Seto Inland Sea with large boulders at Mount Misen Observatory
View of the Sea from Mount Misen Observatory

Walking down the Momijidani Course was mostly just downstairs through forest scenery. The highlight here would be the large groups of deer that you will see foraging next to you.

Miyajima in Evening

If it’s low tide it’s worth walking out to Itsukushima torii gate to get a different perspective on it. I also found it worth waiting until nightfall when the tide started to come back in. Miyajima felt magical as the lanterns lit up at night and the torii gate was illuminated. Miyajima also feels like a different island when most day trippers have left. It’s a very peaceful place to walk around in the evening. Unfortunately, most of the shops and restaurants close up pretty early.

Itsukushima torii gate lit up at night with the vermillion gate reflecting off of the water of Hiroshima Bay
Itsukushima torii gate at night

Miyajima is also a popular spot for staying in a ryokan. Iwaso is a traditional ryokan where you can experience an onsen and a kaiseki dinner and breakfast, it can also accommodate vegetarian travellers. It would be my pick for spending the night on Miyajima.

After a full day on Miyajima, you take the ferry back to Hiroshima and grab dinner there before heading back to your hotel. I stayed at The Knot and wish I had stayed longer as it was the perfect location and the rooms were very comfortable.

The lanterns lining the main street in Miyajima at dusk after people on day trips from Hiroshima have left the island
Miyajima at dusk

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