Miyajima is a small island which is famous for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Itsukushima with its famous torii gate in the water. Besides the shrine, the island is also a great spot for some hiking. The location close to Hiroshima makes Miyajima a perfect destination for a day trip, but there are also options to stay overnight. In this guide I show you how I spent my day on Miyajima.
How to get to the island
You first have to take a train to the ferry terminal to get to Miyajima. It’s possible to either use a local JR train from Hiroshima station (420 Yen) or a tram which takes longer (270 Yen). As I had a rail pass I took the train and got off at Miyajimaguchi Station. From there it’s a short signed walk to the port. JR also offers a ferry service to the island which means that the ferry is included in your JR Pass. Otherwise, it costs 180 Yen. There’s also the possibility to take a ferry from Hiroshima (1900-2200 Yen), so you don’t have to go to Miyajimaguchi by train first.
The first half of the day including Itsukushima Shrine
Most people who get off the ferry want to immediately visit the famous Itsukushima Shrine, I was similar in that aspect. There are two different ways on how to get there. The first one is through the village and the second path is next to the beach. Because the sun shone and it’s nicer to walk next to the ocean and to look on it, I chose the second option. What surprised me were all the deers which are freely roaming around the island. I haven’t read anything about them beforehand and thought that they would only be in Nara. But in contrast to the ones in Nara you can see that they’re slightly more distant and wild.
After a 10-minutes walk you can see Itsukushima Shrine which dates back to the 12th century. The unique feature of the shrine is the foundation on stilts in the sea bed. When there’s a high tide both the torii and shrine basically float on the ocean water. During low tide you can even walk to the torii. The entrance to the shrine is 300 Yen and from there you can enjoy beautiful views of the torii in the bay. It’s named as one of the three best views in Japan. But the torii gate is currently under renovation, so I haven’t really seen anything of it. The current torii dates back to 1875 and was preceded by six other torii gates.
From there I went up a hill next to the shrine to Senjokaku Hall. It’s an unfinished hall from 1587 which can be entered for a small fee. I actually walked around the hall to the five-storied pagoda which you can already see in the distance. It’s very beautifully designed and even older than the hall next to it. The hall itself is quite empty and you can look at most of it from the outside.
It was getting lunch time, and I went back to the village to search for some nice lunch. For that, Omotesando Street is the best choice as it has the biggest variety. There are many souvenir and gift shops together with restaurants and food stalls where you can simply pick up your lunch and eat it while walking. It’s the second nearest street to the sea.
The hike to Mount Misen
I had a nice meal at some small shop and got ready for my hike up to Mount Misen. There are two routes which lead up the mountain. The first one is the Momijidani Route next to the ropeway and a small river which flows down the mountain. The second one is the Daishion Route which starts next to the temple with the same name.
I hiked on the Momijidani Route which takes two kilometres to the top from the cable car station. At the beginning it isn’t very challenging, but after some time the steps get bigger and the path more rough. It’s not an easy hike, therefore I would recommend to wear some good shoes. Although it’s only 2 kilometres I needed an hour for the hike as it mostly consists of uneven steps.
Before the actual summit you reach Misen Temple which is a small temple complex with a few buildings. There you can copy me and have a small break before you hike the last 200 metres to the top. I relaxed there for a few minutes after the steep hike.
Afterwards, I started my hike to the summit which is much easier than the first part of the hike. The path is very beautiful as you walk inbetween giant rock formations. When you arrive on the summit, you can expect other travelers and an observation tower which offers 360 degree views of the island and surroundings. You even have WiFi access there, so you can directly share the amazing views with your family and friends.
The ropeway ride back to the village
The summit is a great place for a rest, but in my case I had to return quite quickly and couldn’t spend too much time there. The cable car stops at 5pm in winter or 5:30pm in summer, and the paths are unlit. So I started my hike downhill, but quickly realized that I have the wrong shoes and don’t have enough support in them. They were only fine for going uphill. That’s why it’s important to get some good shoes when you want to hike as I’ve told you earlier.
So the next destination was the cable car station which isn’t very close to the summit of Mount Misen. It’s another one kilometre hike. Another great idea could be to hike one trail uphill and the other one down.
The ropeway fare is 1,840 Yen for a return ticket and 1,010 Yen for an one-way ticket. Inbetween you have to change the gondolas from a big funicular ropeway to a smaller one. When it’s not too full you can enjoy a great view of the forest which spreads on the island. Unfortunately, the funicular ropeway was very full on my trip, and I had no real chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery. After you arrived in the lower station, you can take a shuttle bus back to the town or go for a short 15 minutes walk.
The way back to the ferry terminal
Back in the village, I went to Itsukushima Shrine again. It was already late afternoon and the sun started to set. It gave some beautiful new accents in contrast to my visit a few hours earlier. I decided to go back to the street next to the ocean to enjoy the last sunrays of the day. I think some deers had the same idea. They stood on the beach or sidewalk without moving a single muscle.
Anyways, I decided to go back to the ferry terminal to get back to Hiroshima by early evening. I really needed a shower after the hike to Mount Misen.
After reading all about my day trip you might ask yourself, where is Daishion Temple? That was a mistake on my side as I totally forgot about it when I hiked up Mount Misen. From photos I’ve seen it’s another amazing temple which you shouldn’t miss on the island. At least it’s a reason for me to go back. There’s also the possibility to stay overnight on the island to experience all the sights for yourself without many other tourists.