The best things to do in Miyajima are to see Itsukushima Shrine and the Great Torii at high tide (and walk out to the torii at low tide), ride the ropeway up Mount Misen for the view over the Seto Inland Sea, explore Daisho-in temple, and eat grilled oysters and momiji manju on the Omotesando shopping street, with the island’s free-roaming deer around you. Most sights are within 10 to 30 minutes’ walk of the ferry pier, and the island is about an hour from Hiroshima Station by train and ferry.
*This article contains advertising (affiliate links).
Below are 14 things worth doing, each with its opening hours and price, followed by how long to allow, when to go, and what is closed or under repair in 2026–27. Hours and prices were checked on the official sites in October 2026.
Miyajima at a glance
| Sight | Hours | Price (adult) | Allow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Itsukushima Shrine | 6:30 to 17:00–18:30 (by season) | 300 yen | 45–60 min |
| Great Torii (from the shore) | Always; lit until 23:00 | Free | 20–30 min |
| Miyajima Ropeway | 9:00; last up 16:00 | 2,000 yen return | About 2 hrs |
| Senjokaku hall | 8:30–16:30 | 100 yen | 20–40 min |
| Treasure Hall | 8:00–17:00 | 300 yen (500 with the shrine) | 30 min |
| Miyajima Aquarium | 9:00–17:00* | 1,420 yen | 1.5–2 hrs |
| Daisho-in, Momijidani, Omotesando | Shops about 10:00–17:00 | Free to walk | 30–60 min each |
*The aquarium is closed for renovation from December 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
14 things to do in Miyajima
1. See the “floating” Itsukushima Shrine
Itsukushima Shrine is built over the sea, and its vermilion corridors seem to float when the tide comes in. Its present form dates from Taira no Kiyomori in the twelfth century, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the forest of Mount Misen behind it. You walk a one-way route through the corridors past the main hall and the Noh stage. The shrine opens at 6:30 and closes at 17:00 in December, 17:30 from October 15 to November 30 and from January 4 to the end of February, and 18:00 from March 1 to October 14; on January 1–3 it closes at 18:30 (and opens at midnight on New Year’s Day). Admission is 300 yen. The shrine looks its best when the tide is 250 cm or higher. Our Itsukushima Shrine guide explains the halls and the route.
2. Walk out to the Great Torii at low tide
The Great Torii, 16.6 meters tall and made of camphor wood, stands in the bay in front of the shrine. At high tide it rises from the water; when the tide drops below about 100 cm, the seabed is exposed and you can walk across the sand to touch its pillars. High and low water are roughly six hours apart and move later each day, so the best plan is to see the gate twice. Check your date on our Miyajima tide times, and read how it stands on its own weight, without foundations sunk into the seabed, in the Great Torii’s history. Wear shoes you do not mind getting wet.
3. Ride the ropeway up Mount Misen
Mount Misen (535 m) is the island’s sacred mountain, and the view from the summit across the islands of the Seto Inland Sea is the best on Miyajima. The ropeway runs in two stages from Momijidani station to Shishiiwa station; from there it is about 30 minutes on foot to the summit past Misen Hondo hall. A return ticket costs 2,000 yen (one way 1,100 yen). The last car up is at 16:00, so aim to ride up by about 14:00. On ten busy days in November 2026 (1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 28 and 29) you need an advance reservation. A free shuttle bus runs from the Momijidani Park entrance to the station about every 20 minutes from 9:50, with a break from 12:10 to 13:10. Prices and tickets are on our Miyajima Ropeway page, and the summit is covered in Mount Misen.
Note that Reikado Hall, home of the “eternal flame” said to have burned since 806, was destroyed by fire on May 20, 2026. The flame had been divided and is kept safe elsewhere, and the hall is to be rebuilt by November 2027 (what happened).
4. Or hike to the summit
Three trails climb from near sea level: the Daisho-in course (1.5–2 hours, many stone steps), the Momijidani course (about 1.5 hours through forest) and the Omoto course (about 2 hours). These are the tourist association’s times for the way up. There are no toilets on the trails, so carry water, wear proper shoes and do not start a climb after about 15:00. A popular compromise is to ride up and walk down the Daisho-in course, which brings you out beside the temple.
5. Explore Daisho-in temple
Daisho-in, at the foot of Mount Misen, is the island’s oldest temple and the most hands-on sight on Miyajima. You spin the metal prayer wheels on the handrail as you climb the steps, walk through a pitch-dark underground corridor, and pass hundreds of small stone statues, many wearing knitted caps. It is 5–10 minutes’ walk from the shrine exit. In spring the path up to it is lined with cherry blossoms. Our Daisho-in guide covers what to see and the temple’s fire-walking ceremonies.
6. Meet the deer, without feeding them
The island’s wild sika deer are regarded as messengers of the gods. They wander freely through the town and are a favorite with children. Sales of deer crackers ended in 2007, and visitors are asked not to feed the deer, because human food makes them ill. They will try to eat paper bags, maps and tickets, so keep food and paper out of reach, especially on the shopping street. The story of the deer and how to behave around them is in Miyajima’s deer.
7. Eat your way along Omotesando shopping street
Omotesando is the 350-meter covered street running from the pier towards the shrine, lined with food stalls and souvenir shops, mostly open from about 10:00 to 17:00. It is the place for Miyajima’s three specialities: grilled oysters (at Kakiya, two from 750 yen), anago-meshi, rice topped with grilled conger eel, and momiji manju, maple-leaf cakes filled with bean paste; try the fried version, age-momiji, at about 250 yen each. Walking while eating is discouraged, so eat at the stall. Shop-by-shop prices are in where to eat on Miyajima and Omotesando shopping street.
8. Stand in Senjokaku, the hall of a thousand mats
Senjokaku, on the hill above the shrine, is a huge wooden hall that Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered in 1587 and that was never finished: it has no ceiling boards and no front walls, so the breeze and the view of the town pass straight through. Take off your shoes and sit on the worn floorboards. It is open 8:30–16:30 and costs 100 yen. Details in Senjokaku.
9. See the five-storied pagoda (when the covers come off)
The vermilion five-storied pagoda next to Senjokaku is one of the island’s landmarks, but it is wrapped in scaffolding for repairs until November 20, 2027, so you will not see it until then. The hilltop is still worth the climb for Senjokaku and the view. The pagoda’s history is on our five-storied pagoda page. The smaller Tahoto pagoda on the other side of the shrine has finished its repairs and is a quiet viewpoint, especially at cherry blossom time.
10. Walk through Momijidani Park
Momijidani, “maple valley”, is a stream-side park of about 700 maple trees at the foot of Mount Misen, 5 minutes’ walk from the shrine and free to enter at any time. The leaves usually peak in mid-to-late November, sometimes lasting into early December; in summer it is the coolest walk on the island. It is also the way to the ropeway. See Momijidani Park.
11. Visit the Treasure Hall and the History and Folklore Museum
The shrine’s Treasure Hall, beside the shrine exit, is best known for the Heike Nokyo, illuminated sutras the Taira clan dedicated in the twelfth century. It is open 8:00–17:00; admission is 300 yen, or 500 yen for a combined ticket bought at the shrine entrance. A few minutes further on, the History and Folklore Museum occupies a wealthy merchant family’s house and storehouses around a garden and is a good choice on a rainy day.
12. Spend a couple of hours at Miyajima Aquarium
Miyajima Aquarium (Miyajima Marine) shows the sea life of the Seto Inland Sea, with finless porpoises, sea lions, Humboldt penguins and small-clawed otters, and a sea lion show. It is about 25 minutes’ walk from the pier, open 9:00–17:00 with last entry at 16:00, and costs 1,420 yen for adults. It is closed for renovation from December 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. See Miyajima Aquarium.
13. Make momiji manju or a glass souvenir
Several shops on the island let you make something to take home. At Yamadaya’s main store you bake your own momiji manju in about half an hour; at Fujiiya you can watch the cakes being made; and at Fizz Glass, a small workshop near the shopping street, you make a glass piece that cools while you sightsee. Session times and prices are in the momiji manju workshop and Fizz Glass. If you prefer a drink, Miyajima Brewery pours its own beer on the shopping street from 10:30 to 17:00.
14. Stay for the torii lit up at night
Most day-trippers leave when the shops close at 17:00–18:00. The Great Torii, the shrine and the pagodas are lit every night from 30 minutes after sunset until 23:00, free to watch from the shore. You can also take a 30-minute evening boat cruise to the torii (Aqua Net Hiroshima, departures from 17:55, 2,000 yen, booking at least 2 hours ahead). The last JR ferry back to the mainland leaves at 22:14. Details in Miyajima at night.
How much time do you need in Miyajima?
About three hours covers the shrine, the torii, Daisho-in and the shopping street. Allow six to seven hours if you add Mount Misen by ropeway. A night on the island gives you the shrine at 6:30 before the crowds and the torii lit up after dark. Timed plans for a full day, half a day and three hours, and how to change their order for the tide, are in our Miyajima day trip itinerary.
Getting there
From Hiroshima Station, take the JR Sanyo line to Miyajimaguchi (about 30 minutes, 420 yen), walk five minutes to the terminal and take the ferry (about 10 minutes, 200 yen each way plus the 100-yen Miyajima visitor tax). JR West and Matsudai Kisen both run from the same terminal; the JR boat is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. A direct boat also runs from the Peace Park in central Hiroshima in about 45 minutes. See the Miyajima ferry and, from further away, Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo to Miyajima. Where everything is on the island, with walking times from the pier, is on our Miyajima map.
When to go
- Time of day: before 10:00 or after 15:00. Mid-morning to early afternoon is the busiest time, both on the shopping street and in the ropeway queue.
- Tide: plan the shrine for high water (250 cm or more) and the walk to the torii for low water (under 100 cm).
- Season: cherry blossoms in early April, autumn leaves in mid-to-late November (the busiest weeks of the year), and oysters at their best in winter. The Kangensai boat festival takes place on a summer evening, on the 17th day of the sixth month of the old lunar calendar. More in our Miyajima seasons guide.
Closed or under repair in 2026–27
- Five-storied pagoda: covered for repairs until November 20, 2027.
- Itsukushima Shrine: reinforcement work on the east corridor until December 2026; the shrine stays open.
- Reikado Hall on Mount Misen: burned down on May 20, 2026; to be rebuilt by November 2027.
- Miyajima Aquarium: closed from December 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
- Ropeway: reservations needed on the November 2026 dates above.
To see it all without rushingStay a night on the island or by the pier
A night on Miyajima or at Miyajimaguchi gives you the shrine at 6:30, the lit torii after dark and time to wait for the tide. Compare the island’s inns and the mainland hotels by the pier on one map.
Availability and rates
All Miyajima and Miyajimaguchi hotels on a map
Which side to stay on is in where to stay in Miyajima, every inn on the island is compared in Miyajima hotels and ryokans, and the inns with hot-spring baths are in Miyajima onsen.
*This article contains advertising (affiliate links).
Frequently asked questions
What not to miss on Miyajima Island?
Itsukushima Shrine and the Great Torii (ideally at both high and low tide), the view from Mount Misen, Daisho-in temple, and grilled oysters and momiji manju on Omotesando. If you can stay into the evening, the torii is lit until 23:00.
How to spend a day in Miyajima?
Take an early train from Hiroshima, go up Mount Misen by ropeway in the morning before the queues, have lunch on the shopping street, and see the shrine in the afternoon, swapping the order if high tide is in the morning. Hour-by-hour plans are in our day trip itinerary.
How much time do I need in Miyajima?
Three hours for the shrine, the torii, Daisho-in and the shopping street; six to seven hours with the ropeway and Mount Misen; a night if you want the early morning and the lit torii.
Is it worth going to Miyajima Island?
Yes, for the shrine over the sea, the mountain views and the compact town where everything is within walking distance. Timing matters: check the tide before you go and avoid the midday crowds.
Can you feed the deer on Miyajima?
No. Unlike Nara, Miyajima stopped selling deer crackers in 2007 and asks visitors not to feed the deer at all.
Sources: Itsukushima Shrine (hours and admission for the shrine, Treasure Hall and Senjokaku; works schedule); Miyajima Tourist Association (tide levels, hiking courses, illumination); Miyajima Ropeway (hours, fares, reservation dates, shuttle bus timetable); Miyajima Aquarium (hours, admission, closure); JR West Miyajima Ferry and Miyajima Matsudai Kisen (fares); Aqua Net Hiroshima (night cruise); JR West (train fare). Checked October 2026.
