The Ultimate Guide to Miyajima and the Great Torii Gate

Miyajima (宮島), formally known as Itsukushima (厳島), is a sacred island known for its forests, ancient shrines, and temples. The island renowned for its massive, vermillion Great Torii Gate dipping its legs in the ocean at high tide is now one of the top destinations in Japan!

As the beautiful island is separated from Japan’s main island, catching a ferry from Hiroshima is practically the only way you can access the island unless you can kayak all the way across the sea (´▽｀*).

As Miyajima isn’t connected with Japan’s main island by a bridge, the only way to get to the island is by taking a ferry. Ferries depart from the piers close to Miyajimaguchi Station or from the Peace Memorial Park.

For more information about how to get to Miyajima, refer to our Guide to How to Get to Miyajima!

As soon as you get off the ferry, there should be sightseeing pamphlets in many languages if you want to grab a few.

Also, the day’s high/low tide time and the service status of Miyajima Ropeway can also be found around the pier (and probably on the ferry).

If you are like us, going to stay overnight on the island (which we recommend), the last thing you want to do is drag suitcases everywhere.

 So first thing first, drop off your belongings at the accommodation you booked to stay and be as light as possible while you sightsee (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.

 We chose Mikuniya (三國屋), which is more like a guesthouse because of all the good reviews, and it is relatively cheap (12,000 yen for a really spacious room for two people)!

The hardest thing on Miyajima is probably remembering to make sure there are no deer around you before you take the maps out of your bag (≧▽≦).

A cheeky one dug his head into one of our bags and started eating while we were resting and chatting on a bench…(´▽｀*).

The busiest area on the island is, of course, the shopping street – Kiyomori-Dōri. Shops selling Miyajima’s specialties and traditional crafts are lined up one after another, making it the perfect spot to empty out your wallet (´▽｀*).

This is also one of the places in Japan that are the least vegetarian-friendly because the island is famous for its oysters and conger eel…

One of the other things that Miyajima is known for is its woodworking. Because of the excellent woodworkers, various magnificent wooden structures on the island, such as Itsukushima Shrine, could be built and maintained until today.

The most jaw-dropping thing to see on the island is, however, this gigantic rice scoop on display in the middle of the shopping district Σ(ﾟДﾟ).

When people talk about Miyajima, the first thing that will pop up in their mind is most likely the giant “floating” torii gate. In fact, at high tide, the entire shrine seems to float on water!

If you have ever wondered which shrine’s precinct the Torii gate is marking, it is Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社), one of the best attractions on Miyajima! 

In addition to Itsukushima Shrine, Daishōin Temple (大聖院) on the top of a hill is another attraction on Miyajima that you should visit. The temple has the longest history among all the attractions on the sacred island. On top of the spectacular view from the temple, there are a few amazing things to see in its precinct!

Moreover, with advanced booking, you can taste the delicious Shōjin Ryōri in their gorgeous hall.

Utilizing the Momijihodō Nature Walk (refer to map HERE) close to Daishōin Temple’s main gate, you will soon arrive at Momijidani Park. On the park’s outskirts, close to the shopping street, the Momijindani River flows quietly.

This spot of Miyajima is where you can find most deer and one of the best spots for cherry blossom on Miyajima in spring! So adding cute deer and gorgeous pink flowers together, you get the best possible photo of Japan’s spring (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.

Every year from mid to late November, tourists flock to Miyajima to adorn the beauty of the fiery fall-leaf-covered park! No matter where you are and what angle, we assure you that there will be no photo that you want to delete later on (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.

Another attraction you won’t want to miss out on when you visit Miyajima is the summit of Mt. Misen (弥山) for the magnificent scenery up at the summit and to explore Mt. Misen’s Seven Wonders!

In addition to the scenery, you will find Miyajima’s Seven Wonders at the top of the mountain.

For more information, please refer to our Mt. Misen and Miyajima Ropeway article!

If you catch the free shuttle bus on the way back from Miyajima Ropeway, it is only a 4-minute walk to Toyokuni Shrine, from where you get off the bus!

Erected in 1407, it is designated as a National Important Cultural Property. But unfortunately, it can only be admired from the outside at the moment. However, it is still a great spot for some awesome photos, and even the level of detail of the painting and carving on the exterior of the pagoda is amazing enough (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.

• It is just a 2-minute walk from the Itsukushima Shrine or a 4-minute walk from the free shuttle bus stop outside of Hotel Iwaso (ホテル岩惣) at the entrance of the Momijidani Park (紅葉谷公園)
• No admission fee is required.

Your visit to the Itsukushima Shrine won’t be complete without climbing a set of staircases to the Senjokaku Pavilion located on the high ground close to the Itsukushima Shrine!

Also known as the Toyotomi Shrine, the pavilion was built under the order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉) in 1587. It is the biggest pavilion on Miyajima Island. Because 857 tatami mats cover the floor of the pavilion, the pavilion (kaku in Japanese) was called “senjō” which means a thousand tatami mats in Japanese.

You will notice that parts of the ceiling and the pavilion’s wall aren’t completed. This is because the pavilion was left unfinished after Toyotomi Hideyoshi passed away.

The big Buddha statue in the pavilion was removed in the Meiji period (1868 – 1912), and now it is where Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Katō Kiyomasa (加藤 清正) are enshrined.

• Senjokaku Pavilion is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
• The admission fees are
  • 100 yen for adults
  • 50 yen for elementary and junior high school students

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Walking on your feet for a couple of hours can be quite tiring. If you need some rest, we recommend this cafe on one of the small hills at the back of the Miyajima Omotesandō Shōtengai.

The cafe is operated by the Miyajima-originated brand – Itsuki Coffee (伊都岐). The brand is well-known for its coffee roasting techniques. Including Tenshikaku, it has five cafes just on Miyajima.

Apart from the coffee and cakes, the best thing about the cafe is its magnificent view of the pagoda and the Senjokaku Pavilion with the Seto Inland Sea as a backdrop!

Although the coffee itself isn’t cheap (starting at 550 yen), it is totally a more than reasonable price if you get to spend a relaxing afternoon with this great view in front of you (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.

• The cafe is only open from 1 to 5 pm from Friday to Tuesday, excluding public holidays.
• The cafe is just a 10-minute walk from Miyajima Pier!

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Apart from when there are events held at Daishōin Temple, below is a list of other times of the year when you will have extra fun visiting Miyajima.

• Late March – early April: Cherry blossom season
• End of March: Kiyomori Festival (宮島清盛まつり)
• The 15th of April: Tōkasai (桃花祭) – Peach Blossom Festival
• August (currently suspended due to safety concerns): Miyajima Water Fireworks Festival (宮島水中花火大会)
• The 15th of Oct: Kikkasai (菊花祭) – Chrysanthemum Blossom Festival

For more details about the festivals, please refer to this website HERE.

Please refer to the map HERE to know where to admire the cherry blossom and fall foliage. Cherry blossom trees are marked with pink flowers, and the fall foliage is labeled with orange maple leaves.

Before you can get to Miyajima, you must transit at Hiroshima Station. So, how about spending a day exploring this city? You will be amazed by how well the city has recovered from the bombing of World War II!

To find out where to go and what to eat, refer to our article on Hiroshima City!