Things to do in Miyajima

Best time to visit Miyajima

• a note or something on   ✦ an occasion worth the trip

• March, April and November

  Best windows: cherry blossoms in April, autumn leaves in November, mild weather.

• June to September

  Hot and humid; typhoon risk August to September; raw oysters off-season.

• January and February

  Quiet and cold, cheapest stays, and peak oyster season.

What's on

• Miyajima Oyster Festival a February weekend

  Grilled-oyster stalls across the island in peak oyster season.

• Kangensai summer, dates shift yearly

  Court-music boat festival at Itsukushima Shrine.

Best things to do in Miyajima

• Itsukushima Shrine

  $

  The shrine over the water; time it for high tide so the gate floats.

• Itsukushima Shrine Otorii

  Free

  Walk out at low tide and stand under the great gate.

• Daisho-in

  Free

  The major Buddhist temple below Misen; quieter than the shrine.

• Miyajima Ropeway

  $

  Two stages up Misen with views over the Seto Inland Sea.

• Mount Misen

  Free

  The island summit; 360-degree views and the eternal flame hall.

• Senjokaku

  $

  The vast unfinished hall of a thousand tatami mats.

• Momijidani Park

  Free

  The maple valley; the island's autumn-colour centre.

• Miyajima Omotesando Shopping Street

  $

  The snack corridor from the ferry to the shrine.

Best restaurants in Miyajima

• Kakiya

  $$

  The island's oyster specialist; go early before it sells out.

• Anago-meshi Ueno

  $$

  The famous 1901 conger-eel rice shop; lunch, not dinner.

• Mametanuki

  $$

  Anago and oyster sets; one of the few late island dinners.

• Umeyama

  $$

  Traditional dining room; oysters and eel at fair prices, cash only.

• Iwamura Momijiya

  $

  Historic momiji manju shop; fresh, warm, homemade bean paste.

• Momijido

  $

  Home of agemomiji: the deep-fried momiji manju, eaten on the spot.

• Momiji no Ki

  $$

  Family-run oysters and anago don by Miyajimaguchi Station.

• Miyajima Umaimonokan

  $$

  Food hall for tasting several island specialities at once.

Best coffee in Miyajima

• Miyajima Coffee

  $

  The island coffee stop; the coffee jelly sundae is the order.

Outdoor things to do in Miyajima

• Mount Misen

  Free

  Hike up via the Momijidani or Daisho-in course.

• Tsutsumigaura Beach

  Free

  The island's swimming beach; a calm summer afternoon.

• Onomichi

  $

  Start of the Shimanami Kaido; rent a bike for the first bridges.

• Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

  Free

  The Dome and the museum; give it two to three hours.

• Kintaikyo Bridge

  $

  The five-arched wooden bridge; pair with the castle ropeway.

Best hotels in Miyajima

• Jukeiso

  $$$

  Japanese-style rooms with views toward the torii.

• Kurayado Iroha

  $$$

  Small, polished inn near the waterfront.

• Sakuraya

  $

  Affordable Japanese-style rooms with sea or mountain views.

• Kikunoya Hotel

  $$

  Modern Japanese inn, 7 minutes from the shrine.

• Iwaso

  $$$$

  The island's classic Momijidani ryokan; onsen and kaiseki.

• Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto

  $$$$

  400-year-old ryokan-hotel closest to the shrine.

• Miyajima Seaside Hotel

  $$

  Ocean views on the mainland; shuttle to the ferry.

• Aki Grand Hotel

  $$

  Established hotel on the shoreline opposite the island.

Is Miyajima expensive? What a day costs

A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room

What to book ahead

• Jukeiso: weeks ahead
• Kurayado Iroha: weeks ahead
• Iwaso: months ahead
• Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto: weeks ahead

• Island ryokans: weeks ahead, months ahead for November momiji and Golden Week.
• Ueno and Kakiya: no reservations, they close when sold out; go at lunch.
• Ropeway: can queue an hour in peak season; go early or late.

Is Miyajima safe?

• Extremely safe; cautions are deer (they chew unattended bags) and mamushi pit vipers on Misen trails.
• Stay on marked paths and wear closed shoes on the mountain.
• Emergency: police 110, ambulance and fire 119.

Miyajima travel tips: tourist traps to skip

• Feeding the deer: wild, they bite bags, and feeding is prohibited.
• Doing the Peace Park, the island and Misen in one day: pick two and catch both tides.
• Visiting the torii at the wrong tide: check the tide table.
• Overpaying at pushy Omotesando oyster stalls; a proper restaurant is better value.

Getting around Miyajima: public transport and more

• JR Sanyo line Hiroshima to Miyajimaguchi: 19 minutes, 420 yen; tram 2 is the 75-minute scenic option.
• Ferries cross in 10 minutes every 15 minutes; JR ferry is free with the JR Pass, plus the 100 yen island visitor tax.
• Walk the island; the shrine, Daisho-in and Omotesando are within 20 minutes of the terminal.
• Last ferries run late enough for the illuminated torii; check the day's timetable at the port.

Who Miyajima suits

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