The Top 10 Things to Do on Miyajima

Miyajima might only be a small island, but there’s a lot to cram into a visit. Here are the 10 things we don’t think you should miss.

1. See the Floating Torii Gate

It’s probably Miyajima’s most famous sight, and it might be the main reason you’re making your own visit to the island. It’s stunning to see in reality and has been named one of Japan’s three most beautiful views.

You don’t really realise how big the gate is until you stand underneath it, which you can do at low tide. It’s 16 metres tall and 24 metres wide.

It’s actually the ninth gate that has been positioned here and was built in 1875. Interestingly, the gate is not buried in the seabed; it simply rests upon it. The four pillars on either side of the gate keep it supported.

Spending a long day, or even better, staying overnight, on Miyajima, gives you the chance to see the torii gate at high tide when it looks prettiest, but also get up close to it at low tide.

Related Read: Tide times matter in Miyajima – read our guide to the tides in Miyajima if you want to make sure you see the gate floating, or if you’re planning to get the direct ferry to or from the Peace Park in Hiroshima, as this can stop running during certain tides. If you are combining Hiroshima and Miyajima in one day, also read our guide on how to do both as a day trip.

You can see the floating torii gate 24-7, and viewing it from the shore is totally accessible – although note that the path is covered with light sand. However, to get up close to the gate at low tide requires heading down some steep steps and traversing the sand, which can be wet.

2. Explore Itsukushima Shrine

The floating torii gate is here to guard the entrance to Itsukushima Shrine. A shrine has been located here since 593, but the current version, built in 1168 and subsequently expanded over the years, is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The shrine is also built so the water laps underneath it – this is harder to experience properly than the gate, as, while the torii gate looks good even at medium tide, you need a full high tide for the shrine also to appear as if it’s floating. I was on the island overnight, and I still didn’t manage to see a full high tide – but I got pretty close.

Inside the Itsukushima Shrine, the interior is quite simple, but the views of the torii gate from different angles make it worth the entrance fee. You can also have your photograph taken with the gate in the background. This spot does get crowded, so get here early or come around 45 minutes before closing when most of the day trippers have gone home to have it almost to yourself.

It’s open from 6:30 a.m. each morning until at least 5 p.m. (in December). In the summer, it closes at 6 pm. Check their website for the exact opening hours when you’re traveling if you do want to come here at the end of the day. Entrance costs 300 yen for adults, 200 yen for high school students and 100 yen for elementary or junior school children.

You can also purchase a combined ticket to visit the shrine’s treasure hall, which contains valuable objects donated to the shrine over the years.

There is a clearly marked wheelchair-accessible ramp to facilitate entry to the shrine, located near the main ticket booth. Once inside, the floors are primarily made of flat wooden planks, making them easy to traverse.

Related Read: Getting to Miyajima – our guide to the different ferries.

3. Enjoy the View at Hokoku Shrine (Senjokaku)

While the torii gate was beautiful, this was the place that I found most impressive on Miyajima – and it’s not even finished.

Hokoku Shrine was built by the shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It was meant to be a place for monks to write sutras, but Hideyoshi died before it could be completed, and the next lord in charge didn’t take up the task. This means that while the interior structure is complete, the shrine is completely open on the sides, and it wasn’t painted the bright red it was supposed to be.

I think that’s what makes it so special – partly because it’s so unique, partly because it allows you to see over the island from the deck outside. I found this place really peaceful. But, don’t just look outside – look up. The roof of the building is filled with drawings, paintings, and writings – I could have spent an hour just staring up at those.

The name Senjokaku originates from the fact that the shrine spans one thousand tatami mats in size, and 100 columns support it. You’ll also notice a lot of large rice scoops around the place – more on those in a minute.

Hokoku is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and admission costs 100 yen.

Because Hokoku Shrine is located at the top of a hill, whichever of the four routes to access it you choose requires climbing some steep steps to get to it. The route that comes in behind the Torii restaurant has handrails; but the one via Machiya Street doesn’t have railings the whole way. The website doesn’t confirm any simpler accessible access, and as far as I can recall, or research using Google Maps, there is no obvious accessible way in. You also need to remove your shoes when walking inside, so bear that in mind if you find this tricky, or need to wear non-slip socks.

4. Spot All the Cool Things at Daishoin-ji

If Hokoku was the place I felt most at peace on Miyajima, Daishoin-ji was the place that delighted me most. It’s full of unique, interesting, and downright quirky things to see.

A larger guide highlighting these features is coming soon, but as one example, you’ll find hundreds of cute carved statues throughout the shrine, each with different expressions. Then, the Henjokutsu cave at the top of the shrine contains sand samples from the 88 shrines and temples of the Shikoku pilgrimage. It’s said that walking across each of these is akin to making the full pilgrimage yourself.

Do not underestimate how long it will take you to see this place properly – there’s a lot going on!

Sadly, much of the temple involves climbing up and down steps, making it less than accessible. Most of the steps do have railings, but there was one point up near the cave where I had to hang onto some random man to feel safe climbing down them, as they were a bit worn and slippery with no rail. Just bear that in mind if you’re a bit less mobile.

5. Eat Some Oysters

The calm, nutrient-rich waters around Miyajima are perfect for oyster farming, and this makes them one of the must-eat dishes in the town. You can try them a few different ways – freshly shucked and grilled, gently fried in butter, on top of rice, or deep-fried.

It might surprise you that the oysters are cooked, but in Hiroshima, oysters for eating raw and those suitable for cooking are grown in separate areas. Those grown around Miyajima are made for cooking. If you don’t generally like oysters, cooking them alters their texture, making it a good opportunity to try them again.

I had mine with curry at a restaurant called Torii, located close to the Itsukushima Shrine, but you can find them sold all over the island. If you do want to go to Torii, though, it’s open from 10:30 am to 4:00 pm, seven days a week. The plate above cost me 1400 yen.

If you visit Miyajima at the beginning of February, you’ll find an oyster festival featuring dances, shows, and a variety of oyster-based dishes. The island will be busier that day as Hiroshima locals will also join in the fun so, check the dates if you want to visit it, or would prefer to avoid the crowds.

Related Read: I also had excellent oysters in butter at a restaurant in Hiroshima. Find out more in our guide on where to eat in Hiroshima.

6. Marvel at the World’s Biggest Rice Scoop

Tucked away in the backstreets of Miyajima is a World Record Holder. At 7.7 metres long, the World’s Biggest Rice Scoop can be found outside the Etto Miyajima Community Centre. And we’re very lucky it’s there, as it was tucked away in storage on the island for 14 years because they couldn’t find a large enough space to display it.

The scoop took over two years to carve and weighs 2.5 tonnes. It was made from a 270-year-old Zelkova tree.

Now, the question you might be asking right now is why? After all, as I said, there are also large rice scoops to be found in Hokoku, so what’s the deal with rice scoops on Miyajima?

The story goes that a monk living on the island had a dream about the goddess Benzaiten. Benzaiten is one of Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods. Specifically, she is the goddess of wisdom and music, and she is often pictured holding a lute. However, the monk felt it also resembled a rice scoop and began making them, teaching others to do the same. The people of Miyajima then got a reputation for making rice scoops.

Today, you can buy them in town shops, and if you wish, you can even sign up for a class to make your own.

You’ll find the World’s Biggest Rice Scoop outside the Etto Miyajima Community Centre. However, they can close a set of glass doors over it when the Centre is closed. If you really want to see it clearly, visit between 9:00 a.m. and 9.30 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, as the centre is closed on Monday. Otherwise, you may have to peer through the doors. There is a ramp taking you up to the level where the rice scoop is, but it does have cobblestones.

7. Try a Momiji-Manju

This cake is shaped like the maple leaves that turn red on Miyajima in autumn. They’re flavoured with honey and stuffed with a filling, either red bean paste or flavoured custards.

Like the oysters, you’ll find lots of shops in Miyajima selling these, including stores making them fresh in front of your eyes, which is fun to watch. You can also make your own in this class.

I choose to get mine in the very Japanese way – from a cake vending machine. There are a couple of these on the island, but the one I visited was located on Uguisu Hodo Street, next to the Sonoma Cafe (a good place to stop for lunch if you’re vegetarian). The cakes are refrigerated and have a sell-by date, so you know the machine is being filled regularly.

I’m not usually a fan of Japanese sweets, but these were really good.

If the machine is sold out, you can buy coloured Momiji-shaped biscuits from the shop opposite. The lemonade made from Hiroshima lemons is also very good.

8. Take the Cable Car Up Mount Misen

Mount Misen rises 530 metres above Miyajima, and its forested slopes make up much of the interior of the island. You can walk up here, but it’s a lot quicker to take the ropeway.

There are two parts to this: the small ropeway that goes up to Kayadani Station, then a bigger car that takes you to the summit station, Shisiiwa.

Now, here’s the part of our story that gets a little bit sad. After getting to the top of the mountain, I planned to walk around the trail to see the ever-burning fire. This was the whole reason I wanted to come up here.

The ever-burning fire was lit 1200 years ago by the monk Kukai, and it has never gone out.

A kettle above the flame boils water that it’s said can cure any illness. The flame was also used to light the eternal flame that burns in the Peace Park in Hiroshima. There are also some other small shrines up here, which looked interesting. I was excited.

However, what I hadn’t appreciated was that the trail to reach these isn’t a totally flat path; it had a few rocks and other obstacles to work your way around, and at the time, I was three weeks away from a hip replacement and had frankly, no muscles left on one side of my butt. So, I didn’t feel stable or strong enough to get past them.

This isn’t to say it’s a mountain climbing expedition. It’s literally stepping over a few rocks; now my new titanium addition would manage it easily, and, if I’d had someone with me to hang onto, even then I’d have managed it, but it wasn’t something I wanted to risk solo at this particular time. So, I still haven’t seen the eternal fire. If you’re not the most mobile, bear in mind that you may need a bit of help to navigate some parts of the walk.

On this note, to catch the ropeway, you can either walk through the park, or catch the shuttle bus to reach the first station. If you are less mobile, definitely catch the bus. The schedule for it is here. There can be a queue, but they ask other guests to give priority to those who need a little more support. Wheelchairs cannot be accommodated on the ropeway. You also can’t carry strollers on board.

The ropeway costs 2000 yen per adult for a return fare. Children cost 1000 yen. You can buy a ticket at the ticket office or use an IC card like Suica.

The ropeway runs from 9 am to 4 pm seven days a week. Queues can get long, so make sure you get there as early as you can. If you are traveling on Japanese holidays, or other busy days, advance reservations may be required. Check the website to see if your date is a reservation-only date.

9. Spot the Deer

Sika deer are a small breed of deer native to Japan.

Tradition has it that one prominent Japanese god rode around Japan on a white deer, and that all the deer in Japan are believed to be descendants of this, meaning that deer are thought to be messengers of the gods and are highly protected in Japan.

Around 500 deer are living freely on Miyajima Island – and, while they have a whole forest to play in, they like to come down to the town and see the people!

The deer are wild, and you cannot feed them – not even special deer cookies like in Nara.

To protect them, please be very careful of your rubbish and things like paper maps, which they seem to delight in chomping on, but can make them sick. Also, watch out during mating season as the male deer can be a bit more aggressive then. May to July is fawn season, and this time it’s the mother deer to watch out for – don’t touch the fawns and don’t stand between a mum and her baby.

You might also spot tanuki on Miyajima – these raccoon-like creatures are the real version of the cute little statues in straw hats that you see in Japanese restaurants. You’ll likely only see these at night in quieter areas, but if you’re staying on Miyajima, keep an eye out.

10. Wander the Backstreets

One of the things I liked most about staying overnight on Miyajima was wandering the backstreets of the town before it woke up and seeing sights like the local fishmonger opening his stall, the deer poking their heads out from alleys or asleep on people’s steps and the cute old buildings. Definitely take some time to wander off the main drag and explore.

Other sights you might want to visit in the backstreets include the Miyajima History and Folklore Museum, some of the smaller shops and restaurants along Machiya Street – like the Sasaki Stationary Store, which is a good place to pick up general souvenirs, or the Hagakure Knives shop, which is a good place to pick up sharp ones! Note: This store is not a permanent addition, so please double-check that it’s still open before planning to shop here.

You’ll also find some smaller shrines to visit – including one containing the Life Affirming Jizo! Or, at Tokuju-ji temple, you can take part in a tea ceremony and wear a kimono. Perfect if you didn’t manage to get booked into this in Kyoto

As you can see, there is more to Miyajima than just the floating torii gate that brings so many of us to the island, so your next decision will be whether a day trip is really enough. Let us help you decide – and show you the hotel we snagged for a bargain rate – in our guide on whether you should stay overnight in Miyajima.

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