The Top 10 Things to Do in Miyajima

Itsukushima Shrine: The Heart of Miyajima Island

The main torii gate (鳥居) to Itsukushima Shrine is Miyajima’s the iconic symbol. It is a huge, vermilion, Shinto-style gate, standing impressively in the waters off the coast in front of the Shrine. When the tide is high, the torii appears to be floating on the water. This is why it is often called the “floating gate.” When the tide is low, you can walk right up to it.

Itsukushima Shrine itself has only one entrance and one exit for visitors. It is ￥300 to enter, and the shrine closes at sunset except for special events. The main shrine complex is one long, covered boardwalk, with the tide rising and falling under your feet throughout the day. It is a popular place for photos and there is a shop that sells omamori (御守 – good luck charms), omikuji (御神籤 – paper fortunes), and goshuincho (御朱印帳 – official Itsukushima Shrine stamps). 

It is suspected that a version of Itsukushima Shrine was built as early as the 6th century. However, the version that is familiar to us today is based off of the design built by the military leader Taira no Kiyomori during the Heian Period in the 12th century. In 1996 it was internationally recognized for its religious, cultural and historical significance and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Itsukushima Shrine is a Shinto shrine. Shintoism is Japan’s traditional religion. It has evolved through the centuries as Japanese society developed. A core concept of Shinto is “kami.” Though, the word is often translated as “gods,” it doesn’t necessarily describe discrete divine entities. Its core reference is to numinous encounters with spiritual powers typically manifested in nature. However, it also refers to canonical mythological deities, local folk spirits, prominent clan ancestors, deified Japanese emperors and, after centuries of syncretism, even Buddhas.

Shinto shrines are places to encounter the kami enshrined there and make petitions. So, when locals visit a shrine, they pay their respects to the kami in the hope it may look after them. Itsukushima Shrine is considered the home of three sister gods from Shinto mythology: Ichikishimahime no Mikoto, Tagorihime no Mikoto, and Tagisuhime no Mikoto. They are gods of the sea and were traditionally called upon to protect seafarers.

Read more about Itsukushima Shrine.

Daisho-in: The Enchanting Shingon Temple

Daisho-in (大聖院) is a cluster of structures, statues and buildings that rises up along the side of Mt. Misen, Miyajima’s highest mountain. The countless statues and images throughout the complex are mesmerizing and packed with Buddhist symbolism, but you don’t have to be Buddhist to appreciate the space. 

Here are a couple of the most notable things within Daisho-in.

Climbing the mani-guruma stairs. The stairs that lead up to the top of the complex are lined with metal, spinning wheels, called mani-guruma. They are inscribed with Buddhist scriptures. It is said that turning the prayer wheels, has the same merit as reading. One bronze set starting at the bottom of the complex is inscribed with 600 volumes of the Great Hannya-kyo Sutra. Another staircase leading up to Maniden Hall, has large, dark-green prayer wheels inscribed with the Heart Sutra, a popular scripture in all sects of Mahayana Buddhism. It famously states, “Form is emptiness. Emptiness is form.” 

Henjokutsu Cave is another highlight. It is a hidden nook where 88 icons are set under a ceiling lined wall to wall with lanterns. The icons represent all of the sacred stops along the Shikoku Pilgrimage route.

You can also find hundreds of Jizo-san (地蔵さん), little guardian statues, in all shapes and sizes throughout the temple grounds. The most famous group are the 500 Rakan Statues (disciples of Buddha) along the garden path just to the left of the main stairway. All the Rakan and Jizo statues throughout Daisho-in wear tiny hats — usually red, knit caps. According to the locals, all of the caps are hand-knitted by a local woman devotee.

In the wider Japanese culture, Jizo statues are said to be protectors of children. In modern Japanese practice, they are an important part of mizuko kuyō (水子供養), memorial practices for children lost to miscarriage, abortion or stillbirth. Typically, the statue is decorated with a red bib and knit cap. However, families also decorate Jizo out of gratitude for children who recover from illnesses. That said, not every decorated Jizo represents a family struggle. Many are decorated simply out of devotion.

Daisho-in is the oldest temple on the island. It was founded by the monk Kobo Daishi in the 9th century. Kobo Daishi was also the founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, which is very common throughout Japan today. Daisho-in is known to have had a few famous people stay within its walls over the years, such as Emperor Meiji in the 19th century and the 14th Dalai Lama in 2006.

The Okeiko Experience: Wear Kimono while Participating in Traditional Japanese Activities

Okeiko is a group that operates in a beautiful Zen temple called Tokujuji (徳寿寺 ). They offer several different experiences to choose from. Among the choices are: wearing a kimono (for both men and women), participating in a tea ceremony, making onigiri (rice balls), doing calligraphy, and making omamori (good luck charms).

You have to make an appointment either by phone or on the website beforehand. They have an á la carte approach to what they offer, so you can choose up to three activities and you can choose whether or not to do them in a kimono. Of course, the price varies depending on what you choose. Prices range from ￥5,000 for a very simple version of an activity to ￥21,000 for three involved activities while wearing a kimono.

Hike Up Mount Misen: Miyajima’s Highest Peak

At 535 meters (1,755 feet), Mount Misen is the highest peak on Miyajima. There are two ways to get to the top of Miyajima’s sacred mountain. You can get to the summit by riding the Miyajima Ropeway — a comfortable 30-minute cablecar trip over virgin forest — or you can hike there on foot. There are three official trails to choose from: the Momijidani Course (紅葉谷コース), the Daisho-in Course (大聖院コース), and the Omoto Course (大元コース). 

The Momijidani Course is a semi-difficult hike that cuts through Momijdani Park, one of Hiroshima Prefecture’s most iconic locations for autumn leaf viewing. The route’s challenge is primarily due to the nature of the trail. It is mostly composed of uneven stairs that wind straight up for over 2.5 km. It takes about 90 minutes to reach the top and about an hour to get back down, provided you don’t stop too much. Most of the trail is along a clear mountain stream and under a thick canopy of trees, so you don’t see much of a view until you get to the very top.

The Daisho-in Course takes 90 minutes to two hours to complete including breaks. It rises to the summit over 2,000 stone steps, passing waterfalls, the Shiraitokawa River and Buddhist statues. The course is under less tree cover, making it brighter than the other trails during the day. 

Taking two to two and a half hours, The Omoto Course is the longest path up Misen. The trail starts out gently for the first half but turns into a fairly steep slope that does not let up until you reach the top. The trail wanders under thick canopy past stone monuments and passes an 80-meter-high cliff plus Iwayadaishi Cave before reaching the summit. The cave is a natural rock formation that you can safely go inside.  There you can find statues of Daisho-in’s founder, Kukai, and the temple’s principal deity, Fudo Myoo. 

Whichever trail you choose, expect a workout that will take a chunk out of your day. However, if you like hiking and expansive ocean views dotted with green islands, hiking Misen is highly recommend. Definitely wear comfortable shoes, and keep in mind that the Miyajima Ropeway closes at 17:00. If you get stuck on the summit after the sun goes down, the hike back is very dark and potentially dangerous. Especially during the warmer months, you have to look out for mamushi, Japanese pit vipers. Mamushi usually hunt at night, but they have been spotted during the day too. Ticks, giant hornets and badgers are other wildlife local authorities caution hikers about.  

At the top are historical Buddhist structures including the former location of Reikado Hall (霊火堂), a buddhist temple that tragically burned to the ground in May 2026. The hall was famed for its “eternal flame” that is said to have been kept burning for 1,200 years. The ancient flame was saved from the fire and plans are currently underway to rebuild the hall. However, until that happens, the area is currently off limits to visitors. A little further up the road from Reikado Hall is the Mount Misen Observation Deck and Rest Area (535m high). Back towards the trails is the route to the Miyajima Ropeway. There you can take in the view of the landward side of the island from the Shishiiwa Observation Deck (430m high) and get a quick cablecar ride back to the bottom if you don’t want to hike back down.

Read more about Hiking Mount Misen.

Miyajima Public Aquarium: Fun For the Whole Family

Miyajima Public Aquarium introduces the public to the many creatures living in the local marine ecosystems, while also conducting research and conservation work. Admission is ¥1,420 for adults with various discounts for students depending on their age and free admission for kids under four. Once inside, you can explore over 15,000 creatures and 380 species, most of them native to the Seto Inland Sea — the body of water that Miyajima sits in. 

The exhibits take you from Japanese giant salamanders that wander Hiroshima’s clear mountain streams to the denizens of Miyajima’s mud flats and the porpoises that live in the waters between the islands.

Many visitors wonder at the wooden raft-like things floating around the island. The answer is at the Miyajima Aquarium. The waters around Miyajima are prized by the Japanese for their large and succulent oysters, a popular dish in the winter when the oysters are harvested. So the aquarium has its own indoor oyster raft exhibit to explain how the oysters are harvested and give visitors a peak at what it looks like under all the oyster rafts they passed on the ferry boat over.  

The aquarium also has a variety of sea life common to aquariums everywhere, like sea lions, starfish, stingrays, otters and penguins.  Also like many aquariums, they have a variety of shows, typically feeding times for the cuter animals and an outdoor Live Show Pool with three to four sea lion performances a day. The aquarium also lets you get up close and personal with the marine life. So if your kids really want a chance to touch the creatures they see, visit the Setouchi Laboratory around 2:45 to gently pet and hold animals that can be found in the local tidal pools.

Read more about Miyajima Aquarium

Pescetarian Okonomiyaki at Sakuramaru

If you’re hungry, there are all sorts of options in Miyajima from sit-in restaurants and snack stands to bars and cafes. For a sit-in option, consider a restaurant called Okonomiyaki Sakuramaru (お好み焼き桜まる). It is right on Omotesando, the main shopping strip leading to Itsukushima Shrine. Omotesando can get particularly crowded, so Sakuramaru is a convenient spot to escape the fray and sit down for a bit.

Okonomiyaki Sakuramaru is a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki restaurant, so this is mainly what they serve along with smaller teppanyaki (hot plate) foods. Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is a heavy, layered food, traditionally prepared with cabbage, pork, egg, and soba noodles. This restaurant has a few special okonomiyaki, for example, a beef and konnyaku (蒟蒻 plant-based jelly-like noodle) version and a pescetarian-friendly version. The pescetarian friendly version is only made with fish, vegetable, and egg products and prepared in a special spot on the hot plate away from the meat. If you want the pescetarian option, ask for an okonomiyaki without meat; just say, “niku nashi kudasai” (肉なし下さい — “no meat please”), and they should know what you mean. If you happen to be here in the winter, try the oyster okonomiyaki! Oysters are caught right off of Miyajima’s shores and winter is when they are harvested, so this is the best time of year to eat them.

A Quiet Escape with Japanese Sweets: Yukari Chaya

Miyajima can be a little overwhelming and exhausting at times, especially if you come during the busy season in spring and autumn. Tourists pack the island’s narrow streets shopping for souvenirs or hunting for snacks or just taking in the view. However, for the introverts there is a little café tucked away from the hustle and bustle, a great place to relax. It’s called Yukari Chaya (遊鹿里茶屋). A chaya (茶屋) is a kind of old-fashioned Japanese tea house where you can enjoy tea with wagashi, Japanese traditional sweets, and typically in a traditional Japanese atmosphere. Yukari has all this. Located on the road to Daisho-in Temple, it occupies a traditional Japanese house said to be 170 years old.

There is a western-style dining room next to the kitchen where you can watch them brew coffee and tea. However, there is also a traditional tatami mat room with ceiling to floor windows and shoji screens overlooking a spacious Japanese garden. If you want to sit outside, there are tables in the garden too. 

The menu is very simple and, aside from coffee, very traditional. They serve matcha (抹茶 – green tea), and a small handful of options for sweets. The type of sweets depends on the season. For example, during the summer months, they serve kakigori (かき氷), Japanese shaved-ice sweetened with strawberry syrup and condensed milk or green tea and anko — a paste made out of azuki beans boiled down with sugar. In wintertime they serve zenzai (ぜんざい), a sweetened traditional bean soup made with azuki beans, mochi and chestnuts.  Other times of the year, they offer shirotama azuki dango (白玉あずき) — small, white mochi balls stuffed with anko. 

Bring cash. This traditional tea house only accepts traditional payments.

Make Your Own Miyajima Souvenirs: Rice Scoops, Woodcarving and Momiji Manju

Walking through Omotesando, Miyajima’s main shopping street, you are bound to encounter three quintessential Miyajima souvenirs: momiji manju, wooden rice scoops and intricately carved wooden plates and trays. You could stop to buy them in the shops, but you can also learn how make them yourself and you can make them all at one place: Miyajima Traditional Crafts Center.

Located a two-minute walk from Miyajima Ferry Terminal, Miyajima Traditional Crafts Center helps visitors experience the island’s heritage through traditional crafts that you can eat or take home when you are done.

The center is most notable for a style of woodcarving called, Miyajima Zaiku. It’s a collection of woodworking techniques brought to Miyajima from Kyoto in the 12th century by woodworkers sent to expand Itsukushima Shrine. Over the centuries the techniques were developed and refined into the craft practiced today. You can see many excellent examples of this when you enter the front door. 3D scenes from the island pop out of the wood of decorative plaques. The surface of wooden plates come alive through carved scenes that look like brush strokes, and icons of the island, like deer and maple leaves, adorn wooden rice scoops, etched with hot irons.

It is these last two that you can make yourself. The island is especially famous for rice scoops. Miyajima locals have been carving wooden rice scoops since the late Edo Period. Today, they are so well known nationally, that some Japanese people in other parts of the country refer to rice scoops as “Miyajima.” While, you cannot carve a scoop from scratch at Miyajima Traditional Crafts Center, they do help you decorate your own rice scoop — known as Miyajima shakushi (宮島杓子) — with hot iron brands.

The other craft, called Shizume-bori (沈め彫り), has less national recognition power but produces a product that is more artistic than utilitarian. You are given a finished wooden plate, a chisel, a pencil, a template, a block of wood to practice on, a brush, some paints, hands-on instruction and patience. By the end of the session, you have a piece of Miyajima culture to take home that you made yourself.

Not all Miyajima crafts are in wood, though. Perhaps the islands most iconic craft is a Japanese sweet called momiji manju (もみじ饅頭). They are palm-sized, maple leaf-shaped cakes traditionally filled with anko. Nowadays, you can find fillings of all kinds from custard to chocolate to cheese.

There are a lot of momiji manju shops on the island, but Yamadaya, established in 1932, is probably the most famous. They offer momiji manju cooking experiences at both Miyajima Traditional Crafts Center and their main shop located near

the start of Omotesando.

It is recommended to make an appointment 24 hours in advance and there is a fee. However, unless it is a very busy day, it is sometimes possible to make an appointment an hour or two in advance. The experience costs ￥1,000 per adult and takes 30 minutes to complete. Visitors get hands-on direction from a trained instructor. You get to learn about the batter, the different fillings, how much to put in the mould and how to cook it. And then comes the best part: you get to eat what you make!

Read more about Miyajima Traditional Crafts Center

Print Your Miyajima Memories on a Rice Scoop

Among the many shops on the island, Miyajima Tezukuri Koubou (宮島手づくり工房) — Miyajima Handmade Studio — is one of the most unique. Not only do they whittle all of the wooden goods they sell by hand, but they can print pictures from almost any device onto a shamoji (杓文字) — the general term for rice scoops in Japanese. It takes under 10 minutes and can costs as little as ¥800 for a small scoop. So it is possible to take a picture of yourself with the Itsukushima torii on your phone, go to the shop, have them take the photo from your phone and put it on a shamoji almost immediately. It is a good idea for a fun and thoughtful souvenir that does not cost much. 

Relax with Craft Beers from Miyajima Brewery

Miyajima Brewery is a great place for beer lovers.

There are lots of places that sell beer both on the island and across Hiroshima Prefecture. However, Miyajima Brewery is unique in Hiroshima Prefecture. Craft brewery culture is still relatively young in the region. Most places that serve beer serve national brands like Asahi and Kirin. However, despite attempts from earlier breweries, Miyajima Beer, which was founded in 2010 and didn’t start brewing on site in Miyajima until 2018, was the first to become genuinely successful. 

Part of the brand’s success comes from being unabashedly local. The beers are based off of Hiroshima specialties like the lemons in Hiroshima Setoda Lemon Ale and the oyster meat and shells in Miyajima Oyster Stout. It sounds wild to include any animal parts in a beer, let alone oysters, but the “subtly smoky” beer is one of their established signature beers and newer Hiroshima breweries have followed in their footsteps with their own oyster inspired brews. Meanwhile, not all the local references are to food. Miyajima Brewery’s Red Ale blends several types of malt to obtain its red hue, a color strongly associated with Hiroshima regional pride. 

We recommend making the brewery your last stop of the day. The main seating area has huge windows overlooking the Seto Inland Sea and the western sky. It is an ideal place to unwind with the sunset and a cold beer after a long day of walking around.