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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Miyajima
宮島
Sleep one night on the island if you can: day-trippers leave by 17:00 and the shrine, deer and stone lanterns are yours. Otherwise day-trip from Hiroshima.
Miyajima is a small island in the Seto Inland Sea, 10 minutes by ferry from Miyajimaguchi and about 45 minutes from Hiroshima. Its Itsukushima Shrine and the torii standing in the bay are a UNESCO site. The island is walkable in a day, but the mood changes after the last ferry of the tour groups.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 宮島
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Golden Week, Obon (mid-Aug), typhoon season Sep
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–18,000 excl. bed · High ¥18,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Itsukushima Shrine entry | ¥300; ¥500 with the Treasure Hall |
| Senjokaku entry | ¥100 |
| Miyajima Public Aquarium entry | ¥1,420 |
| Ferry Miyajimaguchi → Miyajima | ¥200 each way |
| Hiroshima tram #2 to Miyajimaguchi | ¥270 |
| JR Hiroshima → Miyajimaguchi | ¥420 |
| Momiji manjū (maple-leaf cake) | ¥100–200 each |
| Grilled oysters, 2–3 | ¥400–800 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HIJ · Hiroshima Airport
- Bus to Hiroshima station, then JR to Miyajimaguchi; about 1 h 30 min total
- KIX · Kansai International
- Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima, about 1 h 30 min, then local train
Typical fares
- Ferry Miyajimaguchi → Miyajima
- ¥200, about 10 min
- JR Hiroshima → Miyajimaguchi
- ¥420, about 30 min
- Tram #2 Hiroshima → Miyajimaguchi
- ¥270, about 70 min
- Aqua Net ferry from Peace Park
- ¥2,200 one way, about 45 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk. The island is small and signed in English; the shrine, Omotesando and the pier are within 10 minutes of each other. A ropeway runs from Momijidani Park toward Mt. Misen, and a bus runs to Tsutsumigaura. Taxis serve hotels and homes, not the sights.
See and do
Known for
- Itsukushima Shrine and the floating torii
- Mt. Misen and the ropeway
- Tame deer on the streets
- Momijidani Park in autumn
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hiroshima | Ferry to Miyajimaguchi, then JR Sanyo line or tram #2 | About 1 h |
| Onomichi | JR from Miyajimaguchi to Hiroshima, then Sanyo line | About 1 h 30 min |
| Kure | JR Kure line from Hiroshima | About 1 h 45 min |
| Fukuyama | Shinkansen from Hiroshima, then local lines | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Omotesando and the pier area
- Shops, ryokan and the shrine within a 5–10 min walk; noisier in the day, quiet after 17:00.Shops, ryokan and the shrine within a 5–10 min walk; noisier in the day, quiet after 5:00 PM.
- Momijidani Park
- Hotels and ryokan in the valley, 15–20 min uphill from the pier; ropeway station at the top of the park.
- Tsutsumigaura
- Campground and cabins 4 km (2.5 mi) from the harbour; bus from the pier, ¥300, roughly 10 min.Campground and cabins 2.5 mi (4 km) from the harbour; bus from the pier, ¥300, roughly 10 min.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| This one, please | これをくださいkore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Where is the ferry pier? | フェリー乗り場はどこですか？ferī noriba wa doko desu ka |
| What time is the last ferry? | 最終のフェリーは何時ですか？saishū no ferī wa nanji desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Deer will root in open bags and backpacks for food; a feeding ban is in place, so do not feed them.
- Monkeys live on Mt. Misen; keep food packed away and do not leave bags unattended.
- Ferries wind down after 19:00; the last runs are between 22:00 and 23:00, so check the timetable before a late dinner.
- The five-story pagoda next to Senjokaku was under scaffolding for restoration as of May 2025: check before you plan around it.
- Accommodation on the island is expensive and books out in autumn and cherry-blossom season.
Very safe. The real risks are the deer going through your bag, monkeys on Mt. Misen, and the last ferry: miss it and you are paying for a Hiroshima hotel.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Miyajima yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Itsukushima Shrine and the floating torii
- Mt. Misen and the ropeway
- Tame deer on the streets
- Momijidani Park in autumn
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Miyajima Tourist Association: www.miyajima.or.jp/
- Hiroshima Electric Railway passes: www.hiroden.co.jp/en/e-1day.html
- Wikivoyage: Miyajima, revision 5315970 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5315970
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/miyajima). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.