JP · Hiroshima Prefecture · 34.28°N 132.31°E

miyajima

The giant torii gate that floats at high tide, plus friendly deer and grilled oysters.

Best time
Spring cherry blossoms and November maples are the prettiest times. Check the tides: the gate looks like it floats at high tide, and you can walk out to it at low tide.
How long
1 day
Getting there
From Hiroshima, take a JR train to Miyajimaguchi (about 30 minutes) and a ferry across (about 10 minutes). Direct boats also run from near the Peace Park. Hiroshima is about 1.5 hours by shinkansen from Osaka, where flights from KL land.
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JP · Hiroshima Prefecturemiyajima34.28°N 132.31°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,The giant torii gate that floats at high tide, plus friendly deer and grilled oysters.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingMiyajimaJP, Hiroshima Prefecture
KLmiyajima
≈ 4,692 km from KL, as the crow flies
Miyajima Island, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan

Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A sacred island off Hiroshima, officially called Itsukushima, home to the famous shrine and its torii gate standing in the sea. Beyond the shrine there are temples, a forested mountain and deer wandering the streets.

Makan

  1. Grilled oystersHiroshima Bay oysters grilled in the shell at street stalls.Map ↗
  2. Anago-meshiGrilled conger eel laid over rice, a local speciality.Map ↗
  3. Momiji manjuMaple-leaf cakes. Try them deep-fried on a stick.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Itsukushima ShrineRed-lacquered halls built over the water, with the great torii out in the bay.Map ↗
  2. Mount MisenTake the ropeway up and walk to the summit for views over the Inland Sea.Map ↗
  3. Daisho-inA hillside temple with rows of small stone statues and prayer wheels.Map ↗
  4. Senjokaku and the five-storey pagodaA big wooden hall started by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, beside a red pagoda.Map ↗
  5. OmotesandoThe main shopping street for snacks and souvenirs, home to a giant wooden rice scoop.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Feeding the deer isn't allowed on Miyajima, unlike Nara. Keep food and paper out of reach.
  • A small visitor tax is collected with your ferry ticket.
  • Stay the night if you can. The island is calm once the day-trippers leave, and the shrine is lit up after dark.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.