Once You're on Miyajima,Don't Miss These
The island is small enough to cover the main sights comfortably in a day. Travellers who've been agree these six are the heart of it — and they're ordered so you can walk from one to the next.
⛩️ World Heritage1
The image of the whole island — a vermilion wooden torii gate about 16 metres tall, standing out in the sea. At high tide it looks like it's floating; at low tide you can walk right out and stand beneath the pillars. Both are beautiful in their own way, and in the late-afternoon light the red deepens and looks even better. The photographers never stop.
Hiroshima Attractions →
⛩️ World Heritage2
The shrine itself is built out over the sea on wooden pillars, so at high tide the whole complex appears to float along with the torii. Follow the long vermilion wooden corridors to see the various halls; inside there's a dance stage and an over-water Noh stage. The atmosphere is ancient — it has stood here for more than a thousand years.
Hiroshima Attractions →The island's highest peak (about 535 metres), reached easily by the Miyajima Ropeway. From the upper station it's another roughly 30-minute walk to the true summit, where the view spreads across the little islands of the Seto Inland Sea as far as you can see. Along the way you'll often spot wild monkeys and old temple halls.
Hiroshima Attractions →The island's oldest Buddhist temple, sitting at the foot of Mt Misen. Its calling card is the row of spinning sutra cylinders along the entrance staircase handrail — give them a turn and you're said to earn merit — plus the rows of tiny Jizo statues in knitted hats, which are seriously charming. People usually stop here on the way toward Misen; it's peaceful and far less crowded than the main shrine.
Hiroshima Attractions →Step off the ferry and onto the island and you'll meet free-roaming wild deer right away — about 500 of them, tame and very used to people. Unlike Nara, though, feeding the deer here has been banned since 2008 (no senbei crackers on sale). The Miyajima deer love to grab paper, maps, tickets and plastic bags, so keep all of that firmly tucked away.
Hiroshima Guide →The island's main shopping street, about 350 metres long, running from the pier toward the shrine and lined on both sides with souvenir and food stalls. The star is momiji manju, maple-leaf-shaped cakes made fresh and hot, alongside big grilled oysters (Hiroshima is a major oyster region). At the far end stands the giant rice scoop (Otamaya), an island landmark worth a photo.
Hiroshima Food Guide →