In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
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
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 from the harbour; bus from the pier, ¥300, roughly 10 min.Campground and cabins 2.5 mi 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.