Miyajima island: the shrine, the deer and the feast days

Miyajima, Japan, sits off the coast of Hiroshima Prefecture, separated from the mainland by the Onoseto strait, which is 500 m wide.⁷ From JR Hiroshima Station the Sanyo Line reaches Miyajimaguchi in around 30 minutes, and the ferry takes around 10 minutes depending on the weather.¹ Two companies run the crossing, the JR ferry and Miyajima Matsudai Kisen.⁸ The JR line's ferry accepts the Japan Rail Pass and the JR-WEST Rail Pass.⁹

A 100 yen visitor tax comes with the ferry ticket, on top of the base fare, and it applies whether you buy at a machine or pass the automatic gate.⁴ From the pier, the walk to Itsukushima Shrine is about 10 minutes.¹⁰ There is a second way across: a ferry from the Hiroshima Peace Park takes 45 minutes and skips the train.¹¹ If you want a closer look at the gate from the water, the JR ferry's Great Torii service runs from Miyajima-guchi from 9:10 a.m. to 4:10 p.m.¹²

Cars are not the plan here. The shrine's own access page says there is no parking at Itsukushima Shrine, and the Hiroden streetcar to Hiroden-miyajima-guchi, an alternative to the JR train, takes about 1 hour from Kamiyacho in the center of the city.^13,14 Come on foot from the pier, wear shoes you can walk in all day, and keep your hands free for the stalls and the stairs you will meet before the day is over.

Daishoin is the oldest temple on Miyajima, and its maples turn a deep red in the fall.³⁵ The Miyajima Tourist Association counts it among the most prestigious Shingon temples in western Japan.³⁷ Daiganji, next to the shrine, is dedicated to Benzaiten, goddess of music, art and water.³⁴ Daishoin is a 30-minute walk from the pier.³⁸ Between them the two temples fill the temple half of a visit, and a guide helps you read what you are looking at.

Senjokaku, the Hall of One Thousand Tatami Mats, is the largest structure on Miyajima, and Hideyoshi died in 1598 before it was finished.^32,39 It is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. throughout the year and charges a Shoden fee of 100 yen for adults.^40,41 Beside it stands the Five-storied Pagoda, built in 1407 and restored in 1533.³³ JNTO describes the pagoda as a vivid red that contrasts with the lush greenery and the sea beyond.⁴²

On the hillside the Kiyomori Shrine commemorates Taira no Kiyomori, and the Kiyomori Festival is held around March 20, the anniversary of his death.¹⁷ The festival parade runs from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. on a Sunday in late March.⁴³ Keep the shrine admission and the Senjokaku fee in mind when you count coins, and carry some cash for the stalls on the way back to the pier. On that Sunday participants parade in costume from the pier via Itsukushima Shrine to Kiyomori Shrine.⁴⁴

Oysters are the popular local food on Miyajima, and the island's association lists them first among its dishes.⁸² They are best enjoyed in winter, when they are harvested.⁸³ The annual Oyster Festival is normally held on the second weekend in February in front of the pier, but the 42nd festival planned for February 2026 was canceled because it became difficult to secure enough oysters.^15,16 If oysters are your reason to come, check before you plan around a festival.

Anago-meshi is the other specialty, broiled conger eel served on rice, and the sea eel is less fatty than the more common river eel, unagi.⁸⁴ Okonomiyaki is cooked on the island too; the association notes that there are restaurants serving it.⁸⁵ Lunch is also part of the day on the Viator bus tour on this site: guests who choose the lunch option eat okonomiyaki on the island for 50 minutes.

For something to carry home, the maple-leaf-shaped momiji manju, filled with red bean paste, is the most popular sweet on Miyajima.^86,66 The rice scoop, or shamoji, is a popular souvenir too; a visiting monk created it in the 1800s.⁸⁷ The shrine builders gave the island a wood-carving tradition, so carved goods are easy to find.⁸⁸ Buy the cakes fresh and eat them on the street before the afternoon ferry.