Miyajima Island, home to the iconic \”floating\” torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine, is one of Japan\’s most photographed sights and an easy half-day trip from Hiroshima.
Getting There: JR Train + Ferry
Take the JR Sanyo Line from Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi Station (approximately 25 minutes, covered by JR Pass), then the JR ferry across to Miyajima Island (approximately 10 minutes, also JR Pass covered). Total journey around 45 minutes including the transfer. Non-JR options include the Hiroden tram to Miyajimaguchi (slower, ~70 minutes, cheaper) or a direct high-speed ferry from Hiroshima\’s Peace Park pier (~45 minutes, more scenic, no transfer).
🎟️ Search Hiroshima → Miyajima tickets on 12Go →
Tide Timing Matters
Check tide times before visiting — the famous torii gate appears to \”float\” at high tide and can be walked up to at low tide. Both are worth seeing; check a tide chart for the day of your visit to plan around your preference.
What to Do on Miyajima
- **Itsukushima Shrine & Torii Gate:** The main attraction, especially striking at sunset.
- **Mount Misen:** Ropeway up (or hike) for panoramic views over the Seto Inland Sea.
- **Free-roaming deer:** Similar to Nara, deer wander freely around the town (do not feed them here, unlike Nara).
[12GO_WIDGET: Hotels on Miyajima via Booking.com or Agoda]
Related Guides – Osaka to Hiroshima – Japan Rail Pass: Complete Guide
This post contains affiliate links. When you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.