Private Miyajima Day Trip by Ferry from Hiroshima Port

Hiroshima Port and the ferry across the bay

Most visitors reach Miyajima by train and the short crossing from Miyajimaguchi, but this private tour uses the ferry from Hiroshima Port, south of the city centre. From Orizuru Tower you travel with your guide by tram to the port, and the boat then crosses Hiroshima Bay in about 25 minutes, passing wooded islands and the oyster rafts that the bay is known for.

The approach from the sea gives a wide view of Miyajima's mountain rising behind the town, and it is a calmer start to the day. Return ferry tickets are included; other transport, such as the tram to the port, is paid locally. If you ask how to get to Miyajima in a relaxed way, this route is our favourite answer.

Itsukushima Shrine and the floating torii

Itsukushima Shrine is the heart of the island and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tradition dates it to the late sixth century, and its present vermilion halls and corridors over the tidal flat to the 12th century. At high tide the sea fills the space beneath the floors and the shrine seems to float; at low tide you can walk to the Great Torii, about 16 metres tall and made from camphor trunks.

Because the tour is private, your guide can plan the day around the tide table so you see the torii at its best. Shrine entry is not included and is paid at the gate. Itsukushima Shrine opening hours are generally from 6:30 until 17:00 to 18:00, depending on the season.

Omotesando, Machiya-dori and local flavours

Omotesando, the island's covered shopping street, is lined with stalls selling momiji manju maple-leaf cakes, grilled oysters, conger-eel rice and wooden rice scoops, a traditional Miyajima craft. Running parallel to it, Machiya-dori is a quieter lane of old merchant houses, small galleries and cafés, perfect for a slower stroll with your guide.

Food is not included, which leaves you free to choose. Your guide can suggest places to suit your tastes; halal options on the island are limited, while seafood and vegetarian dishes are easy to find. The island's deer roam freely through the streets; they are regarded as sacred, and feeding them is not allowed. Try a warm momiji manju straight from the griddle, a simple pleasure of any visit.

Senjokaku and the five-storey pagoda

On the hill above the shrine, Senjokaku, the pavilion of a thousand tatami mats, is a vast wooden hall begun in 1587 and never finished, so it still has no ceiling panels. Beside it stands the red five-storey pagoda of 1407, which mixes Japanese and Chinese building styles and looks especially fine from the lanes below.

Entry to the hall is paid separately and is inexpensive. The site is a favourite viewpoint over the town roofs toward the torii, and in spring the cherry trees around it bloom in late March and early April, one reason spring is often called the best time to visit Miyajima. On a private tour you can stay as long as you like.

Daisho-in, Momijidani and Mount Misen

Depending on your interests, your guide can lead you up to Daisho-in, the island's oldest temple, founded according to tradition in 806, with prayer wheels along its stone stairway and small stone statues in knitted caps. Nearby, Momijidani Park follows a stream through a valley of maples that turns brilliant red in November.

Momijidani is also the lower station of the Mount Misen ropeway, which climbs toward the 535-metre summit and its views over the islands of the Inland Sea. The ropeway is not included but can easily be added to your private day if the weather is clear. Is Miyajima worth visiting for a whole day? With this much to choose from, yes.