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Hiroshima 🏝 Island 📷 10

Itsukushima

厳島

A ferry ride away — smaller roads, clearer water and a different pace.

See the photos How to get there Open in Maps
Best season April–October (calmest seas and longest daylight)
Time needed Half a day to a full day
Admission Ferry roughly ¥500–3,000 each way (≈ $3–19)
Opening hours Depends entirely on the ferry timetable

Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.

What this place is

Itsukushima (厳島) is an island in the western part of the Inland Sea of Japan, located in the northwest of Hiroshima Bay.It is popularly known as Miyajima (宮島), which in Japanese means "Shrine Island".The island is one of Hayashi Gahō's Three Views of Japan specified in 1643.Itsukushima is part of the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture.The island was part of the former town of Miyajima before the 2005 merger with Hatsukaichi.Itsukushima is famous for the Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The shrine was considered a sacred site for a long time, it is possible that locals built a simple shrine on the site before the complex was built in 593 AD.In 1168 AD, Taira no Kiyomori, a warrior-courtier, greatly contributed to giving the shrine its current form.

Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

Why it is worth the trip

  • The crossing itself: the approach by sea is half the experience.
  • Coastal scenery and viewpoints you can circle in a day on foot, by bike or by local bus.
  • A small resident community whose food, festivals and dialect differ from the mainland nearby.

What you can do here

  • Rent a bicycle or e-bike at the port and ride the coastal loop.
  • Walk to the island's main viewpoint or lighthouse for the wide sea panorama.
  • Eat seafood caught that morning at a port-side restaurant.
  • Stay overnight if you can — the island empties out after the last ferry and the night sky is excellent.

Getting there

We do not have step-by-step transit directions for this spot yet. Open the location on Google Maps for routes from where you are staying.

Area: Hiroshima

Route on Google Maps

Good to know before you go

  • Plan around the ferry timetable first, everything else second; the last boat is unforgiving.
  • Ferries are cancelled in high wind or swell — have a backup plan for the day.
  • ATMs, konbini and card payment can all be scarce; bring cash and water.

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