Miyajima Half-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Description
This value-packed trip with a licensed and experienced English speaking tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Miyajima island and Itsukushima Shrine! To start your day, please choose your must-see spots in Miyajima island which you prioritize. Your guide will customize your four-hours private tour in detail according to your interests. Four hours is the perfect amount of time to check out Miyajima island. 24 Pass for Ferry and streetcar transportation is 900 Yen for adults, 450 yen for children. Note: We recommend the meeting point of Miyajimaguchi Passenger Terminal Ticket Office(Ferry Boarding Area for Miyajima) as this tour starts when you meet the guide. The guide can also meet at your hotel in Hiroshima city or at Hiroshima city cruise port. Please be aware that travelling to and from Miyajima is part the the 4 hours.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We recommend the meeting point of Miyajimaguchi Passenger Terminal Ticket Office(Ferry Boarding Area for Miyajima). If you meet in Hiroshima or at Hiroshima station or port, It may take up to an hour to travel to Miyajima. In this case, you may need to request a tour extension.
Miyajima is one of Japan’s most scenic destinations, famous for the iconic floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine. Walk through charming streets, meet the island’s friendly deer, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of this historic island. With a local guide, you’ll learn about the island’s culture, history, and hidden spots beyond the main tourist areas.
Daishō-in or Daisyō-in is a historic Japanese temple complex with many temples and statues on Mount Misen, the holy mountain on the island of Itsukushima, off the coast of Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, Japan. It is the 14th temple in the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage and famous for the maple trees and their autumn colors.
A lively hub of souvenir shops and bite-sized snack stalls lead the way to the iconic Itsukushima Shrine.
Miyajima (宮島) is a small island less than an hour outside the city of Hiroshima. It is most famous for its giant torii gate, which at high tide seems to float on the water. The sight is ranked as one of Japan's three best views. While officially named Itsukushima, the island is more commonly referred to as Miyajima, Japanese for "shrine island". This is because the island is so closely related to its key shrine, Itsukushima Shrine, in the public's mind. Like the torii gate, the shrine's main buildings are built over water. Miyajima is a romantic place, best enjoyed by staying overnight at one of the island's ryokan. While there are usually many day tourists, in the evening the area becomes much quieter and more peaceful. There are also wild deer on the island that have become accustomed to people. In the day the deer wander around the same sites as the tourists, and in the evening they sleep along the walking paths.
Tenshinkaku(天心閣) is a Japanese old house looked single-story house cafe in Miyajima which is located on a hill. You can enjoy beautiful view of Toyokuni shrine, five-story pagoda and Seto island sea at once.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
This private tour is a walking day tour. A private vehicle is not available for this tour. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.
Reviews(210)
This tour experience was truely the best part of my entire trip to Japan, all thanks to Hiroshi. His communication and organisation leading up to our tour was extremely helpful and punctual, but when it came to the tour itself it was then that I was truely blown away by his passion, guidance and care. Our experience with Miyajima Island felt so much more intimate and personalised solely because of him. He was regularly giving us amazing options and recommendations on things to do and places to see - it felt more like we were travelling with him than him being our guide. He was extremely knowledgeable when it came to the history and significance of Japanese culture and answered all our questions with great articulation. Hiroshi truely went above and beyond - he even took us out for lunch, communicated with our hotel to organise luggage transport for us, took the most amazing photos of us, and he even helped me with my train ticket home.
Had a tour today with hiroshi, me and my girlfriend are very happy with the experience he took us to many beautiful places and gave a great detailed explanation of history and cultural significance of everything, answered all questions thoughtfully and it was obvious he cares so much about what he does and that made the experience so special.
Fantastic tour and guide. Woody was enthusiastic about his culture and the tour. The island was super amazing, kids loved the deer, and the shrines were some of the most beautiful we’ve seen in Japan.
Thank you so much for your kind review! It's one of my greatest joys to communicate with lovely families like yours. The friendly atmosphere of your family made me feel very relaxed. During the tour, you were very clear with me about your interests and requests. This made me run the tour very smoothly. Thank you again. Woody
We thoroughly enjoyed Hiroshi and his insights on Miyajima, where his family has deep roots. He thoughtfully designed our itinerary, contacting us on advance, to take advantage of the island's beauty and special sights while avoiding unnecessary crowds. We loved visiting the legendary potter/artist and the coffee shop where he guided us in creating origami paper cranes, a symbol of peace. He even took photos of us and sent them after the tour! We invited him to join us for lunch at a local spot where he reserved our seats. Finally, he assisted us in returning to Hiroshima, as we did not think about transportation from the ferry pier to our hotel.
Thank you very much for your kind review and for taking the time to share your experience. I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Miyajima and that the tour helped you experience both the island’s famous landmarks and some of its quieter local charms. It was my pleasure to share the history, culture, and traditions of Miyajima with you. Your warm words encourage me to continue providing meaningful and personalized experiences for visitors from around the world. I am truly grateful for your thoughtful feedback. I wish you both many more wonderful travels and happy memories together. Hiroshi
Our guide was patient, knowledge and a pleasure to spend time with.
Mari was the best tour guide ever! She was super knowledgable and we covered so much ground. Mari kept things factual, fun and interesting. We highly recommend booking this tour!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. It was truly a pleasure spending the day with you. Talking together about Japanese language, your family, and Hiroshima Carp was truly one of the most enjoyable parts of the day. Our conversations and shared laughter became such a lovely memory for me. I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour, and I sincerely appreciate your kind words. Thank you again for choosing this tour during your time in Hiroshima and Miyajima. I hope our paths cross again someday. - Your Miyajima Guide, Mari
Hi Kyoko We are very sad to hear about the fire but grateful to share the longevity drink with you. We Thankyou for a wonderful experience on Miyajima Island and for all your planning and emails before our tour. We could not ask for a better tour guide. It made our day very enjoyable and we hope you will come to see us in Australia. We wish you and family all the very best Kyoko and that you continue to share your knowledge and passion of your beautiful country with many more visitors to the island. Kindest regards Renie,Snow,Jan,Chris,Morelle and Dave
Thank you very much for your heartfelt review. I was deeply touched by your kind words, especially your comments about all the planning and messages before the tour. I truly enjoyed preparing the day together with your group, and it makes me very happy to know that it helped make your Miyajima experience special. I was also very sad to hear about the fire at Reikado Hall, so sharing the “longevity drink” there together has become an even more unforgettable memory for me. Thank you again for your warmth and kindness. I sincerely hope all of you and your families stay happy and healthy, and perhaps one day our paths will cross again — maybe even in Australia . Your guide, Kyoko
We went on a half day trip to Miyajima with Hiroshi-San. We agreed on a meeting point the day before and we met up and started our tour. Mr. Hiroshi was extremely kind and talkative during the whole tour. He was honest and kind. We got the tour we never knew we wanted, including everything we knew we did want, all because of his kindness and knowledge. We did not pay any fee as this was already taken care of through our agent. We had to pay transportation but this we knew from the time of booking. We can only recommend to book this tour with Hiroshi. We are sure you will have an amazing time with him, just as we did. Hiroshi-San went above and beyond. We had a wish to go on a specific (historical) street car in Hiroshima and he found out everything for us and texted us in the evening. And as an extra but historic significant little thing. He taught us to make an origami crane. THANK YOU!
Thank you very much for your kind review and for joining me on Miyajima. I was delighted to spend the day with such energetic and active guests. The weather was perfect, and I am very happy that you were able to enjoy both the rich history and beautiful natural scenery of Miyajima and Mt. Misen under the clear blue sky. One of the things I enjoy most as a guide is sharing not only the famous sites, but also the stories, culture, and small details that help visitors connect more deeply with Hiroshima and Miyajima. I am glad that the origami crane experience and the information about Hiroshima’s historic streetcars added something special to your visit. Thank you again for your warm words and recommendation. I wish you many wonderful adventures in the future and hope our paths may cross again someday. - Hiroshi
Excellent tour in Miyajima today. Our tour guide, Hiroshi Tsuji, was exceptional. He walked us through the shrine explaining what we were seeing and what it meant. Thanks to Hiroshi, we were lucky enough to experience Japanese "fast food" Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki. Amazing! So many wonderful memories made today, from the ferry ride to the island, to the deer roaming the streets, to the maple leaf🍁 cookies, and of course, the iconic Torii Gate. A day to treasure. Thank you, Hiroshi
Thank you very much for your wonderful review and for your kind words. It was truly a pleasure to spend the day with you both in Miyajima. I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed the history and traditions of Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, the friendly deer, the maple leaf cookies, and of course the iconic Great Torii Gate. What impressed me most was the warm friendship and care you shared throughout the day. Watching the two of you travel together and enjoy each moment reminded me how special travel can be when it is shared with someone close. I also enjoyed our conversations during the ferry ride back and the walk from the port. Those relaxed moments are often the memories I treasure most as a guide. Thank you again for choosing to visit Miyajima with me. I wish you both many more wonderful journeys together and hope our paths may cross again someday. Hiroshi
Excellent tour. Hiroshi Tsuji is a wonderful guide. He walked us through the Miyajima shrine explaining what we saw and what it meant. Thanks to Hiroshi, we got to try the local "fast food", Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki for lunch. Amazing! Wonderful day in Miyajima. Thanks, Hiroshi.
Thank you very much for your wonderful review and for your kind words. It was truly a pleasure to spend the day with you both in Miyajima. I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed the history and traditions of Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, the friendly deer, the maple leaf cookies, and of course the iconic Great Torii Gate. What impressed me most was the warm friendship and care you shared throughout the day. Watching the two of you travel together and enjoy each moment reminded me how special travel can be when it is shared with someone close. I also enjoyed our conversations during the ferry ride back and the walk from the port. Those relaxed moments are often the memories I treasure most as a guide. Thank you again for choosing to visit Miyajima with me. I wish you both many more wonderful journeys together and hope our paths may cross again someday. Hiroshi
