Miyajima Highlights: Itsukushima Shrine & Island Nature
Description
Discover the spiritual heart of Miyajima Island on a fully private walking tour guided by Japanese local guides deeply connected to Hiroshima, offering perspectives shaped by family history, cultural memory, and lived experience. Visit the iconic Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its floating torii gate and magnificent Daishoin temple. Learn about the island’s long-standing spiritual traditions, symbolism, and why Miyajima has been considered sacred for centuries. Beyond the main landmarks, explore quieter areas of the island, natural scenery, and everyday local life. Your guide shares cultural context and stories that help you understand Miyajima not just as a destination, but as a living community. As a private tour, the itinerary is flexible and can be adjusted to your interests and pace—whether you want to focus on history, photography, nature, or a more reflective visit. This tour is ideal for travelers seeking a deeper, more meaningful experience.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The tour departs from a hotel or train station in Hiroshima City; the order of the tour can be changed between Miyajima and Peace Park to see the Floating Torii Gate. We use public transportation. Travel time to Miyajima is 1 hour.
Visit a spiritual island "MIYAJIMA" that has been revered as the gods' island since ancient times. Deer, the messengers of the gods, welcome you!
The Floating Torii gate appears on the sea when the tide is high. At low tide, you can walk by it and be impressed by its size and beauty!
Itsukushima Shrine floats on the sea and is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This shrine, also a national treasure, changes its appearance with the ebb and flow of the tide. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of the majestic Heian-period Japanese architecture. If you are lucky, you will be witness to a wedding ceremony or a dance dedicated to the gods!
Daisho-in Temple is a unique and rare temple. The oldest temple on Miyajima, it is located in the midst of rich nature and has many attractions. This temple was loved by Shogun Hideyoshi and many other influential people, and is a must-see!
Part of the Itsukusima shrine, UNESCO World Heritage Site, built in 16th century. Large halls and wall-less spaces are quiet and peaceful. Shogun Hideyoshi order to built.
Stroll Omotesando shopping street. Lined with food stores and souvenir stores selling Miyajima's specialty products such as oysters, conger eel rice bowl, and momiji manju (steamed buns). Momiji-manju hand-baking workshops are also available.
We will move toward Peace Memorial Park. Basically, we use a ferry, JR, or train. It takes about 1 hour. As an option, you can also take a direct boat (45 minutes) to Peace Memorial Park. Please check your email after booking for details.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up on foot. Not listed hotel: please let us know. Coming from another city: Hiroshima Station is the best meeting point. ⚠️Meeting at Itsukaichi Port incurs an additional charge of JPY 2,000, payable in cash on the day. ⚠️ Late policy: More than 20 minutes late without notice = No-Show (no refund). If you inform us but are over 1 hour late, the tour may be shortened or extra fees may apply.
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
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Pick up on foot.
- This is a walking tour. We basically use public transportation.
- Transportation fee is not included, please pay by your own.
- Please do not participate if you have cold symptoms
Reviews(33)
Yuka made this trip seamless for us. Her knowledge was great, she catered to our interests and pace with our three children (aged 5-13). She was warm, friendly and clearly loves her job. She knew the ways to avoid the over crowding , maximise routes to see more whisky walking less, and all the hidden little jewels. We all loved our day with her. Highly Recommended guide whether solo, couple or family.
We spent a second day with Yuka touring Miyajima island. This was a highlight of our 2 week trip to Japan. Yuka knew the exact order to see the main highlights and avoid the crowds. She took us to a great restaurant specializing in oysters which are grown in the waters nearby. Overall it was a lovely day.
Thank you again for your lovely review. I'm sure that the beautiful views of the Seto Inland Sea and its islands from the ropeway were one of the highlights of your Miyajima visit. It was a pleasure spending two days with you and sharing Hiroshima's history, culture, and charm. Hearing that your time in Hiroshima and Miyajima became a memorable part of your Japan trip truly makes me happy as a guide. I wish you many more wonderful adventures ahead.
We had a great day with Yuka! We saw two beautiful temples, saw cute deer, did some shopping and ate a yummy lunch. We would highly recommend this tour and Yuka as a guide!
Thank you very much for your lovely review. I'm so glad you enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Miyajima in the Seto Inland Sea. I'm also happy to hear that you enjoyed the lunch and found some special souvenirs during your visit. I hope you'll have another chance to visit Japan and enjoy Osaka next time!
We had a wonderful day with Yuka! She was so knowledgeable. We saw two beautiful temples, had a delicious lunch and did some fun shopping! Truly a terrific day!
Thank you so much for your kind review. Due to the typhoon, Miyajima became a last-minute change to your travel plans, so I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed your day on the island. It was a pleasure sharing the charm of this small island with you!
I had a private tour with Yuka. She was well organised, very knowledgeable, patient and friendly. She made every aspect of the tour easy. Her English is very good and everything is explained clearly. I learnt a lot on the tour thanks to Yuka and the price was worthwhile.
I truly appreciate your thoughtful review. It was a pleasure spending time with you. I really enjoyed our conversations. I’m glad to hear that Hiroshima felt like a special place for you. Your kind words about the tour really encourage me to keep improving as a guide. I’d love to show you Fukuyama next time. And of course, let’s enjoy a cake break again!
Yuka was our guide today. She greeted us at our hotel (she was there early) we requested to walk to the train station vs taking a taxi. She got us through both the train and ferry station which ease. She knew where to sit on the ferry to get the best view, she is very knowledgeable of the entire island and shared her pictures with us. She selected a great restaurant for lunch and offered us the cable car ride back instead of the train for a different experience. Yuka speaks very good English, we had a great day on this island tour.
I truly appreciate your kind review. I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed Miyajima, even after visiting many shrines and temples during your trip. I hope you’ll have another chance to visit Miyajima and enjoy the places we didn’t have time to see, as well as its special evening atmosphere. Wishing you, your children, and your grandchildren many wonderful journeys ahead.
Masa was an outstanding guide. Because he grew up in Hiroshima, he had intimate knowledge which he shared with us. He took us on the normal tours but also on side streets and off the beaten path. Excellent English and ability to share and explain. Fully informative. A real pleasure.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I truly enjoyed spending time with you all as well—your way of traveling made the experience even more rewarding for me as a guide. Our time in Miyajima felt especially special, and I’m so glad we could share it together. I hope to welcome you back to Japan again someday!
Yuka gave an excellent tour of Miyajima Island. We had a great time. Her English was very good and easy to understand. Yuka’s knowledge of Miyajima and Hiroshima was outstanding. I would use her again in the future.
Thank you very much for your kind review. It was truly a pleasure spending the day with you. Hearing about your family’s history and life before the tour was very meaningful for me, and I truly appreciated you sharing such personal and important stories. I believe your time in Hiroshima, including your visit to Peace Memorial Park the day before, was very special, and I’m grateful I could be part of your visit by guiding you in Miyajima. I would be very happy to see you again someday. Wishing you all the very best.
What an amazing day! Aya was the perfect guide, patiently guiding us through (a rainy) Hiroshima and then a high-speed boat trip to Miyajima Island (which has to be anyone’s highlight on a trip to Hiroshima). I simply can’t imagine being guided by anyone other than Aya. She brought to life the culture, magic, and beauty of Hiroshima with stories and explanations.
Thank you so much for your wonderful and thoughtful review. I’m so happy we were able to enjoy Miyajima together. Thanks to you, I’ve come to love Miyajima even more in the rain! It means a lot to hear that you felt the culture and beauty of Hiroshima. That is exactly what I hoped to share with you. Wishing you many more amazing journeys ahead.
Masa was a great guide! She is very knowledgeable about the Miyajima Island. She showed us the ways to be respectful of the Temples and shrines. As well as the history behind them. The Otorii Gate was very beautiful and there as sacred deer 🦌 just roaming around. You won’t be disappointed if you hire her to be your guide. We really enjoyed her company.
Thank you so much for your kind review! I truly enjoyed our time together. It was a beautiful day, and I’m so glad we could explore Miyajima at a relaxed pace. Time passed so quickly, and it was hard to say goodbye. Thank you for your kindness and your wonderful sense of humor—it made the day even more special for me. I wish you a safe and enjoyable journey. Please feel free to contact me anytime. - Masa
