A Relaxing Day in Miyajima

Leaving Osaka behind, we boarded the Shinkansen train which left Osaka station at exactly 9:02 am, bound for Hiroshima. With speeds reaching up to 299 km/h (according to my GPS app), the ride was smooth and impressively punctual. And thanks to buying the tickets through the offical app and linking our ICOCA cards through it, it was very easy to get on and off the train just by tapping on and off,

Once at Hiroshima Station, we transferred to a local train which we rode to Miyajimaguchi Station where we got onto the Miyajima ferry, bypassing all the other visitors who were queuing up for tickets and again just tapping on with our ICOCA cards (everything is just so simple and so easy and it just works).

As soon as we set foot onto the island we were greeted by the many deer that roam that island of Miyajima. However, the difference between these ones and the ones in Nara is that these aren’t allowed to be fed by the public, as such they don’t get aggressive towards people and just wander randomly through the streets of Miyajima. 

Our first stop of the day was at Hotel Sakuraya, a local ryokan, however we were too early for check-in but were still allowed to drop off our luggage with them which freed us and allowed us to explore the area. 

We made enquiries about Miyajima Ropeway and the ability to travel to the top of mountain however were informed that the ropeway was currently not in operation. And based upon the fact that it was raining, we just didn’t feel like walking to the top in the rain so we skipped this option. 

We continued to the iconic Itsukushima Shrine, more known for it’s bright red torii gate that rises out of the water which is an amazing sight. On this day, we had a light drizzle that followed us throughout the day and some fog as well which made the experience slightly magical and almost breathtaking.

After seeing the shrine (together with hundreds of other visitors to the island) we wandered along Miyajima Omotesandō Shopping Street, where we sampled some of the island’s food, including some tasty crispy deep-fried oysters, some prawn tempura and more before trying some local beer from the island brewery, the Miyajima Brewery. After this we walked along the shopping street and found some cocktails from Gebura. Now the initial drink was about 750 yen however, every refill after this cost just 200 yen. So Suz and I may have had a few different cocktails, just to try them out you know!

After this, we returned to check in at our ryokan and after settling in, in the late afternoon, when most tourists had boarded ferries back to the mainland, we walked the same streets again and it was such a difference, the streets became calm and almost empty which gave the island a completely different feel and it almost felt magical wandering through the small alleys and around the shrine with hardly anyone else around.

However, being such a popular day destination does have some problems, mostly being that almost everything closes early and finding a place for dinner took a little while to find. We eventually walked back to where the ferry docks and found a restaurant that was open, the  Miyajima Shoufuku where we enjoyed some ramen, tender grilled eel and some wagyu beef, a perfect treat to round off the day.

That evening, I took a peaceful walk along the waterfront with almost no one else around, besides the deer that still roam the island and I had some stunning night views of the torii gate glowing in the night. I’m not lying when I say that it felt like the island belonged to just me as there was barely anyone else out and about!

Back at ryokan hotel, we ended our day with our very first onsen experience in Japan. As a westerner, the idea of getting completely naked, showering and then getting into a public bath with others is a bit daunting, however it’s something that you just get used to and having the ability to soak in the hot spring water after a day of rain and walking was very relaxing and  I believed that as a result, a very good nights sleep was had.

The following morning I got up early, got myself a coffee and walked for another last glimpse of the torii gate before we were due to leave. And my timing was perfect, the tide was low and I was able to walk all the way out to the giant torii gate, touching the massive wooden pillars and getting a few up close and personal photos. Not only that, but the weather had changed completely and the sky was now blue and the sun was out, showing a completely different side to the torii gate. 

After this, I once again returned to the ryokan where we packed our bags and headed back to the Ferry to travel to Hiroshima.

We had a great time in Miyajima, the island is beautiful and the torii gate in front of the Itsukushima shrine is impressive. However, the visit got even better in the late afternoon and early evening when most day trip visitors left the island, absolutely worth at least one night on the island.