How to get to Miyajima by a train and a ferry. The JR Pass and the JR West Passes cover the trip fully.

Ferries
JR ferry will show you Itsukushima shrine.
2020.07.09
Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima
Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima

Miyajima is one of the World Heritage sites in Japan, and also this is called one of “Three Views in Japan” with Matsushima and Amanohashidate.

You can access to Miyajima by Japan Rail Pass with no extra charge. But you have to take a local train and Ferry. I will explain the access to Miyajima with some images in this article.

Access to Hiroshima by the Shinkansen

N700 series will be used as Mizuho and Sakura.
Mizuho and Sakura on the Sanyo Shinkansen is the best way to get to Hiroshima.

Take the Shinkansen to get to Hiroshima. There are several kinds of trains on Sanyo Shinkansen, but all Shinkansen trains stop at Hiroshima.

After get off the Shinkansen train at Hiroshima, move to platform 1.

The Sanyo Line local train bound for Miyajima-guchi and Iwakuni depart from this platform usually. You will see the sign for Miyajima and find the platform very easily.

The signage of the departure track for Miyajima

A local train operates every 15 minutes in daytime, 10 minutes in peak time. So even if you miss a train, next one comes up shortly.

Take a local train to get to Miyajimaguchi. Miyajimaguchi is 9th station from Hiroshima. A travel time is about 30 minutes.

Please refer Hiroshima station guide to get some more information in the link below:

Hiroshima station guide. How to change the trains, Shinkansen and local train to Miyajima. How to catch tram and loop bus Meipuru-pu.
Hiroshima is one of most popular places to visit in Japan. Many of you use Hiroshima station to visit not only Hiros...
jprail.com
2016.10.09

At Miyajimaguchi station

Miyajimaguchi is the gateway for Miyajima. You have to change a train and a ferry at Miyajimaguchi.

Miyajimaguchi station is a small station. There are only two platforms and three tracks. Usually a train from Hiroshima arrives at the platform with the station building. You can exit a station through this building.

At the platform for the track #1 in Miyajimaguchi station

After exiting the station, you will find the ferry port building at the end of the street. Just go down this street to the end. It is only 3 minutes away.

You will see the ferry terminal from the Miyajima-guchi station. It’s just steps away!

You will find many signage on the way even though it is super easy.

Enter the underground path because there is no crosswalks.
The entrance of the underground path
The inside underground path

At the ferry port

There are two ferry services for Miyajima. You have to take JR Ferry if you use the JR Pass, the Sanyo Sanin Area Pass, the Kansai Hiroshima Area Pass and other JR West Rail Passes.

Two ferry services to Miyajima. Follow the sign for JR Ferry. It’s right side in the photo above.

The ferry service runs every 10 to 15 minutes.

Ferry to Miyajima is a small ferry. Only 10 minutes cruise.

It is very short cruise to Miyajima. It takes only 10 minutes. The famus Big Torii Gate of Itukushima Shrine is usually on your right side.

The ferry usually goes by the Itsukushima shrine.
The interior of the ferry to Miyajima

After arrival in the Miyajima port, just get off a ferry and go through the building.

Walkway from the dock to the Miyajima port building
The shrine can be seen from the dock in the distance.
Information center at Miyajima ferry terminal. You can get English and other languages map here.
The Miyajima port building

Access to the Itsukushima shrine

Miyajima is a small island. You can access to the world famous Itsukushia shrine on foot from the ferry terminal.

Just walk by the sea
There are lots of suvenior shops and restaurants on the way.
The big torii gate comes up in 10 to 15 minutes
When a tide is low, you can walk on the beach.

The last word

Miyajima is very easy to access and it is definitely worth visiting.

Actually you can visit both Hiroshima and Miyajima by a day trip from Osaka. If you have very tight schedule but want to visit there, consider this option. Please find the link below to find the sample itinerary:

Sample itinerary of day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima from Osaka/Kyoto
You can visit Hiroshima and Miyajima from Osaka or Kyoto as day trip. It seems to be far but it is feasible. This post explains you how to manage day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima from Osaka.
jprail.com
2014.11.03

Hope this post will help you build your trip plan to Miyajima.

Comments

  1. JC says:
    October 2, 2017 at 10:01 am

    Hello,

    Looking for your kind advice.

    Osaka duration of stay: 16 Dec (arrive) to 25 (depart).

    Planned trips/stay (in sequence) :
    (a) Osaka (16 & 17 Dec)
    (b) Shirakawago (18 Dec) – stay over
    (c) Takayama (19 Dec) – day trip. Evening back in Osaka.
    (d) Kobe (20 Dec) – day trip only.
    (e) Hiroshima (21 Dec) – day trip only.
    (f) Osaka (22 Dec to 24 Dec
    (g) Home sweet home.

    For (b) – intent to take the train to Nagoya and then bus to Shirakawago.

    For (c) – intent to take bus to Takayama. Train from Takayama back to Osaka.

    Based on above itinerary – does it make economic sense to purchase the 7 Days JR Rail pass ? If “yes” – will I be able to make use of the pass for all above travellings.

    Thank you in-advance for your kind words of wisdom.
    Would be grateful.

    Reply
  2. Vera says:
    September 6, 2017 at 11:05 pm

    Hello.i hope i can see answer sooner. my friend is in Osaka right now and he wants to go to Hiroshima tomorrow,. He only have JR west Kansai pass. How can he go to Miyajima Island using local trains?. I can see in hyperdia that he must ride shinkansen from Shin Osaka to Hiroshima…his JR pass is not covered by Shinkansen, Thank you.

    Reply
  3. Coen says:
    July 20, 2017 at 7:31 pm

    Hi, the stations on our way to Miyajima-guchi are announced in English ! Maybe we had a newer type of train…
    Cheers , Coen from Holland.

    Reply
  4. Lina Lina says:
    July 17, 2017 at 5:11 am

    Hi I will be travel to Osaka, Kyoto n lastly Tokyo. And I want to visit Hiroshima and miyajima better to travel from Osaka or Kyoto? And bason my trip do I need to buy Jr pass? Pls advice, if yes which one should i get? Thank you. Osaka 4d 3n, Kyoto 3d 2 n, Tokyo 6d 5n.

    Reply
  5. kaze says:
    July 17, 2017 at 2:28 am

    Hello,
    I am considering traveling to hiroshima on 29dec and miyajima on 30dec.
    would the ships and musuem be open as it is near end of year?
    cant really find much info on closing date.
    i am also considering of getting either14days or 21 jr pass.
    if 14days jr pass will start on 26dec and if 21days it would be used on the 21dec as i would be arriving at narita but first few days seems quite wasted as i will be in tokyo area

    21-25dec tokyo
    26 – 28dec osaka
    29dec*Hiroshima
    30dec Miyajima
    31dec- 04 jan Kyoto
    05jan Hida takayama / Gero
    06jan Hida Furukawa,Shirakawa-go (stay one night)
    07-08jan kanazawa
    08jan kanazawa
    09-10jan hakone or tokyo
    11-14jan tokyo

    Reply
  6. PEGGY BOSE says:
    June 26, 2017 at 11:14 pm

    Hi! We are a family of 4 , traveling from Tokyo at past 5pm to Hiroshima, then the following day in the afternoon, go to Miyajima, overnight in a Ryokan. Then we plan to go to Naoshima on the 3rd day for the museums Do we need to go back to Hiroshima from Miyajima? We have a JR pass. Can we use it to go to Naoshima? Can we use our JR pass for transfers in Naoshima too? We plan to spend a night in Naoshima, tour the museums, then head for Osaka /Kyoto for 3 days then back to Tokyo for our flights back home. 8 days total stay in Japan.

    Reply
    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      June 27, 2017 at 12:54 pm

      Hi Peggy,

      You need to go back to Hiroshima from Miyajima to catch Shinkansen. You can take Shinkansen from Hiroshima to Okayama and then change to local train to Uno. JR pass covers your trip until you get Uno. After Uno, you will take ferry and it’s not covered by JR pass.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      Reply
  7. Agnes says:
    June 26, 2017 at 5:19 pm

    Hello,
    I am traveling to Japan next month and I would like to visit Nachi falls. My question is can I use my JR pass from Wakayama to Kii-Katsuura for the LTD exp. Kuroshio train?

    thanks,

    Reply
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