At 535 metres, Mount Misen is the highest point on Itsukushima Island and a sacred place with many small shrines.
The entire mountain is densely forested, but the views from the summit and many points on the hiking trails are breathtaking.
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Mount Misen is a spiritual place, but also a paradise for hiking and views. When the weather is nice, you can easily see the city of Hiroshima, 12 km away, the surrounding islands and the mountains in the background on Honshu Island.
If you take the cable car up and walk down, a visit to Mount Misen will take a total of about 4 hours.
Mount Misen Observatory
On Mount Misen you will find two observation decks.
The first one is located at around 400 meters at the top station of the cable car and offers beautiful views, especially of the eastern coast of Miyajima and the islands in Hiroshima Bay.
The main observatory can be found at the very top of Mount Misen at 535 metres, which is accessible on foot from the cable car top station.
The terrace is open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and admission is free.
Climbing Mount Misen - cable car and hiking trails
There are three hiking trails leading to the top of the mountain from the town of Miyajimacho, as well as a suspended cable car.
Cable car
The lower cable car station is located 1.5 km from the main dock, and you can walk to it (the last part is uphill) or take a free shuttle bus from the dock.
The bus runs from 9:30 to 16:50 every 20 minutes.
The top station of the cable car is not at the top of Mount Misen. The cable car ends at an altitude of about 380 metres and you have to walk for about 20-30 minutes to the top.
A system of two cable cars leads up the mountain. The first part is the classic circulating cabins, of which there are many. Even so, the waiting time on the way up is 30-60 minutes.
The second part is served by two large cabins pendulating against each other. Here you will usually wait only 5-15 minutes.
Travel time on the way up is about 20 minutes.
Ticket price and operating time
The cable car operates year-round from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm every day, with the last ride up at 4:00 pm.
Tickets cannot be booked online. They can be purchased on site with card or cash.
| One-way | Return | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 1 100 jpy | 2 000 jpy* |
| Child | 550 jpy | 1 000 jpy |
* If you have purchased a Visit Hiroshima Pass (day pass - see Transportation in Hiroshima), adults have a discount on the round-trip fare of 200 jpy.
The JR Pass is not valid on the cable car.
Official website: miyajima-ropeway.info
Hiking trails
If you are heading to the very top at 535 meters, you will always have to walk at least a bit.
The shortest route leads from the top station of the cable car. It is 1 km long, the elevation gain is about 130 metres and the walk takes about 30 minutes, see map.
From the top, 3 paths lead down to Miyajimacho village to the port and Itzukushima Shrine.
Which of the three routes is the best?
Definitely the most popular and most beautiful is Daishoin Route is the one at the mouth of Daisho-in Temple. The trail runs through a beautiful valley largely along the water, with breathtaking views from many points.
- The route is 2.5 km long
- Map
- Omoto Route - The longest route goes mainly through forests, views can be enjoyed for example from the next hill Komagabayashi, through which the route passes
- The route is 3.5 km long
- Map
- Momijidani Route - the least popular route with many rocks and unpaved sections runs only through the forest and is therefore without views
- The route measures 3 km
- Map
Sacred Mountain
It is said that Mount Misen was historically the first place where the monk Kobo Daishi practiced one of the main Japanese schools of Buddhism, Shingon.
Roughly 50 vertical metres below the peak (about 100 vertical metres above the top cable car station), you will find several Buddhist shrines belonging to the Daisho-in Temple at the foot of the hol.
Among the most important is Reikado Hall with its eternal flame, opposite which stands Misen Hondo.
Dozens of small shrines can be found along the walking trails.
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