A Day on Miyajima Climbing Mt. Misen

This course takes you to visit Itsukushima Shrine, hike up from Daisho-in Temple at the foot of Mt. Misen along a mountain trail to reach the summit, and descend to Momijidani using the Miyajima Ropeway. Tracing your steps from the seaside shrine pavilions to the temple halls atop the mountain, you can experience the faith and nature of Miyajima on your own feet.

History and Regional Appeal

Mt. Misen is the highest mountain on Miyajima, with an elevation of approximately 535 meters. It is handed down that in the first year of Daido (806), Kobo Daishi Kukai performed Gumonji ascetic training on this mountain for one hundred days, and it has attracted faith as a sacred site ever since. At the foot of the mountain, Daisho-in Temple is also said to have been founded by Kukai at that time, and is regarded as the temple with the oldest history on Miyajima. At the end of the Heian period, it appears in historical records as the betto-ji (head supervisory temple) managing Itsukushima Shrine.

The Misen Primeval Forest covering the mountain was designated as a national natural monument in the 4th year of Showa (1929), and along with the shrine pavilions of Itsukushima Shrine and the sea in front of them, is included within the World Cultural Heritage area. Momijidani, where you descend by ropeway on the return journey, is one of Miyajima's representative spots for autumn foliage.

Main Highlights

• ​Itsukushima Shrine​​: A shrine rebuilt by Taira no Kiyomori in the 3rd year of Nin'an (1168) into pavilions incorporating the shinden-zukuri architectural style. Visitors enter through the East Corridor, worship at the main shrine, and proceed through the West Corridor toward the exit. When the tide rises, the shrine pavilions and the Otorii gate appear as though they are floating on the sea.
• ​Daisho-in Temple​​: The grand head temple of the Omuro branch of Shingon Buddhism. The Chokugando main hall enshrines Namikiri Fudo Myoo, which is said to have served as the guardian Buddhist deity for Toyotomi Hideyoshi's military fleet. Beneath the Kannon-do hall, there is the Kaidan-meguri, where visitors walk through a pitch-black passage. You can ascend the stone steps while spinning the mani prayer wheels lined along the stairway handrails.
• ​Mt. Misen​​: The "Eternal Flame," the fire lit by Kobo Daishi during his ascetic training that is said to have been burning continuously for more than 1,200 years, served as one of the source fires for the "Flame of Peace" in Peace Memorial Park. Reikado Hall, which had guarded the flame, burned down in a fire in May 2026, but the flame survived. Near the summit sits Kuguri-iwa, where massive rocks overlap to form an arch, and the summit observatory offers sweeping views over the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.
• ​Miyajima Ropeway​​: You transfer between two lines that use different systems: the Shishiiwa Line between Shishiiwa Station and Kayatani Station, which features large 35-passenger gondolas traveling back and forth, and the Momijidani Line between Kayatani Station and Momijidani Station, where smaller 8-passenger gondolas circulate continuously. From the gondolas, you can look down upon the Misen Primeval Forest.
• ​Momijidani Park​​: A park with approximately 700 maple trees along the Momijidani River. The "Momijidani River Garden Sabo Facilities," built to recover from the debris flow caused by the Makurazaki Typhoon in the 20th year of Showa (1945), were designated as a national important cultural property in the 2nd year of Reiwa (2020). The autumn foliage is typically at its best from mid to late November.

Recommended Route and Duration

The estimated required time is about 6 hours. After worshiping at Itsukushima Shrine, head toward the mountains from Daigan-ji Temple near the exit and climb southward for about 400 meters to reach Daisho-in Temple. From Daisho-in Temple, it takes about a 1.5-hour climb to the summit along the Daisho-in Course mountain trail. Because the path features many stone steps and steep slopes and can be slippery on rainy days, wear shoes suitable for walking. After taking in the views at the summit, walk for about 30 minutes past Misen Hondo Hall and the site of Reikado Hall to reach Shishiiwa Station. From the Shishiiwa Observatory near the station, you can also look out over the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. Transfer ropeways at Kayatani Station to descend to Momijidani Station, and walk through Momijidani Park to return to the area behind Itsukushima Shrine.

The Miyajima Ropeway requires advance reservations on certain days depending on the season, and operations may be suspended due to weather conditions. Check the official information before departing, and plan with plenty of time to catch the final descending ropeway, taking into account your physical stamina, the weather, and the sunset time.

Experience Summary

Pavilions over the sea, a temple linked to Kukai, a mountain where the unquenched flame has been handed down, with its summit vistas, and a valley filled with autumn foliage. Although the climb is not easy, it rewards you with a full day of immersing yourself in the faith and nature of Miyajima.