Mount Misen

Mount Misen, in the heart of Setonaikai National Park and in the north of Miyajima Island, may not be as popular as Itsukushima shrine and its floating torii ⛩️. However, this small sacred mountain offers another way to discover Miyajima, thanks to many marvelous viewpoints on the island and its surroundings.

Shishi-Iwa and Misen Tenbodai Observatories

To reach the island’s heights from the port, the most simple way is to ride the Miyajima Ropeway from Momijidani Station, which is located about 20 minutes’ walk away in the eponymous park or a short ride in the free shuttle to the station. About 30 minutes and a transfer to another ropeway later, passengers disembark at the foot of Shishi-Iwa Tenbodai observatory, which is 430 meters above sea level. This rocky space provides a first spectacular view on the Seto Inland Sea, its islets and oyster farms.

The path to Misen Tenbodai, the highest point, is wide and well-marked but a little bit more difficult to tread as it consists in a roughly 30 minutes’ hike on a steep and uneven road. It passes by a Buddhist grounds home to several pavilions and of the "7 wonders of Mount Misen" (弥山の七不思議 Misen no nana fushigi) related to semi-legendary monk Kukai (Kobo Daishi) and among which are standing out:

• The Eternal Flame (Kiezu no reika) of the Reikado pavilion, that is said to have been lit by Kukai himself in 806 and never extinguished for 1,200 years. Its fire was used to lit the Cenotaph of Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park;
• Kanman Iwa, a rock formation that is said to contain a basin of salted water following the fluctuations of tides; and,
• Shakujo no ume, a plum tree that supposedly grew from Kukai’s pilgrim staff.

Visitors can stop here and use the ropeway to return to the foot of Mount Misen, or they can walk one of the available hiking trails.

3 hiking trails for 3 ways to explore Mount Misen

Hiking is another pleasant option to explore Mount Misen, whether choosing to walk all the way or to split the visit using the ropeway and the trails, to go up or to go down. The 3 hiking trails are of average difficulty and of similar lengths, about 2,5 to 3 km:

• Momijidani Trail, known as the easiest, connects Momijidani Park to the top of the mountain in about 1:30 to 2 hours’ walk one way. The hike is steeper near the end of the path, that is to say the road section between the highest ropeway station and Mount Misen’ highest observatory. It is characterized by a lot of inclines in a forest dotted with maple trees;
• Daisho-in Trail, that stars from Daisho-in temple and also joins the summit by a 1:30 to 2 hours’ walk as well; and lastly,
• Omoto Trail, which is the hardest and the longest, as it meanders in a primeval forest enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage to the summit. About 2h to 2:30 are necessary to connect Omoto-jinja and the top of Mount Misen.

The main difficulty of these trails lies in their steep inclines, that can quickly tire the legs. Therefore it is recommended to be in good shape to try the ascent. To better enjoy the destination, we recommend riding the ropeway to the summit first, then return walking on your preferred trail (or vice versa). The views will be beautiful regardless of the road chosen.

Tips to better enjoy Mount Misen

The ropeway is very convenient for hurried travelers who can then save time when discovering Mount Misen; however, the waiting line at Momijidani station’s ticket windows can be long. We recommend anticipating the ticket purchase using the vending machines at the foot of the mountain to prevent delay. Moreover, on very busy days such as the week-ends, booking the ropeway in advance is mandatory. The infrastructure may also be closed for maintenance, usually at the end of winter (around February, and also in July), making it unavailable.

When hiking, it is strongly advised to wear hiking shoes, and possibly a waterproof jacket, as the weather in Miyajima can be quite humid. There are very few, and sometimes no drinks or food vending machines on the trails; it is therefore necessary to carry at least water and some snacks and locate the few toilets 🚽 before starting the climb.

The beginning of autumn is certainly the best season to enjoy Mount Misen, when its sides are enlightened by the red koyo 🍁 foliage. A 2-days long stay on the island is ideal to relax in the onsen ♨️ hot spring 🌸 of a ryokan, such as the classic Iwaso inn, and take the time to immerse in Miyajima’s beautiful landscapes.