Climbing Mount Misen: A Quick Hike on Miyajima
As you arrive by ferry to Miyajima you will notice the beautiful island and its various hills. The highest point, Mount Misen, is a must see as it provides a 360 degree view of the islands surrounding you. Climbing Mount Misen is a must. It offers some of the best views in the area and is one of the best things to do in the area!
Fortunately, there are two ways to get up to the top of Mount Misen: Taking the Miyajima Ropeway or hiking. I’ll touch on both of these along with all of the logistics you need to make the journey.
Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase.
About Mount Misen in Miyajima, Japan
Mount Misen is the highest peak on Miyajima, Japan at just 535 m above see level. Besides offering stunning views at the top, it is also a World Cultural Heritage Site. On clear days, you can see all the way to Hiroshima City. Additionally, near the peak of Mount Misen, you’ll find a number of Buddhist structures.
How to Visit Mount Misen
Situated on the small island of Miyajima, if you’re visiting Miyajima, you’ll likely want to summit this mountain. After all, it’s one of the best things to do in Miyajima and the views are epic!
There are two primary ways to get to the top of Mount Misen. You can take the popular Miyajima Ropeway or you can use your own two feet to hike up to the top. Let’s take a look at both options!
The Miyajima Ropeway Up Mount Misen
For those short on time or low on endurance, the Miyajima Ropeway is an excellent choice to reach the top of Mount Misen.
How to Find the Ropeway
To get to the bottom of the Ropeway you have a couple of options. You can simply follow the signs spread throughout town or you can take the free shuttle bus service from the Momijidani Park Entrance to the Momijidani Station. It runs every 20 minutes from 9:50am and only takes 3 minutes.
The Momijidani Park Entrance is about a 16 minute walk from the Miyajima Pier while it is a 25 minute walk to get to the Miyajima Ropeway Momijidani Station.
Cost of the Miyajima Ropeway
The ticket booth is on the edge of town with a ten minute walk up to the start of the Ropeway. For adults, a one-way ticket is ยฅ1010 and a round trip ticket is ยฅ1840. Children between the ages of 6 – 12 are almost half price at ยฅ510 one-way and ยฅ920 round trip. Children under 6 are free of charge.
Reserve your Ropeway ticket in advance.
Hours of Operation
The Mount Misen Ropeway operates from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm from the bottom going upwards and from 9:20 am to 4:30 pm from the top going down.
The Two Ropeways
To get to the top of Mount Misen, you’ll need to ride two different types of ropeways. First you’ll take the Momijidani Line up to Kayatani Station and then from there you’ll transfer to the Shishiiwa Line.
Momijidani Line (Momijidani – Kayatani)
This circulating type ropeway operates a number of gondolas for small groups of passengers at fixed intervals. It runs 8-seater cars in 1 minute intervals and is best for long-distance transport. The ride will take 10 minutes.
Shishiiwa Line (Kayatani – Shishiiwa)
This funicular type ropeway operates two large carriers alternately between the mountainside and summit. It offers 30-seater cars every 15 minute and is best for high-spead transport. This ride will take only 4 minutes.
What to Expect from the Miyajima Ropeway
The Ropeway will carry you up the mountainside and deposit you at a peak with a view, the Shishiiwa Observatory at 430 m above sea level. However, if you want to reach the summit of Mount Misen, it is a 1 km hike to the top. This hike features a number of stone stairs and some uphill and downhill walking but is completely doable for the able bodied.
Near the top you will encounter the Sanki-gongen-do Temple and from there a few more stairs will lead you to the Mount Misen Summit which features the Mount Misen Observatory which provides a stunning 360 view, 535 m above sea level.
You can then either continue back the way you came or choose to hike down. Details on the hike are below.
Hiking to the Top of Mount Misen
The other option for getting to the top of Mount Misen is to hike it. There are a three different paths you can take when climbing Mount Misen: the Momijidani, Daisho-in, and Omoto routes. I recommend the Momiji Dani route, which is the shortest and also the steepest.
How far is the hike?
The total climb up Mount Misen is just 2.6 km (one-way). For my kilometer challenged friends (like me) let’s figure out how many miles that is…. It’s only 1.6 miles to get to the summit of Mount Misen.
How tall is Mount Misen?
Beyond knowing how far it is, it’s worth knowing how tall Mount Misen is, because you’re going to have to climb it all! After all, the hike starts at just above sea level. So how tall is this fabulous mountain? Only 1,755 feet tall or 535 meters at it’s highest peak.
While that might not seem that tall, you will be rethinking that as you close in on the summit, huffing and puffing!
How long will the hike take?
While I am a casual hiker, I am not in great shape, just some kind of shape that’s not completely round. The Momijidani path is posted to take 90 minutes, but climbing Mount Misen took me just under an hour. I went at a steady pace and rarely stopped for breaks. Officially it should take 1.5 – 2 hours to reach the summit from town.
What to Expect When Climbing Mount Misen
The Momijidani route follows a stream with frequent waterfalls along the path. To get to the trail head, follow the signs to the start of the Ropeway, surpassing the ticket booth as hiking is free. Just before you reach the Ropeway entrance, you will veer to the right following the signs for the Momijidani trail.
From the break off point from the Ropeway, it is about 2.6 km to the top. The kicker is that at the top you meet up with the Ropeway path for the last 0.7 km. So in essence, you’re only hiking an additional 1.9 km by taking this route instead of the Ropeway. (That’s just over 1 mile!)
Starting the Climb
The first half mile/0.8 km is a fairly steady uphill climb with a few stairs along the way. It’s not too rough to tackle, and you’re accompanied by a stream and many small waterfalls on the left making it a nice climb.
The next half mile/0.8 km is almost all uneven stone stairs so expect a bit of huffing and puffing and sweating. Additionally, due to the rain forest like conditions, chances are good some of the steps will be damp, so be careful to not slip!
At this point you might be wondering what you were thinking, but soon there after you meet up with the Ropeway path.
The last portion of the path is a steady climb with interspersed stairs. However, tthe sense of accomplishment at the top as you take in the views will make every step along the way worth it.
Descending Down Mount Misen
The climb down is easier and quicker than the climb up. Remember to turn left at the 0.3 km to the Ropeway, 0.7 km to Mt. Misen sign to find the trail.
The tall uneven stone steps can be hard on your knees and take care not to twist an ankle along the way, but the descent is pretty straight forward.
Even if you aren’t up to the hike up the mountain, you may want to consider climbing down. I did pass a few people with walking sticks or even trekking poles to help stabilize and take the pressure off their knees.
Things to Know about the Climb Up Mount Misen
Climbing Mount Misen is worth it for the views from the mountaintop. You’ll be able to see all over Hiroshima Bay and the Seto Inland Sea. Before you set out, here are a few more things to know about the climb:
- The path is well marked and easy to follow with markers every 0.1 km counting down your climb to the top.
- There are no bathrooms or rest stops along the path but there are restrooms at the bottom and top.
- You will not find food or drinks available at the top, which I unfortunately had heard differently. Take water with you!
- The path is dirt and rock covered by trees. It will appear to be darker on the climb than it is outside. Prepare accordingly to avoid descending after dark. Also know that if it’s been raining, it will be muddy.
- On the way up I passed a handful of people descending, but I spotted no other climbers. This could be because we were going the same direction… But you will occasionally see other people. This is great if like me, you are alone without cell phone reception and wonder what would happen if you slip and hurt yourself.
No matter whether you take the Miyajima Ropeway or decide that climbing Mount Misen is right for you, the views make it well worthwhile. It was one of my favorite parts of Miyajima.
Enjoy!
Continue Exploring Miyajima and Hiroshima
Miyajima makes a great side trip from Hiroshima, and you can climb Mount Misen in just a couple of hours. This leaves you plenty of time to take in the top sights of Miyajima and Hiroshima.
If your visit to this area is brief, you can explore both Miyajima and Hiroshima in just 1 day. Or, take a tour to cover as much as possible in your limited time.
Like this post? Pin it.
