A close-up of fresh oysters on the half shell, one of which has a wooden pick inserted into it, displayed on a white plate.

Two people wearing gloves prepare oysters on a grill; one person squeezes sauce from a yellow bottle onto the oysters, with many shells cooking on the hot surface.

Oysters and a scallop are being grilled on a barbeque. A person wearing yellow and green gloves is handling the seafood, while another hand holds a knife nearby.

Open oysters are being grilled on a barbecue, with some shells open to reveal the cooked oysters inside. The grill has visible flames and bits of shell scattered around.

A woman in a gray coat and knitted hat smiles while holding a plate of oysters with a fork. She stands in an outdoor market area with traditional buildings and people in the background. The scene suggests a chilly day.

Miyajima

Miyajima Oyster Festival

Name: Miyajima Oyster Festival
Address: Itsukushima, Miyajimacho, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima 739-0588, Japan
Rating: 4.7

4.7 Natural FeatureEstablishment

The Miyajima Oyster Festival is held every February on Miyajima Island and is a fun celebration of the area’s famous oysters. Crowds come to taste the freshest oysters, the biggest and most delicious. Oysters are harvested from the nutrient-rich waters of the Seto Inland Sea, so they’re a real treat.

You can try oysters in many ways—grilled, fried, steamed or raw—and each showcases a different taste. The festival also has traditional Japanese performances, music and dance to add to the fun. It’s a time for locals to show off their cooking skills and for visitors to experience Japanese seafood culture.

It’s not just about eating; it also supports the local economy and fishing industry. Fishermen and vendors work hard to bring the best oysters to the event, and the festival is a platform for them to sell their catch directly to consumers.

The area

Address

Itsukushima, Miyajimacho, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima 739-0588, Japan

Top ways to experience Miyajima Oyster Festival

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Exploring the Wonders of Miyajima: A Cultural Highlights Walking Tour

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Private Miyajima Rickshaw Tour ( 1 Hour ) Ride

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Explore Hiroshima: Full-Day Private Custom Tour with Chartered Vehicle

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What other travelers are saying about Miyajima Oyster Festival

The island is famous for the Itsukushima shrine and the floating torii gate. But other than this, there is also the famous souvenir street near the shrine. You can buy souvenirs there and try local food. The place is famous for oysters farms, so grilled or raw oysters and oyster curry bread are local delicacies. Hiroshima is famous for lemons so any lemon drinks can be nice here. Miyajima is known for maple leaf shaped cakes.

Chhanda Barman

Oct 27, 2025

This was an island off Hiroshima called Miyajima. It was quaint and beautiful. Very picturesque. Well worth a visit.

Yola Souza

Nov 18, 2025

Beautiful island! I came as a day excursion and I could enjoy my time here, but if you have the chance, maybe stay one night at one of the hotels so you can more easily avoid the masses of tourist that come as flocks and also enjoy the shine at night (seeing some pictures online, it looks beautiful with the lanterns and illuminations!). You may also have a better chance of interacting with deers, although you’re not supposed to feed these ones (at Nara you can). Such a beautiful place, near a city that has known such horrors in the past…

André Marques

Oct 20, 2025

We took the long, scenic and an enjoyable bus ride going to the ferry station. Bus rides in my country is not always pleasant so I relished this one. We looked for a lunch spot first before heading off Miyajima. Next ride was a ferry boat-a short but equally enjoyable one with the mountain and sea views. The island itself deserved half or even one whole day of exploration. There so many places to be visit, take pictures, buy souvenirs from, dine or simply sit and enjoy the nature with the deer. Upon entering the island, we were greeted by the deer gently resting along the “streets”. According to Google : “Approximately 500 deer on Miyajima are tame and socialized to human presence, though they are still wild animals and can be aggressive in seeking food. They have learned to bow for snacks, which are available for purchase, and have also been known to eat paper maps and other human items” Food crackers for the deer are available for only JPY200 and this must be the only food to be fed to them. There’s enough space for everybody despite the numerous number of tourists in the island. There’s a recommended spot for taking a good picture with the Torii gate. The queue moves fast and it’s often the person at the back taking the pictures of the people in front-regardless of race :)

Susie Selorio

Nov 12, 2025

Nice island to walk around and see the small little shops and the famous shrine. Weather was cooling and was not hot. We took the ferry from Grand Prince Hiroshima. Ticket costs 4500 yen round trip per person.