When is the Miyajima Oyster Festival held?

The festival typically takes place every February, a peak season for oysters in the region. This timing ensures the freshest and most flavorful oysters are available for visitors to enjoy.

What types of dishes can visitors expect at the festival?

Visitors can enjoy a variety of oyster dishes, including grilled, fried, steamed, and raw oysters. The festival also features unique local recipes, such as oyster okonomiyaki (savory pancakes) and oyster nabe (hot pot).

What cultural activities are featured at the festival?

The festival includes traditional Japanese performances, such as taiko drumming, folk dancing, and music. These cultural activities provide entertainment and offer visitors a deeper understanding of local traditions.

Is the festival family-friendly?

Yes, the Miyajima Oyster Festival is a family-friendly event with activities suitable for all ages. In addition to food and cultural performances, there are games and workshops that children and adults can enjoy together.

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

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Last updated May 1, 2026

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.

Overview

Address

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

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Traveler reviews

Miyajima is famous for the Itsukushima Shrine which is a Shinto shrine. It is known for its "floating" torii gate. The historic shrine complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as one of the National Treasures by the Japanese government. There are lots of deer, roaming freely and very friendly. A superb place to visit. From Hiroshima, we took a tram to the Miyajima ferry terminal and took us 1 hour. Then a ferry ride for another 15 minutes.

Wan Noriza Wan Ahmad

Dec 29, 2025

Visited in Aug 2023 during the middle of a sweltering summer yet was one of my favourite places... back again in Feb 2026 during winter and remains one of the highlights of our 3 weeks in Japan. Gets busy, so did enjoy it more in the cooler weather.

Glyn Woodall

Feb 10, 2026

Itsukushima, also Miyajima is a magnificent island. From the moment I arrived early morning and seeing the deers relaxing, I immediately got a smile on my face. Seeing the shrine and Torii gate from low to high tide is lovely. Walking uphill to a different shrine and enjoy the views. Great food, drinks, atmosphere and scenery, what do you want more in life. Soak it all in.

Stephan Frijns

Jan 6, 2026

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

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 :)