What other travelers are saying about Miyajima Ropeway
The views from the top are gorgeous, if you are willing to pay the unusually high fee. It is the most expensive ropeway I have seen in Japan, but you do get excellent views. If I were there on my own, I probably would have chosen to save the money and hike, so I would suggest not riding the ropeway if you are able to hike. Also, it can get very crowded. The ropeway is split into two halves, the first half is quite steeply upwards, and the second is quite flat. The first one has regular cars, but only 6 people can go in at a time, so there can be long queues. The second one only has two cars going back and forth, and they squish lots of people in there. It feels quite nerve wracking! At the top, there is actually very little; the rest stop has a small shop and some indoor seats, which is nice in poor weather, and outside there are small pipes to look through that show you were different places are! I thought that was handy. Whether you hike or take the ropeway, I would recommend going up the mountain at least.
The Miyajima Ropeway is a must-do — the views are just breathtaking. We waited about an hour to board, but it was completely worth it once we were up in the air. The scenery is incredible, with sweeping views of the islands, the city, and even the oyster farms in the water below.
We chose the return ticket, and I’m so glad we did. The ride back down was just as beautiful, and after a long day of walking, it was a relief not to tackle the hour-plus hike down. If you’ve got sore feet or just want to soak in the scenery again, I highly recommend getting the round-trip ticket.
A truly memorable experience — peaceful, scenic, and unforgettable.
Miyajima island is a must visit island when in Hiroshima. The entire island pathways take you from ferry terminal through long rows of shops, through the shrines and eventually culminates at the ropeway. The ropeway though is just the start of the adventure… from that first point, it leads to another ropeway (upper ropeway) that offers an amazing view. From that upper ropeway station (Shishiiwa Station), you will need to embark on a trek to the summit of Mount Misen, a 1km uphill trek which will take approximately 30 to 40 minutes. The well-marked path is steep in parts and involves a 10-minute walk to the summit after a 20-minute walk to the temple halls. It’s almost designed as a pilgrimage. Must do. Do it in colder months for better comfort. The view from the top is spectacular.
Amazing views from the top — truly one of the highlights of Miyajima. We were lucky and had almost no line, and the small queue that did form moved quickly. But right after us a huge crowd arrived, so timing definitely matters. The price is quite high (2,000 yen round trip), but the scenery makes it worthwhile. At the summit there are short hiking trails you can explore; we didn’t have time to do them, but based on the terrain and the surrounding views, they look absolutely worth it. Highly recommended if you’re already on the island.
Even though they technically run until 4pm, they really shouldn't let people up after 3pm. We went up at 3:30 and it was kind of stressful. The ride up is beautiful, but we got about 5 minutes at the top before we had to get back in line to go down. There was an announcement playing when we arrived at the top that the last car goes down at 4:30 and if you don't make it prepare to walk (the walk would be intense and partially in the dark at that point). At about 4:20, the announcement changes though to let people know they will continue running until everyone is down. So just an FYI, if you do go up after 3pm as long as you are in line by 4:30/4:45 you will be able to get down. We would have liked to spend more time at the top, enjoy the view, and not feel rushed. C'est la vie.
