Mount Misen
The summit of Miyajima, with a flame said to have burned since 806 and a view over the Inland Sea that most day visitors never climb to.
Above the shrine
Misen rises 535 metres above Miyajima, and Kukai is said to have lit a fire at its summit in 806 that has been kept burning ever since — the flame that lit the Peace Flame in Hiroshima was taken from it. A ropeway climbs most of the way, leaving a genuine thirty-minute walk over rock to the top. Most day visitors do the shrine and the shopping street and go home, which means the summit is quiet even when the village below is not, and the view over the Inland Sea is the best in the region.
Explore Mount Misen on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What to look for
A ropeway, a walk and a summit with things on it.
🔥 Reikado Hall
- The eternal flame, said to have burned since 806
- A pot of water boiled over it, offered to visitors
🪨 The summit
- Enormous boulders and an observation deck over the Inland Sea
🐒 The path
- Wild monkeys and deer along the ridge; a real rock scramble in places
Getting there
Ferry to Miyajima, then ropeway, then walk.
⛴ To the island
- JR to Miyajimaguchi then the ferry, about an hour from Hiroshima
🚡 Ropeway
- From Momijidani to Shishiiwa — a free shuttle runs to the base station
🥾 The last stretch
- 30 minutes on foot from the top station to the summit, over rock
When to climb
Visibility and the ropeway timetable are the two constraints.
🌅 Morning
- Clearest air over the sea, and the ropeway queue is shortest
🍁 November
- Momijidani valley below the ropeway is exceptional
⏰ Last descent
- The ropeway closes in the late afternoon — note the last car
Visitor intelligence
The ropeway does not go to the summit, which catches people out.
🥾 The walk
- 30 minutes each way over uneven rock with steps — proper shoes
- Not a stroll; allow an hour round trip from the top station
⏰ Timing
- Missing the last ropeway means a two-hour walk down
🐒 Wildlife
- Monkeys will take food and bags — keep everything closed
♿ Access
- The ropeway is accessible; the summit path is not
Frequently asked
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